Battle of Lepanto & OUr Lady's Intercession

The Battle of Lepanto... 449 years ago

Almost from the very beginning of Islam, there were wars between Christians and Muslims. There were seven major Crusade wars which lasted for centuries. This is the story of the Battle of Lepanto, which occurred 449 years ago. It marked the end of the Crusades and was a turning point in the history of Christianity.

In the Eastern Roman Empire, Christians held firm against attacks of the Muslims until 1453, when the Byzantine capital fell. By 1571 the Muslims were firmly installed in Europe. Their ships ruled the Mediterranean Sea from the Strait of Bosporus to the Strait of Gibraltar.

In the last year of his papacy Pope Pius V, tried to rally the nations of Europe to join in a Holy League to stop and roll back the Muslim enemy which threatened the entire continent. The Muslims were then engaged in the conquest of Cyprus, an island belonging to the Republic of Venice. Leading Venetian officials would have preferred to have worked out some peaceful-coexistence agreement with the Sultan, but given the ongoing attack of Cyprus and the crusading influence of Saint Pius V, they decided to join the Holy League along with the other republics of Italy - Genoa and Lucca and the dukes of Savory, Parma, Ferrara and Urbino. Spain also responded favorably to the Pope’s request for men and war ships.

Just before the Holy League fleet departed from their ports, Philip II of Spain, presented Don Juan who was the Holy League fleet commander, with a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe which she had caused to be miraculously imprinted on the cloak of the Indian peasant Juan Diego in Mexico 40 years before. Don Juan placed the picture in the chapel of his flag ship asking for Mary's protection in the looming battle.

On September 16, 1571, the Christian fleet put to sea. At dawn on October 7, at the entrance to the Gulf of Patras, the Christian and Moslem fleets finally came face to face for the battle of Lepanto.

The wind and all military factors favored the Muslims, but Don Juan was confident. He boarded a fast ship for a final review of his fleet. After Don John returned to his own ship, the wind mysteriously changed to the advantage of the Christian fleet. First-hand witnesses wrote about this moment as a most dramatic turn-of-events resulting from an "unknown factor".

At dawn on October 7, 1571, as Vatican Archives later revealed, Pope Pius V, accompanied by many faithful, was praying the Rosary in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. From dawn to dusk the prayers continued in Rome as the Christians and the Muslims battled at Lepanto. When it was all over the Muslims had been soundly defeated.

The Rosary had won a great military victory. Don Juan retired after his victory at Lepanto. He died a few years later at the age of 31. Another who took part in the great battle of Lepanto, Miguel de Cervantes, lived longer to write his famous tribute to Christian chivalry, Don Quixote.

The Origin of the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary on October 7th

Following the great Christian victory at Lepanto, Pope St. Pius V declared that henceforth a commemoration of the Rosary would be a part of the Vatican's Mass on every October 7. His successor, Pope Gregory XIII, went further. In 1573, he established the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary to be celebrated at all Churches which had specific altars dedicated to the Rosary.

“The beads of prayer will be the major instrument for the lessening of the chastisement upon your country.” — Our Lady of the Roses, April 14, 1973

When you pray the Holy Rosary, you have Our Lady's hand in your hand.

Steve Pappas Grand Knight Council # 6138