Saint John Bosco
Stored in Cargo: Saint John Bosco
| Saint John Bosco | |
| Feast Day | January 31 |
|---|---|
| Liturgical Class | |
| Patronage | Youth, educators, magicians, juvenile delinquents, editors, publishers |
| Birthplace | Becchi, Castelnuovo d'Asti, Kingdom of Sardinia (now Italy) |
| Death Place | Turin, Kingdom of Italy (now Italy) |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes (lung disease and exhaustion) |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, Turin, Italy |
Saint John Bosco, born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, Italy, was a priest and educator who transformed the lives of poor and delinquent boys through his Salesian Order. Orphaned early, he juggled farm work with self-taught studies, entering the seminary in Chieri in 1835 and ordained in 1841. In Turin, amid Industrial Revolution poverty, he founded the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales in 1846, offering shelter, education, and faith to street youth using a “preventive system” of reason, religion, and kindness. In 1859, he established the Salesians of Don Bosco, inspired by Saint Francis de Sales, expanding his mission globally with schools and workshops. After a life of tireless service, he died of lung disease on January 31, 1888, leaving a network that thrives today.
Canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI, who dubbed him “Father and Teacher of Youth,” John Bosco’s feast day, January 31, celebrates his legacy of compassion and education. His body rests in Turin’s Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians, a pilgrimage hub he built with prophetic dreams guiding its construction. Patron of youth, educators, and even magicians (from his early juggling to entertain boys), his *Memoirs of the Oratory* and Salesian charism—rooted in joy and practical faith—continue to inspire, influencing figures like Pope Francis and global Catholic education.
Biography
Birth
Saint John Bosco was born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, a hamlet near Castelnuovo d’Asti in the Kingdom of Sardinia, to Francesco Bosco and Margherita Occhiena, poor farmers. The youngest of three, he was baptized Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco. Becchi’s rural simplicity shaped his early resilience.
His father died when John was two, leaving Margherita to raise him amid hardship. A dream at nine—guiding rowdy boys with a lady’s help—foreshadowed his vocation, planting seeds in a peasant’s son destined for greatness.
Early Life
John’s childhood blended labor and learning; after his father’s death, he herded sheep and gleaned fields while teaching himself to read from his brother’s books. At 12, he left home after family tensions, working as a farmhand and waiter, yet dazzled peers with juggling and acrobatics—skills he’d later use to draw boys to God. A priest, Don Calosso, tutored him until 1830, when Calosso’s death forced John back to toil.
In 1835, he entered the seminary in Chieri, funding it with odd jobs—tailoring, cobbling—while excelling in studies. Ordained in 1841, his early struggles forged a heart for the downtrodden, honed by dreams he saw as divine calls.
Occupation
Ordained a priest on June 5, 1841, John settled in Turin, where he taught at a seminary before founding the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales in 1846, a haven for abandoned boys. He became an educator, teaching trades—shoemaking, tailoring—and catechism, often funding it himself. In 1859, he established the Salesians of Don Bosco, a religious order for youth education.
His occupation expanded with the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (1872), co-founded with Saint Maria Mazzarello, and missionary outreach to South America. John’s life was consumed by guiding youth, blending priesthood with practical charity until exhaustion claimed him.
Vocation
John’s vocation emerged from his 9-year-old dream, confirmed by later visions of Mary urging him to save souls through kindness. Ordained in 1841, he chose Turin’s slums over a cushy parish, starting the Oratory to rescue boys from prison or despair. His “preventive system”—education over punishment—became his hallmark, formalized with the Salesians in 1859.
Guided by prophetic dreams (e.g., pinpointing the Basilica’s site), he built a global legacy, mentoring saints like Dominic Savio. His vocation was to be a father to the fatherless, a mission he lived until death.
Death
Saint John Bosco met his end on January 31, 1888, in Turin, dying of lung disease and exhaustion at 72 in his Oratory bedroom. Worn by decades of labor—building schools, begging funds—he spent his final years bedridden, dictating Salesian rules. Buried initially in Valsalice, his body moved to the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in 1929.
His death drew thousands, mourning a “living saint.” John’s passing marked the close of a life that turned dreams into a worldwide mission, canonized within 46 years.
Significant events
- Ordained priest on June 5, 1841.
- Founded the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales in 1846.
- Established the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1859.
- Co-founded the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in 1872.
- Died on January 31, 1888, in Turin.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Becchi, Castelnuovo d'Asti, Kingdom of Sardinia (now Italy)
Death location: Turin, Kingdom of Italy (now Italy)
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Canonization
Servant of God
The process began in 1890 in Turin, with Archbishop Davide Riccardi opening inquiries into John’s life, spurred by his reputation and reported miracles, formalized as “Servant of God” under modern norms.
Venerable
Declared Venerable on July 20, 1907, by Pope Pius X, recognizing his heroic virtue after reviewing his writings and Salesian impact, no miracle required at this stage.
Beatification
Beatified on June 2, 1929, by Pope Pius XI in Vatican City, after the 1928 healing of Maria Teresa Doglio from tuberculosis in Turin, attributed to John’s intercession when her family prayed with his relic.
Canonization
Canonized on April 1, 1934, by Pope Pius XI in Vatican City, following the 1933 healing of Teresa Callegari’s paralysis in Venice after prayers with John’s relic, affirming his universal sanctity.
Miracles
Miracle for beatification
In 1928, Maria Teresa Doglio, a 30-year-old Turin woman, faced death from tuberculosis, her lungs ravaged beyond medical aid. Her family prayed a novena with John’s relic, and on the ninth day, she rose healed, confirmed by doctors as inexplicable. Approved in 1929, this miracle reflected John’s care for the sick.
The cure galvanized his cause, echoing his lifetime compassion. It marked the Salesians’ founder as a heavenly intercessor, hastening his beatification.
Miracle for canonization
In 1933, Teresa Callegari, a Venetian girl, suffered total paralysis from a spinal injury, untreatable by physicians. Her mother invoked John with a relic, and overnight, Teresa walked again, a recovery verified by medical testimony. Ratified in 1934, this miracle sealed his canonization.
This healing mirrored John’s mission to lift the helpless, affirming his sainthood. It underscored his enduring power, completing his path to universal veneration.
Other notable miracles
- Multiplied food for hungry boys at the Oratory, per witnesses. - Prophetic dreams guiding his mission, like the Basilica’s location.
Patronage
Saint John Bosco is the patron saint of youth, educators, magicians, juvenile delinquents, editors, and publishers.
Feast day
The feast day of Saint John Bosco is celebrated on January 31.
Veneration
Saint John Bosco is venerated through pilgrimages to the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin, where his body rests under glass, and prayers for youth and education. Depicted with boys or books, his cult extends to the Anglican Communion via Salesian schools. His *Memoirs* and cheerful faith inspire annual celebrations, with Turin’s oratory a living shrine.