The rich calendar opened with the conference for the official presentation of the events, which took place right inside the Salesian house in Utrera, in the presence of the Rector, Fr. Ramón Ronda Segrelles. He explained the great importance of this conferral and affirmed what a great privilege it was for Utrera that Don Bosco chose it to begin his work in Spain. Since then, Fr. Ramón Ronda Segrelles continued, there has always been great synergy between the city and the Salesians.
The Rector then recalled other important dates, such as the canonical coronation in 1981 and the imposition of the Gold Medal on the Salesian house in 1992. Now, receiving this same recognition was the Statue of Mary Help of Christians, the first one sent to Spain from Marseilles by Don Bosco himself in the year 1885.
The mayor of Utrera also remarked on the importance of this recognition and said that it is a date that will go down in the history of the city.
The events then continued on October 27 with a conference entitled "Mary Help of Christians, the Virgin of Don Bosco," during which there was also a piano performance by musician Juan Manuel Espinosa.
The final and most important event then took place on Saturday, Oct. 29, with the statue leaving the Basilica of Utrera to be transported to Pius XII Square, where at 5 p.m. a ceremony was held presided over by Fr. Ángel Asurmendi Martínez, Provincial Superior of the "Spain-Mary Help of Christians" (SMX) Province. At the end of the celebration, the mayor of Utrera finally placed the city's Gold Medal on the statue of Mary Help of Christians. This solemn moment was followed by a long procession, which continued until late in the evening and was joined by a great number of faithful, who with great emotion walked with the statue through the city’s main streets and squares.
