7 ottobre: La vittoria del Rosario — Beata Vergine Maria
October 7, the victory of the Rosary
Editrice Shalom
Tempo di lettura: 4 min
Autore: Editrice Shalom
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At the heart of Catholic tradition, October shines as the month of the Rosary, and on the 7th the Church celebrates the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, a commemoration rooted in history and projected forcefully into the present. In a world wounded by wars, crises, uncertainty, and confusion, this observance invites us to rediscover the Rosary as a spiritual weapon capable of transforming the heart and history.
A battle won with the Hail Mary
The feast originated in 1571, when Christian Europe was threatened by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. The Holy League, formed by Venice, Genoa, the Papal States, Spain, and other Italian duchies, faced the Turkish fleet in the Ionian Sea, at Lepanto, off the Greek coast.
Before departing, Pope Saint Pius V - a Dominican and a man of deep prayer - entrusted the fate of Christendom to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, inviting all the faithful to pray the Rosary
On October 7, despite being outnumbered, the Christian fleet achieved a crushing victory. That same day, the Pope had a mystical vision of the victory that had been won (the messengers would inform him only 23 days later) and ordered the bells to be rung: «We have won at Lepanto through the intercession of the Most Blessed Virgin».
Pius V attributed this victory to the power of the Rosary and thus, the following year, established the feast of Saint Mary of Victory. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII moved it to the first Sunday of October, renaming it Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary; in 1716, Clement XI extended it to the entire Church. In 1883, Leo XIII consecrated the entire month of October to Our Lady of the Rosary, encouraging the daily recitation of the prayer throughout the month.
Mary, Help of Christians
From then on, Mary was officially invoked as Auxilium Christianorum, Help of Christians. This title was attributed to the Virgin by the victorious survivors, who, on their way back from the war, passed through Loreto to thank Our Lady. The galley slaves freed from the oars disembarked at Porto Recanati and went in procession to the Holy House, where they offered their chains to Our Lady; the railings later placed in the chapels were made from them.
Our “Lepanto” today
We are living through times of great confusion: economic crisis, social and spiritual instability, and wars.
In reality, visible wars, fought with weapons before our eyes, are only the reflection of a much deeper war fought on a higher, spiritual plane: that between good and evil, between God and Satan.
This conflict, as it unfolds historically, seems to be reaching its peak! We are in the midst of a spiritual war, even before a military one, and we cannot afford to remain indifferent. It is a spiritual war that involves us all. And we all have the most powerful and special “weapon”: the Rosary.
And if we use it with faith, we can be decisive in achieving our salvation and the salvation of so many souls. History teaches us that when the Christian people entrust themselves to Mary with the Rosary, heaven intervenes.
The Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary is the hope of the world
Mary calls us to join her army in this battle against Satan and his followers. This call is urgent. The apparitions at Fatima reinforced awareness of the importance of the Rosary in God's plan of salvation, as a weapon against Satan. Our Lady recommended that the shepherd children pray it daily from the very first apparition on May 13, 1917, «to obtain peace in the world and an end to the war». Sister Lucia further explained its power in an interview with Father Fuentes: «The Most Blessed Virgin wished to give, in these latter times in which we live, a new efficacy to the praying of the Holy Rosary. She has so strengthened its efficacy that there is no problem, no matter how difficult, whether material or especially spiritual in nature, in the private life of each one of us or in the life of our families, religious communities, or even in the lives of peoples and nations, that cannot be resolved by the prayer of the Holy Rosary».
In Medjugorje, too, the Queen of Peace issued an urgent appeal: «Satan is strong and desires to destroy not only human life, but also nature and the planet on which you live… God sent me among you to help you. If you wish, take hold of the rosary; the Rosary alone can already work miracles in the world and in your life» (January 25, 1991).
These words are addressed to each of us, who, through our constant prayer and sacrifices, can be privileged instruments in Mary's hands to win this battle.
The peace we long for, in fact, is not simply the end of the conflicts currently taking place in the world, but reconciliation between humanity and God, who awaits us with a Father's love. In a word, what we await and what we must work for tirelessly every day is the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which will shatter Satan's power. So, Rosary in hand, let us move forward with Mary!
In conclusion: a new covenant of love
In celebrating the memory of October 7, we are not merely remembering a historical event. We are renewing a covenant of love: Mary is still with us, ready to intercede, console, and guide us. Let us accept her call to take the Rosary in our hands, certain that, even today, Mary can lead the world to peace.
The Rosary is not a practice of the past, but a compass for the present and a key to the future.
The enemy does not sleep. And you?
Don't put it off. Don't remain a spectator. Start praying the Rosary today.
