The Salesians of Don Bosco wanted to build a school on the Via Tuscolna like the Salesian Institute in via Marsala in Rome.
Pope Pius XI gave his consent but at the same time wanted a church to be built next to the school.
Thus on June 4, 1929, immediately after the beatification of Don Bosco, the first stone of the new church dedicated to Mary, Help of the Christians was laid next to the "Pius XI" school.
The church has a Latin cross plan which measures m. 72 in the major arm and m. 42 in the shorter arm.
The style is that of the great Roman churches of the Renaissance, and is frescoed as such.
Don Giuseppe Melle is the painter called to decorate the church of S. Maria Ausiliatrice. He worked for eight years without rest, and in 1964 the work was completed.
The very central 'theme' of his work is Mary, and the first church of Maria Ausiliatrice built in Turin, the city in Piedmont, which was the region of St. John Bosco.
All around there is the great story of the victories of Christianity with the help of Mary, against the invasion attempts of the Turks.
It is an imposing and majestic church.
On the outside it has some similarities with the church of the Santissima Trinita' dei Monti for the presence of the two lateral bell towers.
Inside it has no great special artistic elements. Perhaps too many frescoes can distract visitors' eyes.
Interesting is the small chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which is located to the left of the main altar.
Certainly it is a church of great religious devotion and spirituality, it is above all a place of social gathering and great spirituality very typical of the Salesian churches.