EWTN Faith Journey
As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
Oct
07
The Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7. On this day, we celebrate the Holy League’s defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Even though the Turkish forces were very powerful, the Christians won due to the intercession of Mary and the prayer of the Most Holy Rosary.
At the time when the battle of Lepanto was fought, the Ottoman Empire had not lost a major battle since the previous century. Pope St. Pius V realized that the Holy League needed great spiritual assistance, so he asked the Holy League, as well as all of the faithful, to pray the Rosary, asking Our Lady’s intercession for a victory in the upcoming battle. The evening before the famous battle, the sailors prayed the Rosary on their knees.
On October 7, 1571, the Christian fleet went into battle carrying a banner blessed by the Pope. Some evidence also suggests they carried a painting sent to the King of Spain from Mexico depicting the miraculous image known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Holy League encountered the Ottoman warships deployed in the shape of a crescent, the symbol of Islam. The Holy League’s ships took the shape of a cross. Between the two forces, there were more than 400 warships, making this one of the largest naval battles in history. After five hours of battle, the Holy League won.
The Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states promoted by Pope St. Pius V, fought against the Ottomans, an Islamic empire centered in Istanbul. The “Turks” were trying to extend their influence beyond Southeast Europe. A Turkish victory might have permitted the expansion of Islam deep into Europe.
The battle took place in the Gulf of Patras, on the western coast of the Greek peninsula.
Due to the Holy League’s defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto, the Turks did not advance into Europe. Many historians have said that this was one of the most significant battles in history.
Pope St. Pius V knew that Our Lady had interceded for the Holy League, ensuring their victory. In fact, on the day of the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571, he saw the Blessed Mother in a vision, and she revealed the victory to him.
As an offering of thanksgiving, the Pope declared this day as the feast day of Our Lady of Victory, later known as Our Lady of the Rosary.
Mary is the Queen Mother because her Son is Christ the King. The rosary, as given to St. Dominic, is a meditation on the mysteries of the Incarnate King, and thus on the sorrows and joys of His Mother, as well. Thus, Mary is so deeply entwined with the rosary that one cannot think of the rosary without thinking of Mary.
In the 13th century, the Blessed Mother appeared in visions to St. Dominic and inspired him to create the rosary as we know it today.
Read MoreFátima Prayer: “O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.”
Like any prayer, the purpose of the Rosary is to bring us closer to the Lord. Unlike most “vocal prayers”, the Rosary is also meant to be a meditation on the subject matter of the mysteries.
As a vocal prayer, the Rosary serves the usual purposes of such prayer, often described in the mnemonic A.C.T.S. – Adoration of God, Contrition for our sins, Thanksgiving for His Gifts, and Supplication for ourselves and others. We can thus offer, and intend, the Rosary for any and all of these intentions. Many Catholics even make a different intention for each decade.
This leads us to the Rosary as a meditation. All of these same elements can be drawn out of the Rosary by meditating on its mysteries. Contemplating the mysteries we see the reasons to adore and give thanks in the greatness of God and the greatness of His love for us. We see the evil of our sins and the reasons for contrition and in Jesus and Mary the models of holiness to which we ought to aspire, so that we may share in the joys and glory of eternal life with the Holy Trinity.
Thus, the Rosary leads us to a deepening of Faith, Hope, and Charity. It is, as many saints have testified, the door of the faithful to a deeper prayer life and a deeper union with God.
Many people who pray the Rosary find it difficult to meditate on the mysteries. Either they don’t consider themselves capable of meditation, or distractions keep them from it. Public rosaries are often impossible to combine with meditation, and the noise and preoccupations of our culture, especially with electronic devices, certainly do not help.
None of this should keep us from praying the rosary, and even trying to meditate on the mysteries. Even if it’s a simple meditation, such as imagining the scene of the mystery, or is one guided by a book – such as a scriptural rosary or other rosary meditation book, it should be possible to some degree for most people. With time, like all habits, if we persevere it will become easier to do.
ROSARY BOOKS AND PRAYER BOOKSThe Catholic Church interweaves the year with feasts and liturgical seasons as reminders of the mysteries of salvation. The months of the year are also dedicated to different aspects of the faith for this same reason. In October, we recall especially the Holy Rosary, itself a summary of the Gospel. In particular, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7.
While not a definitive list, among the common monthly dedications are the following:
According to tradition, the Blessed Mother gave these 15 promises to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche.
These promises are promoted by the Rosary Confraternity, an association of people around the world who strive to pray 15 decades of the rosary each week (the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries). Also, they encourage (but do not require) the members to pray the Luminous Mysteries. There are certain plenary and partial indulgences associated with being part of the Confraternity. Finally, since the members of the Confraternity pray for the intentions of the rest of the society, this means that each member receives a share of hundreds of thousands of prayers every day.
The prayer of the Hail Mary is rooted in Scripture but is also a response of the Church to the mystery of the Incarnation and the Redemption, and the role of Our Lord’s Blessed Mother in it (cf. John 2:3).
In Luke 1:28, St. Gabriel greets Mary with the words, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”
In Luke 1:42, St. Elizabeth says these words to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”
“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”
READ MOREUnlike Holy Communion, which is reserved for Catholics, the rosary may be prayed by anyone. In fact, since the rosary is mostly a reflection on the Gospel, many non-Catholics enjoy the meditations on the life of Jesus. The practice was even popularized in books like “Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy” by Methodist chaplain J. Neville Ward.
This free eBook will help you meditate on the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary. These special excerpts from Mother Angelica’s reflections on the Mysteries were taken from her books and written in Mother’s unique style. Use the form below to tell us where to send your free eBook, Mother Angelica’s Rosary Meditations.
"*" indicates required fields
EWTN’s faith-filled resources are free and created to guide your spiritual journey. Your gift can help proclaim the Gospel and unite more pilgrims on their path to hope through Jesus Christ.
As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
