By Phillip Campbell, Catholic Exchange, Oct. 23, 2023
Phillip Campbell is a history teacher for Homeschool Connections and the author of many books on Catholic history, most notably the Story of Civilization series from TAN Books. You can learn more about his books and classes on his website, www.phillipcampbell.net. Phillip resides in southern Michigan.
The month of October is known for its emphasis on the Holy Rosary, which will be forever associated with the glorious victory of the Holy League at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. But while Lepanto occasioned the promulgation of the feast of Our Lady of Victory (the precursor to the current feast day), it is a common misconception that Lepanto was responsible for the universal Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
The feast of Our Lady of Victory instituted after Lepanto (1573) was at first reserved to churches which possessed an altar dedicated to the Holy Rosary. In 1671 Clement X extended the observance to the whole of Spain, but it wasn’t until another Christian victory against the Turks in 1716 that the feast was extended to the universal Church. This victory was that of the forces of the Holy Roman Empire under Prince Eugene of Savoy against the Turks in the Hungarian campaign of 1716. The campaigns of Prince Eugene are much less known than the victory of Lepanto, which is a shame as they were of even greater consequence. Let us set the stage by revisiting Europe at the turn of the 18th century. …
