By Caroline Liberatore (Rated G)
The Battle of Lepanto is considered one of the most formative shifts in the tectonics of Western culture. It occurred within a greater conflict between the Ottoman Empire and a Christian European alliance regarded as the “Holy League,” which lasted from 1570-1573. This conflict developed as the Ottoman Empire began its attempts to seize the Venetian island of Cyprus in a broader aim to gain control of the Mediterranean region.
The Battle of Lepanto was, in many ways, the pivotal moment of this ongoing strife. There was much at stake, particularly as the number of Christian hostages had accumulated astronomically over the years. The battle proved to be a gruesome and costly one, with more than 40,000 casualties in the process. However, the Holy League’s victory in this crucial battle secured freedom within the Church over this region, and much of the Western world as history would progress forward.
Evidently, the event itself was not a mere climax in warfare, but also in regards to a spiritual battle. In the days leading up to this battle, Pope Pius V petitioned for the Church to commit themselves in prayer – particularly in appeals to the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Rosary. Upon hearing about the sequential victory, Pope Pius V established October 7 as the feast of Our Lady Victory – now known as the feast of the Holy Rosary.
Sources:
LogoSophia Magazine 