RMG – Visit of the Rector Major to Nice

14 November 2025
RMG – Visit of the Rector Major to Nice

(ANS – Rome) – In November 1875, the first four Salesians, including Father Joseph Ronchail, arrived in Nice and settled in an old spinning mill. On 28 November, Bishop Sola of Nice celebrated an opening Mass there. These were the first Salesians of Don Bosco to set foot on French soil, as Saint John Bosco himself had wished, responding to requests from French friends. Festivities have already taken place in the spring, but there is another important date to mark on your calendars: to mark the 150th anniversary of the Salesians' arrival in Nice, Father Fabio Attard, the new Rector Major, will be present in Nice for two days of celebrations on 15 and 16 November!

Programme

Saturday, 15 November:

8:00 am: Morning prayer – Breakfast

10:00 am: ‘Don Bosco in Nice’ treasure hunt in the city

12:00 pm: Lunch

2:00 pm: Salesian Family Forum (open house to discover all the activities of the Salesian family)

4:00 pm: Round table with education stakeholders and the Rector Major

6:30 p.m.: Aperitif / Social dinner

8:00 p.m.: Festive Salesian vigil

9:30 p.m.: Evening remarks

Sunday, 16 November

With this brief visit to Nice, just a few days away from the completion of the official celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the First Salesian Missionary Expedition, the Rector Major will not only make a new pastoral and animation visit, but will give a new and encouraging sign of care and attention towards the Salesian missionary memory - a memory that, as he has had the opportunity to say several times, remains alive only if it is relived and relaunched forwards.

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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