7 October brings to our mind the horrific atrocities that Hamas terrorists unleashed on an unsuspecting gathering of innocent people in southern Israel. This heinous and most cruel attack on innocent civilians that would change the geopolitical balance of the world and especially West Asia, brought an immediate and befitting response from Israel. As we approach the second anniversary of this gruesome massacre and the resultant war, let us rewind our memories to another 7 October a few centuries back.
It was on 7 October 1571 that the coalition of Christian nations under the leadership of Don Juan of Austria inflicted a heavy defeat on the once invincible Ottoman empire. The face off happened in the Gulf of Patras in southwest Greece. The Ottoman Turks’ fleet comprised more than 250 ships. On the other side was a hurriedly gathered Christian fleet (The Holy League) and they were no match for the Ottomans in combat logistics, manpower, or ammunition.
But the fall evening of 7 October would go into history as one of the most notable naval engagements against the invading Turks. It effectively halted the grand Muslim plan to conquer the Christian Europe. At the end of the day, some 10000 Muslims were captured as prisoners. The casualty on the Ottoman side was 25000 whereas the death toll on the Christian side was around 7000.
The ignominious defeat of his fleet at the hands of the Holy League infuriated Selim, the Ottoman Emperor and he wanted to take revenge by massacring the whole Christian population (nearly 40000) in Constantinople. But his sensible advisors prevented him from going ahead with this madness.
This much is history. But the history books would never tell you how this feat was achieved. The decisive victory at Lepanto was a result of rosary prayers that rose from the hearts of millions of Christians from Europe, Northern Africa and West Asia. Pope Pius V was the force who united the warring Christian states under the flag of the Holy League to fight the invading Muslims. But for his efforts, a united force of Christian states was never possible and the Ottomans never expected it too, given the mutual distrust among Christian nations.
Pope Pius V was not sitting idle after stitching together a battle ready fleet, because he knew that Christian League was no match for the Ottoman Turks whose prominence in the Mediterranean was unchallenged for centuries. He requested all Christians to pray the rosary for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. It did work. The Christian fleet organized themselves in a cruciform and decisively defeated the crescent shaped formation of Ottoman Turks. It was a battle won by Mary the woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet (Rev 12:1). It was a battle between the cross and the crescent and as we know, the cross will be the ultimate victor.
We celebrate 7 October as the feast of Our Lady of Rosary, instituted by Pope Pius V in memory of the Blessed Virgin preventing the fall of Christian Europe to another philosophy that has its roots in sword and violence.
Today, when the organized and step by step destruction of the Christian foundations of Europe is being carried out according to the master plan of evil forces who hide themselves behind the curtain, the need to seek the intercession of our Heavenly Mother need not be stressed again. She is our sure help in the everyday battle to defend our Christian faith in the backdrop of an orchestrated invasion, both active and passive, happening in our nations. A repeat of Lepanto is still possible. But it needs a repeat of millions of hands taking up the rosary for this cause.
May our Lady of Rosary intercede for us in our battle against the forces of evil that are trying to erase even the last traces of Christianity from the face of the earth.
