FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY - 7th OCTOBER
FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY 7th OCTOBER This is a Feast Day that is fitting for the month of October, as a month dedicated to the Holy Rosary. This particular Feast Day, formerly called “Our Lady of Victory” was instituted by Pope Pius V after the decisive naval victory of the fleet of the Holy League over the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. That battle was between a patchwork fleet of the Catholic kingdoms - the Spanish, Venetian and Genoese navies under the command of Don Juan of Austria, and the the superior forces of the Ottoman Empire. It resulted from an attempt to rescue Christians besieged in Catholic maritime states in the Venetian outposts, Sicily and Cyprus. The Ottoman force numbered 12,000- 15,000, with Catholic slaves as rowers, vastly outnumbering the Catholic forces. The Ottoman forces were intent upon invading Italy with the objective of taking Rome. Knowing that the Catholic forces were outnumbered and at a material disadvantage, Pope Pius ...