This prophetic dream appears to depict the end of the Church’s wandering in the desert. Saint John Bosco informs us that the age of wandering in the desert will last for 400 days, that is a few days over 13 months. What is presented by Saint John Bosco here will be useful to frame in time other prophecies that we will analyze in further posts.

Dream 77, Year 1873

It was a dark night, and men could not distinguish the path to follow to return to their villages, when a splendid light appeared in the sky that illuminated the steps of those walking as if it were noon. At that moment an immense crowd of men, women, older people, children, monks, nuns and priests appeared who, leading the Pontiff, left the Vatican preparing to march in procession.

But behold, a furious storm darkens the environment as if a struggle were being waged between light and darkness. Meanwhile, the immense procession arrives at a square covered with dead and wounded; many of these cried out for help.

The ranks that made up the procession thinned considerably. After having walked for a space of time corresponding to two hundred sunrises, they all realized that they were no longer in Rome. Discouragement was general and everyone went to group around the Pontiff to defend his august person and assist him in his needs.

At that moment two angels appeared, carrying a banner, they went to present it to the Vicar of Christ, saying:

—Receive the standard of the One who fights and scatters the most battle-hardened armies on earth. Your enemies have disappeared, your children implore your return with tears and sighs.

Looking at the banner, one could see written on one side:

Regina sine labe concepta.

And on the other:

Auxilium Christianorum.

The Pontiff happily took the standard, but when he contemplated the number of those who had remained around him, which was very small, he felt full of affliction.

The two angels added:

Go immediately comfort your children. Write to your brothers scattered throughout the different parts of the world that a reform in the customs of men is necessary. This cannot be achieved except by distributing among the peoples the Bread of the Divine Word. Catechize the children! Preach detachment of the things of the world! The time has come, the angels concluded, when the poor will evangelize the nations. The priests will be sought among the hoe, the shovel, and the hammer, so that David’s words may be fulfilled: “God raised the poor from the earth to place them on the throne of the princes of His people.

Hearing this, the Pontiff began to walk and the line of the procession increased. When he arrived at the Holy City he began to cry when he saw the desolation in which his citizens were plunged, many of whom had disappeared.

Then entering St. Peter’s, he intoned the Te Deum, to which a choir of angels responded by singing:

—Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Finished the song, the darkness ceased completely, shining a splendid sun.

The cities and the towns and the fields had diminished in population; the earth was devastated as if by a hurricane, by a storm of water and hail, and the people went to meet one another saying with great emotion:

—Est Deus in Israel!

From the beginning of the exile to the singing of the Te Deum the sun rose two hundred times. All the time that passed while these things were happening corresponds to four hundred sunrises.

The Dreams of Saint John Bosco
(M. B. Volume IX, pp. 999-1000)