Our Lady of the Rosary: the feast of October 7 and its history
Our Lady of the Rosary is the title under which the Church venerates Mary as the Mother who teaches us to contemplate Christ through the prayer of the Rosary. Her feast is celebrated on October 7. This guide explains the origin of the title and of the feast.
The origin of the feast
The feast was established by Saint Pius V after the Christian victory at the battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571), attributed to the intercession of Mary invoked with the Rosary by the whole of Christendom. Initially called “Our Lady of Victory,” it became “Our Lady of the Rosary.” It is also under this title that Mary presented herself at Fatima (1917), asking for the prayer of the Rosary.
The devotion and its history
Tradition associates the spread of the Rosary with Saint Dominic and the Order of Preachers. The Rosary Confraternities were enormously important – in Brazil, the Brotherhoods of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men were central to the living out of the faith and of Afro-Brazilian culture, with their feasts, congadas, and coronations.
The meaning
To honor Our Lady of the Rosary is to embrace the prayer that travels, with Mary, through the mysteries of the life of Christ. It is a school of contemplation, simple and profound.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary?
On October 7.
Why this date?
It recalls the victory of Lepanto (1571), attributed to the prayer of the Rosary.
See also
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