All Else Confusion

While I've been settling into my new job and finally getting my life back to some sort of routine, blogging has been slow - actually practically non-existent - and I've missed some major feast days such as the Feast of the Archangels on September 29, which also happens to be the beginning of the Lepanto Novena. The Lepanto Novena ends on October 7, the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary because it was through her intercession that the battle was won. The Blue Boar, a neat blog devoted to G.K. Chesterton, our Lady, home brewing, inns, Distributism, good literature, the lost art of Catholic drinking, and other crucial elements of Catholic culture, has the details:

Nine days from now is October 7, the anniverary of the Battle of Lepanto, fought on October 7, 1571, in which a Catholic fleet commanded by Don John of Austria defeated a Turkish fleet bent on invading the Italian peninsula. It was one of the most significant naval battles in history, and the victory of the Catholic Holy League has always been attributed to the intercession of our Lady. Every man in the Holy League was issued a rosary, which they prayed fervently. And in the churches of Rome and throughout Italy, at the behest of Pope St. Pius V, thousands of Catholics gathered to pray their rosaries for deliverance from the Turk threat.

Our lady heard their prayers, and the Christians won the day. In honor of that, October 7 is commemorated as the feast of the Holy Rosary. And we in the Chestertonian community mark the nine days from today to October 7 with a novena, in which we offer thanksgiving for our Lady's intercession and, this year, pray for the intention of the defeat of the powers of darkness.

The blog is also reproducing Chesterton's great poem Lepanto. Check The Blue Boar for ongoing coverage of the Novena and other great posts.

h/t Fumare

Labels: Feast Day