(ANS – Vasto – September 15, 2026) – The 2026 edition of REPLAY – For an Endless Summer, the event that for the past four years has marked the conclusion of summer activities at this Salesian House, recently came to a close with a huge celebration in the courtyard of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Vasto. For several weeks, hundreds of children, teenagers, young people, adults, youth leaders, and volunteers experienced sport as an opportunity for social interaction, friendship, fun, and personal growth, culminating in the big week of the Oratory Olympics.

REPLAY began in the second half of August with the Trisport evenings, which involved 11 teams and 130 registered young people and adults. Futsal, volleyball, basketball, and the ever-present Salesian-style “Jolly” games brought the oratory to life, transforming the playing field into a meeting place for different generations. The matches, cheering, and laughter were accompanied by an ever-growing number of participants, confirming how competition can, above all, become a way of spending time together and sharing a passion for sport.

The highlight came on Sunday, September 6, with the opening of the fourth edition of the Oratory Olympics, which involved around 300 children and young people, 50 youth leaders, and numerous adult volunteers. The opening day began at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, where the parish priest, Fr. Gianni Sciorra, lit the Olympic torch, emphasizing how sport embodies values of peace that are particularly necessary in today’s world.

From there, families, children, young people, youth leaders, and volunteers set off on the “Passi di Sport” march, winding their way through the town’s streets until they reached the Salesians. The official ceremony kicked off the week of competitions in the oratory courtyard. The special guest was Vasto-born athlete and Italian Masters M70 Athletics champion Luigi Di Lello, the final torchbearer tasked with lighting the Olympic cauldron.

Throughout the week, participants tried their hand at various disciplines, embracing sport with enthusiasm and a desire to have fun. The Olympics also took the action beyond the Salesian grounds, transforming several locations around the town into veritable Olympic venues. The beach at Lido Fernando in Vasto Marina hosted a day of sport and games by the sea; Parco Muro delle Lame was the setting for the relay race, celebrating speed, cooperation, and team spirit; while the Municipal Swimming Pool hosted the eagerly anticipated swimming events.

The variety of activities made the Oratory Olympics much more than just a tournament. Running, playing, swimming, cheering, and working as a team became ways to build friendships and discover that behind every race there is much more than just a ranking. The greatest victory was the shared experience within an oratory which, in the style of Don Bosco, continues to be a welcoming home, a school that educates, and a playground where young people can meet and grow together.

The closing ceremony celebrated not only the sporting achievements but, above all, the experiences enjoyed throughout the summer. The awards ceremony, the young people’s testimonies, and the videos from the Olympics brought back memories of faces, competitions, laughter, hard work, and emotions. The Rector, Fr. Daniele Pusti, together with the revitalized Salesian Community of Vasto, emphasized the value of what had been achieved over recent months. The evening concluded with fireworks, offering the many families present one last moment of celebration and wonder.

As the oratory’s director, Fr. Massimiliano Dragani, noted, the closing ceremony aimed to “celebrate not only the sporting achievements, but above all the experiences enjoyed throughout the summer.”

REPLAY 2026 thus leaves its mark in the bonds forged, the friendships formed, the children’s smiles, and the dedication of the youth leaders and volunteers. And while summer draws to a close, life at the Salesian House continues. At the Church of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Vasto, an information meeting was held for the families of children starting Year 3, with a presentation of the catechism courses and opportunities to join the oratory associations.

The Olympic cauldron may have gone out, but Don Bosco’s courtyard remains open: REPLAY 2026 has come to an end, summer is over, but the experience at the Salesians of Don Bosco in Vasto continues.