(ANS – Rome) – The Salesian Sacred Heart of Jesus Work in Rome is dressed in festive attire these days. Amid the children and young people participating in the Summer Oratory activities, garlands and banners are beginning to appear, announcing the joyful celebration of the Thanksgiving Feast for the Rector Major—the tribute that the Salesians of the Generalate community and the other Salesian works in Rome, on behalf of Salesians throughout the world, offer to Don Bosco’s Successor for his service of animation, governance, and leadership of the entire Congregation.

The traditional tribute to the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, will take place on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist—a day that, since the time of the Valdocco Oratory, has also been celebrated as the name day of St. John Bosco.

On the same occasion—and this, too, has become an established tradition—tribute will also be paid to other Salesians at the Generalate or in neighboring communities under the direct care of the Rector Major who are celebrating significant anniversaries of their priestly ordination or religious profession this year.

Alongside Fr. Attard, the following Salesians will also be honored:

• Fr. Joan Lluis Playà, Delegate of the Rector Major for the Salesian Family, on the occasion of his 60th anniversary of religious profession;
• Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, and Fr. Tadeusz Rozmus, Rector of the Castel Gandolfo community, on the occasion of their 50th anniversary of religious profession;
• Fr. Peter Timko of the Formation Sector; Fr. Luis Otàvio Botasso, Economer at Sacred Heart; and Fr. Patrick Anthonyraj Alexander, Secretary to the Rector Major, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of their priestly ordination;
• Fr. Francisco José Enriques Zulaica, who has been living with the community for the past year for studies, on the occasion of his 25th anniversary of religious profession.

In keeping with the Rector Major’s style, the day will be simple yet rich in meaningful moments. It will begin in the best possible way with Morning Mass, presided over by Fr. Attard, placing the entire day under the Lord’s guidance and direction.

The celebrations will continue in the afternoon with a time of welcome and greetings in the courtyard, followed by the tribute ceremony in the theater. The program will begin with Salesian hymns and a welcome address by the Rector of the Headquarters Community, Fr. Francesco Marcoccio. The Zeffirino Namuncurá formation community, based on Via della Bufalotta, will then lead the ceremony, presenting the day’s program and the gifts that will be offered to the Rector Major and the other honorees.

This will be followed by a presentation from the Salesians of the Central Italy Circumscription (ICC) and a video summarizing the Rector Major’s past year—a moment that promises to be among the most moving of the day, thanks to the work of the Social Communication Sector team.

With the official address by the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, and the presentation of the gift to Fr. Attard, the ceremony will reach its high point. The celebration will conclude with words of gratitude and fraternity from the Rector Major himself.

Following a presentation by the Pontifical Salesian University Vice-Province (UPS) and the closing hymn, the formal ceremony will come to an end. The celebration itself, however, will continue with a fitting spiritual conclusion through the communal praying of Vespers and the Rector Major’s goodnight message, followed by a time of fraternal fellowship among all those present.

In this way, the Salesians in Rome and those from the works closest to the Salesian Generalate, speaking on behalf of all Salesians and members of the Salesian Family throughout the world, will once again renew their heartfelt tribute to the Successor of Don Bosco and their confident commitment to follow the path he has laid out, so as to serve God and young people ever more effectively.