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Our Lady of the Rosary (Credit : Simone Cantarini, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Holy Rosary originated in 1212 when Saint Dominic de Guzman saw the Virgin Mary who gave him the Rosary as a response to his prayer to understand how to combat the Albigensian heresy. The subsequent defeat of this heresy led to viewing the recitation of the Rosary as an instrument in finding refuge and comfort, strength and confidence in facing and overcoming the difficulties encountered in life, finding in the Rosary beads a “shield” to defeat heresy.

Both the fact that the Rosary is a gift of the Virgin Mary herself, as well as its simplicity, fostered the practice of this devotion among the faithful. It is in this light that something that happened in 1571 can be understood. The Ottoman Turks were advancing toward Europe’s borders. In response, the Holy League was formed to halt them. Dominican Pope Pius V, who was very devoted to Our Lady, blessed the banner depicting the Crucifix flanked by the Apostles Peter and Paul, surrounded by the Emperor Constantine’s motto: In hoc signo vinces. (By this sign you shall conquer.) This standard, together with the image of the Madonna and the inscription S. Maria succurre miseris (Holy Mary, help of those in need), were the only two flags that flew among all the ranks that composed the Holy League. Contemporaneously, the Pope asked the entire Christian people to unite themselves through the recitation of the Holy Rosary for the success of the battle which took place on 7 October 1571. The Holy League was victorious. It was apparent to everyone that the victory had been obtained through divine intervention. In 1572, Pius V established the Feast of Our Lady of Victories. His successor, Gregory XIII, changed it to “Our Lady of the Rosary” – originally celebrated on the first Sunday in October–in 1573. Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716. And in 1913, Saint Pius X set the date for the feast that we know today of October 7.

The development of the rosary has a long history. Though Mary’s giving of the rosary to Saint Dominic in the 13th century is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of Saint Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as “the apostle of the rosary.” He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century, the rosary was developed to consist of 15 mysteries: joyful, sorrowful and glorious. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the five Mysteries of Light to this devotion.

Today, believers who are devoted to the Rosary see in it an instrument given by the Virgin Mary as a means to contemplate Jesus. By meditating on His life, they are led to love and follow Him. It is interesting to note that in various apparitions, such as Lourdes and Fatima, the Virgin encouraged the recitation of the Rosary, begging insistently that it be recited daily in order to overcome division, discord, the disturbances of our hearts, for family relations and those among peoples.

Article by Catholic Time Staff