Chronology of Don Bosco’s life

The Salesian Congregation in the world

 

The life of Saint John Bosco and the history of the Salesian Society are deeply interwoven with the events of the Church and of nineteenth-century society. Born in a simple and poor rural context, Don Bosco was able to read with evangelical insight the needs of the young people of his time, especially the poorest and most abandoned. His educational work was born from the concrete encounter with boys, from trust in Providence and from an extraordinary capacity to transform difficulties into opportunities for good.

This timeline gathers the main stages of his human, priestly and educational journey: from his childhood at the Becchi to the founding of the Oratory of Valdocco, from the birth of the Salesian Society to the missionary expansion, up to the later developments of the Salesian Family. The events presented here are not meant to be merely a sequence of dates, but an invitation to grasp the dynamism of a living charism, grown over time and still fruitful today.

To follow these stages means to enter into the history of a mission born for the young and become, through the Salesians, a spiritual and educational heritage of the universal Church.

1815 16 agosto John Bosco is born at the Becchi (Asti).
1817 11 maggio Little John, at the age of two, loses his father.
1825 maggio Little John sees his mission prefigured in a “dream”.
1835 25 ottobre He receives the clerical garb and enters the seminary.
1837 9 maggio Saint Mary Mazzarello, co-foundress of the FMA, is born in Mornese.
1841 5 giugno John Bosco is ordained a priest in Turin.
1841 8 dicembre Don Bosco begins his youth apostolate in Turin with a catechism lesson.
1842 2 aprile Saint Dominic Savio is born.
1844 dicembre Don Bosco begins evening schools.
1846 12 aprile Don Bosco settles in Valdocco.
1847 8 dicembre He opens a second oratory in Turin-Porta Nuova.
1851 2 febbraio His first clerics receive the cassock.
1852 31 marzo Don Bosco is officially recognized by his bishop as head of the three Oratories in Turin.
1853
Don Bosco opens the internal trade schools
1853
Don Bosco founds his first band
1853 March Don Bosco launches his first popular magazine with the “Letture Cattoliche” (Catholic Readings)
1854 26 January Don Bosco calls his helpers “Salesians”.
1854 2 October He meets Dominic Savio.
1855 25 March First step of the nascent Salesian Society: the cleric Rua makes his private vows into the hands of Don Bosco.
1855 December Don Domenico Pestarino founds an association in Mornese (Alessandria) from which the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will develop.
1856 25 November Mamma Margherita, Don Bosco’s mother, dies.
1857 9 March Dominic Savio dies.
1858 18 February Don Bosco’s first visit to Rome and to the Pope.
1859 9 December Don Bosco announces the decision to found the Salesian Congregation.
1859 18 December Don Bosco establishes the first Salesian Superior Chapter.
1860 12 June 26 Salesians sign the Rules of the Congregation.
1860 2 February Don Bosco accepts the first layman among the Salesians, the Salesian Brother Giuseppe Rossi.
1861 December Don Bosco opens the first printing press.
1862 14 May The first 22 Salesians make their profession into the hands of Don Bosco.
1863 20 October Don Bosco opens the first house outside Turin (in Mirabello Monferrato).
1864 23 July The Salesian Congregation receives its first recognition from the Holy See (Decree of Praise).
1864 October Don Bosco meets Maria Mazzarello in Mornese.
1865 13 November First degree earned by a Salesian (Don Giovanni Battista Francesia).
1868 9 June The Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin is consecrated.
1869 19 February Approval of the Salesian Congregation (Society of Saint Francis de Sales) by the Supreme Pontiff Pius IX (Decree of the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars of 1 March 1869).
1869 18 April Don Bosco founds the Association of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.
1870 June The “Society of the Past Pupils of the Salesian Oratory” is born in Valdocco, from which the Association of Don Bosco Past Pupils will develop.
1870 September First house opened outside Piedmont (in Alassio, province of Savona).
1872 5 August The Institute of the FMAs is founded in Mornese.
1874 3 April The Holy See approves the Salesian Constitutions.
1875 11 November The first Salesian missionary expedition sets out for America.
1875 21 November The first Salesian house outside Italy is opened (Nice, France).
1876 9 May The Holy See approves the Association of Salesian Cooperators.
1877 August Don Bosco publishes the first issue of the Salesian Bulletin.
1877 1 September The FMAs open the first house outside Italy (in Nice, France).
1877 5 September The Salesians hold their first General Chapter.
1877 14 November The first six FMAs leave Italy for the missions of America.
1879 May First contact of the Salesian missionaries with the Indios of Patagonia.
1880 January Salesians and FMAs open the first missionary works in Patagonia (Argentina).
1881 14 May Mother Maria Mazzarello dies.
1881 February Beginning of the Salesian work in Spain.
1883 February-May Don Bosco’s visit to France.
1883 14 July Beginning of the Salesian work in Brazil.
1884 August 11-22 The FMAs hold their first General Chapter.
1884 December 7 The first Salesian Bishop (Msgr. Giovanni Cagliero).
1886 April 8 Don Bosco’s visit to Barcelona.
1887 March 19 The Salesian work begins in Chile.
1887 May 14 Consecration of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart – Rome.
1888 January 31 Don Bosco dies (leaving 773 Salesians and 393 Daughters of Mary Help of Christians).
1890 June 4 The canonization process of Don Bosco is opened.
1891 October 8 Salesians and FMAs, opening works in Palestine, begin their work in Asia. The Salesians enter Africa (Algeria).
1893 December 8 The FMAs begin their activity in Africa with a work in Algeria.
1897 September The Salesian work begins in Central America.
1905 May 7 Don Luigi Variara founds in Colombia the “Daughters of the Sacred Hearts”.
1906 January 14 The Salesian work begins in India, Tanjore, and in China – Macau.
1908 July 31 Don Rua founds the SEI publishing house in Turin (then the “International Company for the Diffusion of the Good Press”).
1910 August 16 Fr. Paolo Albera is elected the 2nd Successor of Don Bosco.
1911 September 7 The Holy See approves the FMA Institute.
1915 December 6 The first Salesian cardinal is elected (Giovanni Cagliero).
1917 May 20 Don Filippo Rinaldi founds a lay association from which the Secular Institute of the Volunteers of Don Bosco will later develop.
1922 April 24 Fr. Filippo Rinaldi is elected the 3rd successor of Don Bosco.
1924 Msgr. Luigi Versiglia founds in China the “Announcers of the Lord” sisters (now transferred to Hong Kong).
1929 June 2 Don Bosco is proclaimed Blessed.
1932 May 17 Fr. Pietro Ricaldone is elected the 4th Successor of Don Bosco.
1933 December 8 Msgr. Giuseppe Cognata founds in Italy the “Salesian Oblate Sisters”.
1934 April 1 Don Bosco is declared a Saint.
1937 August 15 Don Antonio Cavoli founds in Japan the “Sisters of Charity of Miyazaki”; Msgr. Gaetano Pasotti founds in Thailand the “Handmaids of the Immaculate Heart”.
1938 November 20 Mother Maria Mazzarello is declared Blessed.
1938 July The Salesian Central Catechetical Office is founded (later the Salesian Catechetical Centre).
1940 May 3 The Salesian Athenaeum is founded in Turin (today a Pontifical University in Rome).
1940 October 24 Msgr. Stefano Ferrando founds in India the “Missionary Catechist Sisters”.
1941 December 8 The LDC publishing house is founded.
1946 May 24 Don Bosco declared patron of Catholic publishers.
1950 March 5 Domenico Savio is proclaimed Blessed.
1951
The Salesian missionaries expelled from China promote the development of the Salesian work in the neighbouring nations: the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and South Korea.
1951 June 24 Mother Maria Mazzarello is declared a Saint.
1952 August 1 Fr. Renato Ziggioti is elected the 5th Successor of Don Bosco at the 17th General Chapter (Turin).
1954 June 12 Domenico Savio is proclaimed a Saint.
1958 January 17 Don Bosco is named patron of the apprentices of Italy.
1965 April 27 Fr. Luigi Ricceri is elected the 6th Successor of Don Bosco at the 19th General Chapter (Rome).
1967 September 20 The CNOS (National Centre of Salesian Works) is established, the representative body for Italy.
1969 11 October The FMA transfer the General House from Turin to Rome, and there celebrate the “Special General Chapter” of renewal.
1971 6 October The Special General Chapter for the renewal of the Salesian Congregation opens (Rome).
1972 1 June The salesian General House is transferred to Rome.
1972 29 October Don Michele Rua is proclaimed Blessed.
1976 13 November Mons. Luigi Versiglia and Don Callisto Caravario are declared Martyrs.
1977 15 December D. Egidio Viganò is elected, 7th Successor of Don Bosco, at the 21st General Chapter (Rome).
1978
Following GC21, the “Africa Project” is launched.
1978 5 August The Secular Institute of the VDB becomes of pontifical right.
1980 12 January Don Dario Superina opens the salesian presence (Africa Project) at Siakago in Kenya, Diocese of Meru, anticipating the first expedition of Indian salesian missionaries to Africa (29 August).
1983 15 May Mons. Luigi Versiglia and Don Callisto Caravario are proclaimed Blessed.
1984 8 December 22nd General Chapter (Rome), definitive revision of the Constitutions approved by the Holy See. 8 December, Promulgation of the Constitutions approved by the Holy See.
1988 31 January First centenary of the death of Don Bosco. The “Year of Grace”, enriched with Indulgences by Pope John Paul II, opens on 31 January with a solemn celebration in Turin, attended by the Rector Major with the General Council, four cardinals and 58 salesian bishops.
1988 14 May Salesians throughout the world renew their profession in fidelity to the Founder.
1988 2-4 September Extraordinary pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II to the places of Don Bosco: Becchi – Chieri – Valdocco. On 3 September, at Colle don Bosco, Laura Vicuña is proclaimed Blessed.
1989 24 January Pope John Paul II officially proclaims Don Bosco “Father and Teacher of Youth”.
1989 31 January The Centenary of Don Bosco closes in Rome with a solemn civic commemoration on the Capitoline Hill and with the concelebration in the great Basilica of the Saint at Cinecittà.
1990 4 March The 23rd General Chapter opens in Rome on the theme: Educating the young to the faith.
1990 29 April Don Filippo Rinaldi is proclaimed Blessed.
1994 5 November Sister Maddalena Caterina Morano is declared Blessed.
1996 19 February The 24th General Chapter opens in Rome on the theme: Salesians and Laity: communion and sharing in the spirit and mission of Don Bosco. D. Juan E. Vecchi is elected, 8th Successor of Don Bosco.
1998 24 May Ecclesial recognition of the “Volunteers with Don Bosco” in the Archdiocese of Caracas.
1999 13 June Pope John Paul II beatifies in Warsaw 108 Martyrs, among them the Salesian priest Jozef Kowalski and five young men of the salesian oratory of Poznań: CzesƗaw Jówiak, Edward Kazmierski, Franciszek Kęsy, Edward Klinik, Jarogniew Wojciechowski.
2000 30 and 31 January For the feast of Saint John Bosco in the year 2000, the Rector Major with his Council presides – on the hill of Colle don Bosco, on the afternoon of 30 January – over a solemn Concelebration in which, together with the inauguration of the restoration works of the Temple of Don Bosco, he opens the salesian celebrations of the Jubilee Year with a Message to the young. The following day, 31 January, from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, he sends a Message to the Salesian Family.
2000 1 October Solemn canonization in Saint Peter’s Square, together with a host of martyrs of China, of the two Salesian Protomartyrs, Luigi Versiglia, Bishop, and Callisto Caravario, Priest.
2000 11 November Within the framework of the celebration of the great Jubilee of the year 2000 and on the occasion of the 125th
2001 11 March In Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope John Paul II enrolls 233 Martyrs of Spain in the Almanac of the Blessed, 32 of whom belong to our Salesian Family, from the Provinces of Barcelona and Valencia (29 SDB, of whom 7 Brothers, 6 clerics, 16 priests, 2 FMA, and one lay collaborator).
2002 24 February The 25th General Chapter opens in Rome on the theme: The salesian community today: fraternal life, gospel witness, animating presence among the young. D. Pascual Chávez Villanueva is elected, 9th successor of Don Bosco.
2002 14April In Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope John Paul II proclaims Blessed Bro. Artemide Zatti, Don Luigi Variara, and Sister Maria Romero Meneses FMA.
2004 25 April In Saint Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope John Paul II proclaims Blessed Don Augusto Czartoryski, Sister Eusebia Palomino FMA, and Alessandrina M. da Costa, a Salesian Cooperator.
2004 5 September In the plain of Santorso, near Loreto, Pope John Paul II proclaims Blessed Alberto Marvelli, a former pupil of the Salesian Oratory of Rimini.
2005 19 June In Warsaw, the Primate Card. Józef Glemp, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, proclaims Blessed Don BronisƗaw Markiewicz, a former Salesian, Founder of the Congregations of Saint Michael the Archangel.
2007 28 October In Rome, Card. José Saraiva Martins, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, proclaims Blessed the Salesian priest Enrique Saíz Aparicio and 62 companions, martyrs of Spain (Madrid and Seville).
2007 11 November In Chimpay, Argentina, Card. Tarcisio Bertone, on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, proclaims Blessed Zeffirino (Ceferino) Namuncurá, a young student of the Salesians (son of the Cacique of the Pampas, who died in Rome in 1905).
2008 24 February The 26th General Chapter opens in Rome on the theme: Da mihi animas cetera tolle. Starting afresh from Don Bosco to awaken the heart of the Salesians. Charismatic identity and apostolic passion. D. Pascual Chávez Villanueva is confirmed as the 9th successor of Don Bosco.
2009 18 December 150th anniversary of the Foundation of the Salesian Congregation. Salesians from all over the world renew their profession in fidelity to the Founder.
2010 29-31 October In Rome the International Congress is held for the 100th anniversary of the death of the Blessed Michele Rua.
2011 31 January Letter of the Rector Major to the Salesians for the beginning of the triennium of preparation for the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco.
2012 24 November Sister Maria Troncatti is declared Blessed.
2013 19 October In Budapest, Hungary, Cardinal Angelo Amato, on behalf of Pope Francis, proclaims the Salesian Brother István Sándor Blessed.
2014 22 February The 27th General Chapter begins (Rome) on the theme: Witnesses to the radical approach of the Gospel. Called to live in fidelity the apostolic project of Don Bosco. “Work and temperance”. Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime is elected, 10th Successor of Don Bosco.
2014 16 August Second centenary of the birth of Don Bosco. The “Year of Grace” officially opened on 16 August with a solemn concelebration at Colle Don Bosco, attended by the Rector Major with some General Councillors, some bishops, the young people and the representatives of the Salesian Family.
2014 19-23 November In Rome, Bicentenary International Historical Congress on the Development of the charism of Don Bosco up to the mid-twentieth century.
2015 24 January In Turin, in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, a solemn concelebration presided over by the Rector Major, with the presence of all the councils of the Salesian Family of Italy.
2015 19-21 March In Rome, International Pedagogical Congress With Don Bosco, educators of the young in our time, organized by the Salesian Pontifical University.
2015 21-25 May In Turin, Meeting of Salesian Bishops.
2015 21 June In Turin, visit of Pope Francis and meeting with the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.
2015 6-9 August In Turin, VII International Congress of Mary Help of Christians Hic Domus mea inde gloria mea. From Mary’s house to our houses, organized by ADMA, with the presence of the Rector Major and of the Salesian Family from all over the world.
2015 10-15 August In Turin, gathering of the Salesian Youth Movement from all over the world on the theme Like Don Bosco, With the young, For the young.
2015 16 August At Colle Don Bosco the Rector Major concludes the official celebrations of the Bicentenary with a solemn concelebration attended by the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement from all over the world, the Salesians, the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and the members of the Salesian Family.
2015 28 October-1 November In Turin, VI ACSSA International Conference on the Perception of the figure of Don Bosco outside the Salesian work from 1879 to 1965.
2016 6-10 April In Rome, at the General House, the 1st Seminar for the promotion of canonization causes in the Salesian Family is held.
2017 July The Rector Major with the General Council decides on the temporary transfer of the General House to the “Sacro Cuore” Hospice in Rome, the place where the Basilica dedicated to the Sacred Heart stands, which Pope Leo XIII had built for Don Bosco.
2017 30 September At Bratislava-Petržalka (Slovakia) Cardinal Angelo Amato presides over the solemn concelebration at which Titus Zeman is declared Blessed, “martyr of vocations”.
2017 27 November-1 December In Madrid the International Congress “Youth Ministry and Family” is held.
2018 10-14 April In Rome, at the General House of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the 2nd Seminar for the promotion of canonization causes in the Salesian Family is held.
2018 24 May The Rector Major convenes the 28th General Chapter entitled What kind of Salesians for the young people of today? which will be held at Turin Valdocco from 16 February to 4 April 2020.
2018 9 June In Turin, with a solemn concelebration presided over by Msgr. Renato Boccardo, Archbishop of Spoleto-Norcia, the 150th anniversary of the consecration of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians is commemorated.
2018 20-23 September At the Salesian Pontifical University of Rome the Congress entitled Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment is held, in preparation for the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
2019 January The Rector Major with the General Council resolves the definitive location of the Salesian Central Headquarters at the “Sacro Cuore” Hospice in Rome.
2020 16 February The 28th General Chapter begins (Turin-Valdocco) on the theme: What kind of Salesians for the young people of today? Fr. Ángel Fernández Artime is confirmed, 10th Successor of Don Bosco.
2020 3 October At Turin-Valdocco the Rector Major inaugurates the Don Bosco House Museum.
2021 January Beginning of the centenary of the death of Don Paolo Albera, second Successor of Don Bosco.
2022 January Beginning of the IV centenary of the death of St. Francis de Sales.
2022 August 150th anniversary of the Foundation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA).
2022 9 October In Rome, in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis declares the Blessed Artemide Zatti a Saint.
2023 30 September In Rome, in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis creates Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime Rector Major.
2024 20 April The Rector Major, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, is consecrated Bishop, with the titular see of Ursona, by Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig.
2025 16 February The 29th General Chapter begins (Turin): Fr. Fabio Attard is elected, the 11th Successor of Don Bosco.
2025 November Celebrations for the 150° anniversary of the first Don Bosco missionary expedition to Argentina.