Shrines of Italy: Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians

The Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians is located just a few blocks away from the Chapel of the Holy Shroud in the city of Turin. It was once part of Saint John Bosco’s famous Oratory, which housed and educated many of the city’s poor and orphaned boys. It’s construction ran from 1865 to 1868, and was predominantly the work of Carlo Buzzetti, one of the first boys to enter the Oratory.

According to legend, John Bosco received a vision from Our Lady in 1844, which revealed the location of the martyrdom of Saint Adventor, the patron saint of Turin. Shortly thereafter, John Bosco commissioned the church to be built upon the same site.

True to its namesake, the basilica proudly displays a massive painting of Our Lady Help of Christians above the main altar. Architecturally, the basilica bears some similarity to many of the churches in Venice, with Carlo Buzzetti having drawn direct inspiration from several Venetian artists.

Today, the basilica is most unique for the fact that it contains the remains of not one or even two, but three well known saints, two of whom are said to be incorrupt. The first of course refers to the body of Saint John Bosco himself, which can been seen through the window of large display attached to the basilica’s most prominent side altar. The particular vestments in which the body is now clad were donated by Pope Benedict the 15th.

While John Bosco is widely remembered for founding the Society of St. Francis de Sales, better known as Salesians of Don Bosco, in order to promote and continue his work with the poor boys of Turin, fewer people remember that he also founded the Salesian Sisters with the help of Saint Maria Mazzarello.

She is the second incorrupt saint to be found in this church, a mere 20 feet from the remains of John Bosco. Believing that his work with the boys at the Oratory was insufficient, he invited Saint Maria to form a similar group which would assist the poor and orphaned girls of Turin. Today, the Salesian Brothers and Sisters each have roughly 16,000 members continuing the work that began with the two saints found here.

Directly opposite the remains of Saint Maria is a third altar dedicated to Saint Dominic Savio, one of John Bosco’s favorite students. He was well known among his peers for his exceptional virtue, and was studying for the priesthood until his death at the age of 14. Although he is not counted among the incorrupt, his remains are kept here inside of a large golden urn under the altar.

At the rear of the church, you can find a painting of one of John Bosco’s famous visions, in which he perceives the Catholic Church represented by a ship anchoring itself to the great pillars of the Eucharist and Our Lady, thus finding peace amidst a great storm, while other ships are battered and destroyed. For this, and countless other visions recorded in various books, John Bosco is recognized as one of the most prolific and respected mystics of the Catholic Church.

I rarely encounter so many saints in one place. In such close proximity, they’re lives become a testament to how they inspired each other. From Saint Adventor to Saint Dominic Savio, the actions of one can shape the future of another in ways that may take centuries to fully realize.