South Africa – A hall in memory of Saint Aloysius (Louis) Versiglia in Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa – December 2024 – The Salesian Institute in Cape Town, the first Salesian presence in South Africa, is probably the longest established Salesian house in the entire Africa-Madagascar Region. Already in 1917 Fr Louis Versiglia, now a Saint, stayed at this house during his trip from Italy to Macau. On the occasion of his Canonisation in 2000, a plaque was placed in front of the room where Louis Versiglia stayed. Now, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian missionary expedition, Fr Francois Dufour, Rector of the Salesian Institute in Cape Town, has committed himself to making the hall something more. In recent months, a Memorial Hall has been established which preserves photographs, books, images and objects referring to the first missionaries. This simple but significant Hall of Memory to Saint Louis Versiglia also seeks to be an inspiration for other Salesian houses, to remember all the missionaries and local Salesians who have died in South Africa, Lesotho and eSwatini and to prepare similar initiatives in other communities.