China province dedicates 2020 to the Martyrdom anniversary

By Fr. Carlos Cheung

Hong Kong, China, 7 January 2020 -- For the New Year 2020 Fr. Joseph NG, SDB provincial of China released a YouTube video message sharing the motivations and goals for the 90th anniversary celebration of Sts Versiglia and Caravario who were martyred on 25 February 1930.

"In 2020, our Congregation is going to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the martyrdom of Sts. Luigi Versiglia and Callisto Caravario. We commemorate their contributions towards our Salesian congregation and also in particular our province--CIN. Celebrations and activities would follow for our Salesian proto-martyrs from 25 February to 13 November, 2020. I hope we came to learn the spirit of martyrdom from these two Saints through different activities we are gong to organize this year.

Sometimes people said, religious life is a 'white martyrdom' (not-bloody), but I would say every Christian participates in 'white martyrdom', if we put the Gospel into practice and bear our cross. Dear brothers and sisters, let us mold ourselves after the models of Saints Louis Versiglia and Callisto Caravario."

The best available biography of our two Protomartyrs was published in Italian in 1985 (Martiri in Cina, by Guido Bosio, 320 pages, LDC - Italy). An English version of the 'China Martyrs' book is available on Boscolink and we pray that it will soon be published thanks to the care our South Asia Salesians! One of the contributions for the 2020 celebrations of two Salesians Martyrs - Sts Louis Versiglia and Callisto Caravario will be the launching of the Chinese version.

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