When I received the habit of our Benedictine community in 1947, I had asked for and received the name Sister Victoria. I wanted a name in honor of Mary, and I would celebrate my new name in honor of Mary, Our Lady of Victory on October 7. I had discovered that there was a fierce battle (1571) between the forces of the Ottoman Fleet and the Holy League, a coalition of southern European Catholic maritime state s organized by Pope Pius V. The Holy League surprisingly won. In history this victory is known as the Battle of Lepanto (off the coast of western Greece.) The victory was attributed to the many rosaries prayed at the request of Pope Pius V who ordered the churches of Rome opened for prayer day and night, encouraging the faithful to petition the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the recitation of the Rosary. After the victory Pope Pius V added a new feast day to the Roman Liturgical Calendar as the feast of Our Lady of Victory.
 |
| Madonna of the Rosary (with Mysteries of the Rosary) - by Lorenzo Lotto (1539) Oil on canvasChurch of San Nicolo, Cingoli |
In 1573 Pope Gregory the XIII changed
the title of the "Feast of Our Lady of Victory" to "Feast of the
Holy Rosary". Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the whole of Latin Rite,
inserting it into the General Roman Calendar in 1716, and assigning it to the
first Sunday in October. Pope Pius X changed the date to October 7 in 1913. In
1960 Pope John XXIII changed the title to "Feast of Our Lady of the
Rosary".
Do you wonder why I was so
interested in all this background? Actually, I love the title of Our Lady of
the Rosary, but I am also quite attached to the title of Our Lady of Victory. I
was happy to find an article by Fr. Streve Grunow that reminded me we all have
our Lepantos that rage within our troubled souls. In the midst of these battles
Christ fights for us and our Lady of Victory is at his side. I also remember
that the various titles attributed to Mary would take pages to enumerate. So in my
prayers on October 7, I will also pray to my beloved Lady of Victory.
Sr. Victoria
Eisenman, OSB
