The programme of the visit
With only four days to go before the Holy Father’s arrival, all the details of his visit have now been finalised. Pope Leo will arrive at the Salesian work at 8 a.m. (UTC+1) and will make his first stop in the courtyard of the Salesian house. There he will receive a festive greeting from some children and young people and listen to some presentations on the parish by various pastoral workers.
Subsequently, after preparing with the principal concelebrants in the sacristy, the Pontiff will proceed in procession along Via Marsala and will then enter the basilica through the main entrance, in order to preside at the Eucharist of the First Sunday of Lent. Among the approximately fifty plus concelebrants expected will be the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Fabio Attard, several other members of the General Council, the Cardinals Baldo Reina, Vicar of Rome, and Giuseppe Versaldi, titular of the church, Monsignor Renato Tarantelli Baccari, Vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome, the parish priest and the Director of the community of the Salesian Central Headquarters, respectively, Fr Javier Ortiz and Fr Francesco Marcoccio.
Once the liturgy has been celebrated, he will have a moment of gathering with the Pastoral Council and the Educative and Pastoral Community that animates the parish and the many services associated with it – in the areas of catechesis, youth animation and social pastoral care with the many realities of need that crowd the parish territory, which is located in the area of Termini Station, Rome’s central station.
Before returning to the Vatican for the traditional recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father will still have time for a fraternal dialogue with the local Salesian community: a moment of paternal and fraternal dialogue, to listen attentively to pastoral challenges and to support and motivate apostolic zeal with courage.
Spiritual preparation
While the entire Salesian Headquarters is already being decorated and transformed to welcome the Pontiff and the hundreds of people eagerly awaiting this visit, the Salesian and parish communities have also decided to accompany the logistical preparations with those of the heart.
For this reason, from Thursday 19 February to Saturday 21 February, a triduum of prayer is planned to bring all participants into the right atmosphere of grace. The triduum intends to commemorate the history of the Basilica and its being a living expression of Don Bosco’s fidelity to the figure of the Holy Father (one of his three “special loves”, together with the Eucharist and Our Lady).
On the first day, we will commemorate the entrusting of the task of building the Basilica, which Pope Leo XIII gave to Don Bosco in April 1880: ‘The Pope’s wish for Don Bosco is a command,’ said the Saint of Youth on that occasion. ‘I accept the task that Your Holiness has kindly entrusted to me.’
On the second day, we will remember the work of Providence which, also through the mediation of the Pontiff, encouraged and supported the actual construction of the work both morally and practically. This was the case when, after about a year, in April 1881, the weight of fatigue and economic difficulties began to be felt, and the Pope, giving Don Bosco 5,000 francs, invoked a special blessing on all the Salesian Cooperators and benefactors of the enterprise.
Finally, on the third and last day of the triduum, we will commemorate the filial devotion of Don Bosco, who, although weakened and tired from so many sacrifices and commitments – many of which were linked to the construction of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Rome – did not give up, out of obedience to the Pope, to be present at the Consecration of the church. ‘I want him to come,’ Leo XIII had him informed. Write to him that if he does not come, I will not sign his passport to heaven.’ Thus Don Bosco had no trouble convincing his spiritual sons in Turin, who wanted to dissuade him from making such a journey, observing: ‘You can see that it is also in my interest to go and collect such a precious document, which I will certainly need before long.’
The significance of Leo XIV’s visit
The visit of the Holy Father Leo XIV to the Salesian Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is the second pastoral visit that Pope Leo XIV has made to his diocese since he ascended the Throne of Peter. It is part of a series of five consecutive Sundays that began last Sunday, 15 February, in Ostia, on the Roman coast, at the parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis; and which will continue over the coming Sundays in the parishes of Ascensione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo on 1 March; Santa Maria della Presentazione on 8 March; and Sacro Cuore di Gesù in Ponte Mammolo’ on 15 March.
In this way, Leo XIV will have a first taste of the pastoral reality of his diocese by visiting all five sectors into which it is divided; and, following the approach used by his predecessor Francis in his 20 visits to the churches of Rome, he will visit all the ones on the periphery.
The only one of the five churches that, does not appear to be peripheral geographically speaking is the Salesian church; but, on closer inspection, it too is peripheral, insofar as it is called upon to deal with increasingly widespread upward mobility and a social reality of great need. It is located in a key area of Rome, a cosmopolitan neighbourhood inhabited by communities from India, Bangladesh, Peru and Cuba, a place of transit where everyone arrives and from where everyone departs. It has just over 2,500 residents, mainly elderly people, given that the urban fabric is dominated by offices, hotels and shops; and more than 160 homeless people survive in its territory, not counting those already welcomed into the diocesan Caritas hostel.
“Ours is a demanding reality, but authentically Salesian: committed to young people and to those most in need, with a variety of spiritual and social initiatives,” commented the parish priest, Fr Ortiz. “We are happy to welcome the Holy Father into our house, 12 years after the visit of Pope Francis: as Salesians we are always close to and attentive to the voice of the Pontiff; we wish to make our parish known to him in detail and we await from him words of hope and encouragement for our mission.”
