Did you know that the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was originally known as the feast of Our Lady of Victory? It is celebrated on October 7, the anniversary of the battle of Lepanto and the Christian victory against the naval forces of the Islamic Ottoman Empire. This homily provides a concise and beautiful explanation of the history and importance of this Marian feast.
Homily for October 7, Our Lady of the Rosary
Four hundred and forty years ago today, the ships of the Christian European “Holy League” faced off against the naval forces of the Islamic Ottoman Empire at the battle of Lepanto. If the Holy League lost, the Turks would have dominion over the Mediterranean, and they would sail onwards in their conquest of Europe. Read more…
The power of the Rosary goes beyond saving Christianity, it delivers us from our own personal battles. Pope Benedict XVI shared this wise meditation on the importance of praying the Rosary in today’s busy world.
May Mary help us to welcome within ourselves the grace emanating from these mysteries, so that through us we can ‘water’ society, beginning with our daily relationships, and purifying them from so many negative forces, thus opening them to the newness of God. The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way, not mechanical and superficial but profoundly, it brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation. It contains within itself the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, invoked with faith and love at the centre of each ‘Hail Mary’.
Artwork: Murillo, Bartolomé Esteban. The Virgin of the Rosary. C. 1650–55. Museo Del Prado, Madrid, Spain.