The Catholic Defender: Our Lady of the Rosary Novena Day 7

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us Your mother as Our Lady of the Rosary. Help us to turn to her as our mother in all of our needs!

Our Lady of the Rosary, Pope Pius V turned to your intercession during a time of great conflict in the world. Battles were being fought between Muslim and Christian forces. Your intercession helped bring about Christian victory and helped bring about peace.

On the evening of October 6, 1571, the day before the decisive battle, St. Pius V himself led the rosary at the Dominican convent of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome. With tears in his eyes and a rosary in his hand, he entrusted the Christian cause to the Queen of Heaven.

On the morning of October 7, 1571, the Christian fleet set sail in search of the Muslim fleet to meet them head on. Don Juan and his men had no idea that they were sailing toward an advanced and highly trained Muslim fleet of more than 3oo vessels and 100, 000 men. Though the Christian fleet had close to 285 vessels, they only had 70,000 men, many of whom were unskilled in naval combat. The two forces caught sight of each other for the first time in the large bay just south of the town of Lepanto (now Nafpaktos), Greece. Once they saw each other, they formed their battle lines. The battle was on. It was the cross versus the crescent.

The battle lasted for five bloody hours. At one point, Don Juan steered his vessel toward the vessel from which Ali Pasha commanded the Islamic forces.

Before the two flagships collided and their crews could engage in hand-to-hand combat, Don Juan, filled with the Spirit of God, danced with abandon on the deck of his ship.

This act enraged Ali Pasha, but he was unable to take his revenge because a musket ball to the forehead immediately killed him. One of the armed prisoners who had been freed from the Muslim ship cut off what was left of Ali Pasha's head and hoisted it on a pike. The banner of Allah was taken down and ripped apart, and the banner of St. Pope Pius V was raised in its place.

The battle was a complete success for the Catholic forces. The Turkish fleet lost more than 30,000 men. Thirty-four Muslim admirals and 120 galley captains were among the dead. The Muslim fleet also lost the majority of its vessels. The Chrisitan fleet was able to set free nearly 15,000 Christian galley slaves who had been aboard the Muslim vessels. It was a complete and total victory for Christianity.

Please bring all of our needs before the throne of your Divine Son, and we particularly ask today that you pray for peace in our modern world!

Pray for us, that we may be eager to carry out God’s will in our lives and in the world. Pray that we may do all we can to preach the gospel to others.

And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).

1. The Saint of the Day

2. Prayer for our Priests and Clergy

3. Prayer for our children

4. Prayer for those who have recently past

5. Prayer for those in hospitals, suffering, with disease

6. Prayer for America and peace around the world

7. Freedom of Religion

8. Prayer for the Prodigals

9. Prayer for Prisoners

10. Prayer for Soldiers, Veterans

11. Prayer for the souls in Purgatory