What was the Battle of Lepanto?

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary. This is also the month in which we honor the anniversaries of the Battle of Lepanto and the Miracle at Fatima, both of which took place in the month of October, in 1571 and 1917 respectively.

The Battle of Lepanto, in particular, was a significant event that saved Christendom from total destruction by the Ottoman Turks.

So what exactly happened at the Battle of Lepanto?

At this point in history, Western Europe was in turmoil. Between the cultural and political divisions caused by the Protestant Revolution and the colonial expeditions in the New World, leaders in Europe were incredibly preoccupied. Recognizing these distractions, the Ottoman Turks were growing in power and posed a threat to the West. They began to systematically attack and pillage and enslave the Christian lands.

Pope St. Pius V was one of the few who paid attention to the danger and called upon Europe’s leaders to prepare an offensive against the Ottomans.

Philip II of Spain sent his half-brother Don Juan of Austria to lead dozens of ships alongside men from Venice, the Papal States, and other parts of Italy, creating a force called the Holy League.

Hearing about these preparations for a defense of Christendom, the Archbishop of Mexico sent an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that had been touched to the original tilma for Philip II to mount on one of his ships.

Finally, Pope Pius V called on the faithful to pray the Rosary for victory through Our Lady’s intercession.

On October 7th, 1571, the Holy League encountered the Ottomans near the Gulf of Corinth. Originally, the wind had been blowing against the Holy League, but it miraculously switched direction and pushed them right where they needed to be.

By early afternoon, after a long and costly battle, the Holy League claimed victory over the Ottomans. The following year, Pope Pius V instituted the “Feast of Our Lady of Victory” to thank the Blessed Mother for her intercession in this battle. Pope Gregory XIII later renamed the celebration “the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.”

The Rosary has proven to be one of the most powerful prayers a Catholic can say. Indeed, St. Padre Pio once said, “The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.’” Keeping a rosary with you can remind you to pray it often, no matter where you are.