By UtpalBordoloiOn April 29, 2011, a glass casket approximately 156 CM long landed at Tulihal Airport, Imphal, Manipur State, India. It contained a wax statue of ‘ Saint ’ John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, in whose chest was embedded a bone from the right hand of this well known 19th century educator of youth. The ‘ relics ‘ of John Bosco had arrived in India, the last stop on a five continent, 130-nation ‘ pilgrimage ’ that began April 25, 2009, from Italy’s Valdocco, Turin, in the Basilica of ‘ Mary Help of Christians ’.
From Imphal, the glass casket was taken in a 100-vehicle convoy April 30 to Tamenglong, Chingmeirong, Senapati and thence to Mao Gate, crossing into Nagaland state and reaching its capital, Kohima, on May 4. Then to Wokha and Dimapur, both in Nagaland; then Golaghat, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh (Assam) on May 12. On May 16 it reached Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh. Scenes of mass hysteria may be expected when the casket reaches Shillong, Meghalaya, June 4. The ‘pilgrimage’ is to continue in North East India for two months, till June-end, and then go on to other parts of India. It was organised as part of the preparations for the bi-centennial of Don Bosco’s birth in 2015 and also to mark the Sesquicentennial (150th year ) of the founding of the Salesian Congregation of the Roman Catholic church.
In North East India, Tens of Thousands of People, Roman Catholics but also non-Catholics and non-Christians
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