Month: May 2025
By Marissa Romero
Turin, Italy, houses the impressive Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, founded and dedicated in 1868 by St. John Bosco.
The Catholic Church celebrates Mary’s feast day, under her intercessory role as a Help of Christians, on May 24.
THE EXTERIOR: Front exterior side of The Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin. (Photo credit: Marissa Romero)
Tirelessly working on spreading his devotion to Mary Help of Christians, St. John Bosco entrusted his mission of saving youth from the evil present in the streets to Her powerful intercession.
“St. John Bosco was in the right place at the right time!” said pilgrim Renee Fosdick from Mobile, Alabama.
“The divine intervention of our Lord, who knows how to use the exact person for the work He needs done, is amazing.”
Moreover, Our Lady inspired St. Bosco, through dreams, to build Her a Church because “There is no one who could help us better than our Blessed Mother Mary to love Jesus,” said Rome resident Fr. Guido Gockel, MHM, who has served as a spiritual director during 206 Tours pilgrimages.
“She is thus rightly called ‘Help of Christians.’ Her love originates in carrying Jesus and giving birth to Him.”
IMPRESSIVE: The altar of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin was inspired by St. Bosco, who envisioned a painting of Our Lady standing in glory. (Photo credit: Marissa Romero)
But this recognition of the role of Mary as a help of Christians dates back before St. Bosco’s time. For instance, in 1571, when Ottoman Turks enlarged their domains in Europe, it became clear that their ultimate goal was to conquer the city of Rome.
Still, in the Bay of Lepanto, when the grand Turkish warships outnumbered the Christian front, the faithful soldiers earnestly invoked Our Lady’s help and, in faith, bravely fought against the enemy forces.
Astonishingly, the Turks found themselves hopelessly fighting against a league backed by Heaven, a war they could not win. And so, through the help of Our Lady, the entire European Christendom was saved.
PROCESSION: On May 24, the feast of Mary Help of Christians, countless devotees march in procession following this statue of Our Lady to honor her for the help and graces received through Her intercession. (Photo credit: Marissa Romero)
The powerful help of the Blessed Mother has been evident before and after Lepanto and Turin, impacting countless lives throughout history, just as it does today.
Jesus Himself established the spiritual motherhood of Mary over humanity when He said from the cross to John, who represented humankind, “Woman, behold, your son” (John 19:26).
It is “a spiritual motherhood, born from the heart of the Paschal Mystery of the Redeemer of the world,” as St. John Paul II explained in his Encyclical, Redemptoris Mater.
She “helps all Her children, wherever they may be and whatever their condition, to find in Christ the path to the Father’s house.”
Indeed, Our Lady’s intercessory motherhood provides help to all Her spiritual children while directing them to follow Jesus’ teachings (John 2:5).
And so, as St. Bosco used to say,
EXPLORING: 206 Tours pilgrims experiencing the beauty of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Italy. (Photo credit: Marissa Romero)
Pilgrimage to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, & Northern Italy: www.206tours.com/tour216
View Our Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages
Germany, Austria, Switzerland & Northern Italy
Tour: 216
Destinations: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy
Duration: 11 days
Two of our pilgrims, Ed and Arlene Borkowski, were traveling on a Pilgrimage and providentially were in Rome on the day that our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV was elected! Below is the testimony that Ed and Arlene shared upon their return home.
“Arlene and I have been blessed to have had many ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences. But aside from Marriage, Baptism and Confirmation, Birth of Children and Grandchildren, being in St. Peter’s Square to see white smoke, witness the revealing of a new Pope and receiving a Papal blessing from Pope Leo XIV definitely tops the list.
Our journey to be in Rome on the day the Pope was elected dates back two years on a Pilgrimage to Medjugorje. On our way out of Medjugorje at 2:30 in the morning I heard a voice telling me I wasn’t supposed to leave. The voice insisted I get out of the van immediately, before the next roundabout. I said I had a flight to catch. The voice was persistent. I finally said, ‘if I promise to return, can I go now?’ The voice accepted my offer.
So last year we began to plan a return pilgrimage to Medjugorje and added an overlapping pilgrimage to Italy beginning May 14th. This year is a Jubilee year and pilgrims walk through the holy doors of the four major basilicas in Rome. Unfortunately, the Italy portion got cancelled in early February, and 206 Tours (who I cannot recommend enough) helped us with a similar itinerary beginning early May. So in mid-February we had our flights and rooms booked for early May. Of course, at that time we had no idea what was in store for us.
When Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, we started searching information on the Conclave. Our excitement rose when we discovered the Conclave would start May 7, as the only two days the Pilgrimage was scheduled in Rome were May 7 and 8. We discovered there would be one vote Wednesday afternoon. On subsequent days, a maximum of two votes in morning and two in the afternoon. If both were negative, either morning or afternoon, you would only see black smoke once. If they elected a Pope, you would see white smoke after the vote.
We left Sunday May 4 to arrive in Rome a day before the Pilgrimage was to start. When we arrived Monday, we entered the Holy Door of St. Peter’s and attended 5 pm Mass behind the main altar. Tuesday morning, we were able to visit the other three Basilica’s in Rome and complete the passing through the four Holy Doors. Since this was to be part of the Pilgrimage, we were comfortable abandoning the Pilgrimage on Wednesday and Thursday.
Wednesday afternoon we walked 0.8 miles to the Vatican and arrived around 2 to begin waiting. In order to get into St. Peter’s Square you had to go through a metal detector. On Wednesday, there was an extra level of security a half block from the square and they made a quick check of your backpack. Security was very visible.
When we arrived Wednesday, there was a small crowd, but it continued to build throughout the day. We were able to watch on the outdoor screens as the Cardinals made their way into the Sistine Chapel. One that struck me happened watching the Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel while praying the litany of saints. We also got to watch each cardinal place his hand on the gospel and take the oath. It helped me to understand how solemn and spiritual this moment is, how much they were asking for the Holy Spirit and the Saints to guide them their decision in choosing the next leader of the Catholic church.
The screens stayed on while the Cardinals took their oath. Then at 5:45, we watched the doors of the Sistine Chapel close and the video feed was turned off. We waited. We didn’t feel the need to get close, so we sat on the steps by the Bernini colonnade. As the sun set the 70F temp dropped a little and it became cool. We had already missed our dinner with the group and kept debating how long to stay, since it was a good bet we would see black smoke. At around 8:45, you couldn’t easily see the smokestack with the naked eye. The camera picture trained on the stack had to adjust of the increasing darkness. We decided to exit the square and walked down the street outside the Vatican to the first tv screen to wait for the black smoke, which eventually came at 9:00 pm. Our 7 hours of waiting Wednesday were done.
206 Tours backpack with the smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney in the background.
Thursday morning we again advised our tour guide that we were going to the Vatican again and wait, hopefully seeing them at dinner. We arrived around 9:15 and settled into the area directly in front of St. Peter’s. The crowd grew during the morning, but when the black smoke appeared again around 11:50, there was a moan in the crowd and a good portion of the crowd dispersed.
But we were committed to staying. Our pilgrimage was leaving Rome Friday morning, so the afternoon votes would be our last chance. But security made us clear out of the area closest to the Basilica. So we sat again on the steps near the Bernini columns where we had spent most of Wednesday. We did bring a small snack so we didn’t have to leave the square.
Close to 1 pm we decided to get in line and wait to get into the first barricaded area in front. We stood for 2 hours until they let us back in the area at 3 pm. It was sunny and 70F, but in the shade it was cool, so it was good weather for waiting. Actually, we got more use of our umbrella for shade than for rain!
Once we got into the barricaded area, for the next 3 hours we sat or stood, waiting. The waiting was an experience itself. The crowd was orderly and patient. Flags from different counties were draped over the barricades. A group of Nuns were praying the Rosary in Italian. Occasionally, a group would shout “we want a Pope” – in Italian of course. I have never looked at a smokestack for that long in my life.
Around 5 pm the all the screens switched to the view of the smokestack. Once in a while a seagull would appear on near the stack. The crowd laughed and cheered a little when two seagulls, then a baby appeared around the stack. Around 2 minutes later, the white smoke appeared at 6:07pm.
A loud cheer went up from the crowd. We began crying. The bells of St. Peter started ringing. The joy at seeing the smoke is one I will never forget. The cheering was unique, different from any cheering at a sporting event. Something we dreamed we might see became a reality.
We knew the new Pope would come out in about an hour. But we didn’t know what else to expect. 23 minutes after the smoke began to appear, a band marched out followed by the Swiss guards. You realized they were on standby since late Wednesday afternoon.
Our text messages to friends were delayed in getting sent, not surprisingly the phone system was overloaded, but before the Pope came out, we received a text from a friend in the US telling us the Pope is from America! We were thrilled that we would get to see the new Pope, but even more surprised that he is the first American Pope.
Photo taken by Ed and Arlene at the moment that Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the balcony for the first time.
The entire experience was amazing and something we will never forget.
-Ed and Arlene Borkowski
Pilgrimage to Rome: www.206tours.com/tour97
View Our Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages
On November 7th, 206 Tours Founder and President, Milanka Lachman will be honored at the St. Paul Center Gala as she receives the St. Lydia Award! This prestigious award is given every year by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology to a recipient who embodies St. Lydia’s faith, courage, and contributions to the Church.
Who was St. Lydia? She was a businesswoman who encountered the Apostle Paul while he was evangelizing in Greece. She is mentioned in Acts 16:14 which says, “One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” Lydia was baptized and became the first Christian convert in Europe. She also had her entire household baptized after her. You can still visit the site of where she was baptized by St. Paul while on a Pilgrimage to Philippi, Greece.
Lydia is referred to as “a dealer in purple cloth” indicating that she was a successful businesswoman. She used her gifts and influence at the service of the Lord to help bring other people to Christ. Her openness of heart and “yes” to God’s call continues to inspire the faithful today.
St. Lydia has long been an inspiration for Milanka Lachman, who, like Lydia, answered God’s call to help others grow in faith. When she founded 206 Tours in 1985, Milanka was a single mother of two with no connections to clergy, no money, and no professional experience. Her “yes” in founding 206 Tours was like Lydia’s in that she heard the voice of the Lord and responded willingly although she did not know what lied ahead. Milanka reflected that, “St. Lydia has taught me not to question the odds, but to trust in the Master of all things, who is working through us, to do the accomplishments of His divine purposes!”
Like St. Lydia, the Lord has continued to use Milanka’s professional gifts and leadership for His glory. 206 Tours has now grown to become the leader in Catholic Pilgrimages providing exceptional experiences to hundreds of thousands of clients. Milanka’s strong leadership has built an extensive network of employees, partners, clergy, and pilgrims around the world. Her conviction in the transformational power of Pilgrimages fuels her passion to help others encounter Christ in the very places He has revealed Himself around the world.
206 Tours is proud to partner on Pilgrimages with the St. Paul Center and is blessed to have Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn as one of their valued group leaders. Today, 206 Tours travels to 33 countries and operates hundreds of departures every year. Since those humble beginnings, God has continued to bless and use 206 Tours and Milanka as instruments for His glory. This year, 206 Tours celebrates its 40th Anniversary and there is no greater honor than for Milanka to receive the St. Lydia Award.
Purchase Tickets to Attend the St. Paul Center Gala: https://stpaulcenter.com/gala
View Our Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages
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