120 years after the arrival of the Salesians in Istanbul, sent by the first Successor of Don Bosco, Fr. Michael Rua; the Salesian community and its beneficiaries in that city are grateful for this historic visit of the Rector Major to Istanbul from 9 to 12 March 2023.
During these days, apart from meeting his confreres of the only Salesian community on the Turkish soil, the Rector Major will also meet the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, this afternoon, Friday 10 March. He will also visit the Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul, Archbishop Maximilian Palinuro, before the 120th anniversary Mass, which will be held on Saturday 11 March in the Holy Spirit Cathedral, which is taken care by the Salesians.
There will be also meetings with young migrants, young Christians from the Turkish Youth Pastoral Commission, pupils from Salesian schools and a delegation of teachers from the Salesian School Institute for which, this very year, marks the 120th year since the first convention signed by the First Successor of Don Bosco to start this school in the heart of the city of Istanbul.
A meeting with some Turkish authorities is also planned.
This visit will strengthen the charismatic identity of this presence which, since 2016, by the will of the Rector Major and his Council has been passed to the German Province. In this sense, the significant presence of the provincial of Germany, Fr Reinhard Gesing, during this visit of the Rector Major, also underlines the will of that Province to walk faithfully with the Salesians of this house in the unique Salesian spirit of the Province and the Congregation.
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