Saint Pius V, by Alonso Antonio Villamayor - Museu de Belas Artes, Salamanca (Spain)
St. Pius V, the Pope of the Rosary, whose memory the Church celebrates on 30 April, introduced the invocation of Our Lady Help of Christians into the Lauretan Litany, in thanksgiving for the intervention of Mary Most Holy in the Battle of Lepanto.
Newsroom (02/05/2024 12:52PM, Gaudium Press) In 1571, the Mohammedan Turks were ravaging the Balkans, and their enormous war fleet was spreading terror in the Mediterranean Sea, with the intention of completely extinguishing the flame of Catholicity in Europe.
An invasion of western Europe was imminent, and the only way to prevent it was to break the Islamist naval power. It was urgent to form an alliance of Catholic princes and arm a fleet capable of confronting the enemy of the Christian Faith.
In the Gulf of Lepanto
In this context of high risk for Christendom, the Pontiff fortunately reigning was a holy Dominican: Cardinal Ghislieri, the great inquisitor of the Holy Church, had been elected Pope under the name of Pius V.
The Holy German Empire was divided between Catholics and Protestants, France was torn apart by wars of religion, and on the horizon loomed Islam’s greatest threat to European civilization…
The only country that could become the militarized arm of the Church was Spain, ruled at the time by Philip II, a man of faith but who was extremely indecisive.
Despite this bleak outlook, St. Pius V managed to organize the Holy League to resist the Ottoman fleet.
A contemplative, fiery man with an extraordinary devotion to the Rosary, Pope Pius V turned all his soul’s energy into action, revealing himself to be the true hero of the clash that would come to be known in the future as the Battle of Lepanto.
With pertinacious insistence, he put diplomatic pressure on the Spanish Monarch, bringing him together with the Republics of Venice and Genoa. The Papal State itself provided some ships for the Christian armada.
Don John of Austria, Philip II’s brother, was to be the expedition’s commander-in-chief. A young man of exceptional military qualities and almost reckless courage, he would have Marco Antonio Colonna as his lieutenant. This experienced Italian admiral was Lord of Genazzano and a tender devotee of the Mother of Good Counsel.
On the day of the confrontation, 7 October 1571, St. Pius V was working in Rome with some Cardinals when, moved by a strong inner inspiration, he withdrew into the chapel.
After a few moments, he came out radiant, declaring to everyone: the battle has been won, the banner of the Cross has triumphed! It wasn’t until a month later that the official news arrived by courier. Rome, however, had long been celebrating.
The victory was also celebrated in Genazzano, and some of the Turks’ spoils were deposited at the foot of the Virgin’s fresco, as a sign of gratitude for the colossal and miraculous defeat of their adversary.
True heroism
Heroism is not just the act by which a man faces the risk of losing his life or physical integrity, but it is the attitude by which man faces any great pain or great misfortune. This characterizes the hero. There is moral pain and physical pain. And often the moral pain torments incomparably more and is more difficult to face than the physical pain.
Our Lady, although She didn’t shed her own blood, was pierced by the blade of moral pain at the foot of her Son’s Cross, to the point where the Church acclaimed Her Queen of Martyrs.
Throughout the centuries, no one has suffered like Her. Well, authentic heroism consists of firmly enduring disappointments, difficulties and all kinds of evils.
St. Pius V had this spirit, not only because of his strength of soul, capable of bending the most persistent resistance, but above all because of his heroic willingness to face everything and suffer. Especially so when he was called upon to combat the factors that were breaking up Christendom, the bubbling heresy in full expansion, and the great Turkish power. With faith in his Lady, he faced everything and overcame everything, giving her the glory of being recognized by Catholics as Queen of Victories.
Later, St. Pius V added the invocation Auxilium Christianorum (Help of Christians) to the Litany of Our Lady in gratitude for the victory at Lepanto.
Mgr John Scognamiglio Clá Dias, EP.
Text taken, with adaptations, from the book Mary Most Holy! God’s Paradise Revealed to Men.
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
