October: The Month of Holy Rosary

Br. Arsalan Aslam
Christ the King Seminary, Karachi.

The month of October is called the month of the Holy Rosary. The question arises here, why the month of October is called the Month of the Holy Rosary? It has a great history.

First, it includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7). Because on October 7, 1571, Pope Pius V called all of Europe to kneel down before God and ask the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary by reciting the Holy Rosary for the victory at the Battle of Lepanto, in which the Christian belligerents including the papal states where fighting against the Turkish fleet because they wanted to take over Italy and the whole of Europe.

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It was a great victory over the huge Turkish fleet that was won by Catholic naval forces primarily from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of military leader Juan of Austria. Before the battle started, Pope Pius V recited the Holy Rosary and asked for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Victory. In the ships, the Catholic Army was holding the Rosary and reciting continuously and by the grace of God almighty and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Catholic Army Won the battle and defeated the Turkish fleet. At the hour of Victory, St. Pope Pius V, who was hundreds of miles away, sitting in the Vatican exclaimed with supernatural joy by saying “The Christian fleet is Victorious” and at once shed tears of thanksgiving to God. The next year, Pope Pius V proved a feast on October 7 in honor of the Blessed Mother, originally called Our Lady of Victory. After a few centuries, the name was changed to Our Lady of the Rosary.

The Holy Father’s universal statement accepted the growing devotion to the Blessed Mother throughout Europe. The Devotion to the Holy Rosary was initially promoted in the 13th century by St. Dominic and later in the 16th century by St. Peter Canisius.

So, let us take a great weapon called Holy Rosary; the Powerful prayer in the Catholic Church, and recite it every day personally and with our families. May Mother Mary pray for us and intercede for us always. Amen.