Don Bosco Sanctuary

The Don Bosco Sanctuary is one of the most well-known churches in Brasilia -DF, and one of the most frequent images on the city's postcards.

It occupies a good part of Quadra 702 South, in a very central position in the Pilot Plane.

It was created by the architect " Carlos Alberto Naves " . In honor of the patron saint of Brasília (St. John Belchior Bosco) , the construction of the sanctuary was an initiative of the Salesian Congregation in partnership with the Federal Government. Under the inspiration of Don Bosco's dream with Brasilia, a small hermitage(chapel) was erected in front of Lake Paranoá , the Ermida Don Bosco .

Description of the Sanctuary

The Sanctuary has a square shape, 40 meters wide .

On each side there are 20 columns of 16 meters in height each, totaling 80 columns and making a free span of 1,600 m² .

The openings are finished in ( arch of warhead) , remembering the arches of the (Gothic architecture) .

The beauty and monumentality of the openings is evidenced by the stained glass in 12 shades of blue in (gradient), authored by "Claudio Naves" and that represent the beauty of the sky of Brasilia.

In the interior stands a large chandelier of 3.5 m height , designed by "Alvimar Moreira da Silva" and idealized to be the only source of artificial light of the sanctuary.

The chandelier consists of 9,000 pieces of (Murano glass) and illuminated by 435 lamps , it is disassembled and washed every 2 years. It symbolizes Jesus , the light of the world .

In three of the four sides of the sanctuary there are doors produced in iron and bronze , with bas-reliefs, by the artist "Gianfrancesco Cerri" .

The main doors show images referring to Brasilia and the discovery of Brazil. In the upper part are represented:

• The Hermitage of Don Bosco ;
• The first mass in Brasilia;
• The first chapel and college of the Núcleo Bandeirante ;
• The Sanctuary of Don Bosco.

On the side doors are seen 16 pictures composing the (Via Sacra) , besides the representation of the life, dream and childhood of Don Bosco .

On the inner knobs there are liturgical and sacred symbols .

At the altar, the table is formed by a single 10-ton pink marble stone from Bahia.

The crucifix is ​​formed by a single trunk of cedar (except the arms of Christ), art of "Gotfredo traller" .

The cross has 8 meters and the Christ 4.3 meters .

On the left side there is an image of Don Bosco in (Carrara marble) , carved by the Italian brothers "Arrighini and Figlio" . It was donated by the Rector Major of the Salesians Don Luís Ricceri .

On the right side, the image of Our Lady Help of Christians , of which Don Bosco was devout, also in (Carrara marble) and carved by the Italian brothers "Arrighini and Figlio" donated by the benefactor Hugo Borghio .

The Sanctuary was elected one of the seven wonders of Brasilia in 2008 by the International Bureau of Cultural Capitals (IBOCC), an entity based in Barcelona.

With this title the Sanctuary was included by the Government of the Federal District in the tourist route of Brasília.

Although from the beginning it was called the Sanctuary of Don Bosco, the official decree naming the parish of Saint John Bosco in Sanctuary took place on 08/16/2017.

With the inauguration of the crypt  which received the casket with the image of Don Bosco (original replica found in the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin, Italy, where the remains of St. John Bosco are) .

In this casket of St. John Bosco was placed the "radio" bone of the Saint's right arm . The image of the casket with the replica of St. John Bosco is located in the "sub-soil" of the sanctuary well below the chandelier.

It can be seen through a glass-protected opening on the sanctuary floor below the Chandelier and near the altar. It can also be reached by stairs and the ramp giving access to the crypt .

• ENTRANCE OF THE CRYPT WITHIN THE SANCTUARY: ▬ Ladder leaning on the left side of the altar (BETWEEN THE IMAGE OF BOSCO AND ALTAR).

• EXIT OF THE CRYPT WITHIN THE SANCTUARY: ▬ Stairway leaning on the right side of the altar (BETWEEN THE IMAGE OF OUR LADY AUXILIARY AND THE ALTAR).

• ENTRANCE AND EXIT OF THE CRYPT OUTSIDE THE SANCTUARY: ▬ By the ramp that is on the outer / bottom side of the sanctuary (EVEN ACCESS TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SANCTUARY).

- OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE DOORS OF THE SANCTUARY-

• SECOND TO SUNDAY: (06:30 to 22:00)

-WEEK-

• MONDAY TO SATURDAY: (07:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.)

• SUNDAYS: (08:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

NOTE: IN FESTIVAL MESSAGES OR COMMEMORATIVE DATES YOU MAY HAVE CHANGES / AMOUNTS OF MISSIONS / TIMES. (PLEASE INFORM THE SECRETARIAT OF SANCTUARY OR HEALTH (61) 3223-6542.

Source:https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santuário_Dom_Bosco