Deacon’s Corner: Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7th, 2026

What is the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary?

The Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th. On this day, we celebrate the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Even though the Turkish forces were very powerful, the Christians won due to the intercession of Mary and the prayer of the Most Holy Rosary.

What happened at the Battle of Lepanto?

At the time when the Battle of Lepanto was fought, the Ottoman Empire had not lost a major battle since the previous century. Pope St. Pius V realized that the Holy League needed great spiritual assistance, so he asked the Holy League, as well as all of the faithful, to pray the Rosary, asking Our Lady’s intercession for a victory in the upcoming battle. The evening before the famous battle, the sailors prayed the Rosary on their knees.

On October 7, 1571, the Christian fleet went into battle carrying a banner blessed by the Pope. Some evidence also suggests they carried a painting sent to the King of Spain from Mexico depicting the miraculous image known as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The Holy League encountered the Ottoman warships deployed in the shape of a crescent, the symbol of Islam. The Holy League’s ships took the shape of a cross. Between the two forces, there were more than 400 warships, making this one of the largest naval battles in history. After five hours of battle, the Holy League won. Our Lady of the Rosary quotes:

One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world. ~ Saint Dominic

Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood. ~ Saint Louis de Montfort

Of all prayers the Rosary is the most beautiful and the richest in graces…love the Rosary and recite it every day with devotion. ~ Saint Pius X

The Rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth. ~ Saint John Paul II

The Rosary is a priceless treasure inspired by God. ~Saint Louis de Montfort

The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying. ~ Pope Leo XIII

See you at the next Mass!
Deacon Matt Martel