“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world . . . “ – Our Lady to the Children of Fatima.
October’s dedication is one that many Catholics are familiar with. A widely practiced devotion, the Rosary is especially celebrated throughout the Church during this month. There are Rosary processions, conferences, and special parish gatherings to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and her efficacious prayer.
Although something similar to the Rosaary had been prayed by the faithful since the earliest days of the Church, the Rosary as we know it did not come into being until the early 13th century. At that time a mendicant priest and gifted preacher who longed to find a way to overcome the Albegentian heresy and win back lost souls to Christ went into the forest to fast and fervently pray. The priest was St. Dominic and in answer to his prayers, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him, giving him the Rosary, which she called her Psalter, 150 Hail Marys divided into 15 decades. Our Lady made it clear to St. Dominic that the Angelic Salutation (the Hail Mary) joined with meditations on the mysteries of the Faith would defeat the errors of the Albegentians and turn hearts back to the Truth. This prophecy was fulfilled and St. Dominic is credited with bringing many thousands of heretics and wandering souls into the Catholic Church through the power of the Rosary. St. Dominic went on to found a worldwide religious family called the Order of Preachers, also known as The Dominicans, which has given the Church countless saints and is still vibrant today.
Let’s look into the history of October as the month of the Holy Rosary, see what the saints have said, and learn how we can increase our devotion to this potent spiritual gift, by which Our Lady identified herself to the Children of Fatima: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.”
Why is October Dedicated to the Holy Rosary?
To strengthen the faith of Catholics, The Church has designated a particular devotion for each month of the year. Many of these official designations came out of devotions begun centuries earlier through the teachings of the saints that flourished among the faithful. The Holy Rosary is such a devotion. However, in 1571 the month of October came to hold a special significance and testimony to the power of this spiritual weapon.
The Battle of Lepanto was fought between a large, highly skilled Muslim fleet of the Ottoman Empire and a smaller, minimally skilled Christian fleet known as the Holy League. The pope at the time, St. Pius V recognized the danger to Christendom presented by an advancing Muslim force, and he urged a fervent campaign of Rosary prayers for the battle that would ensue on October 7th. Against all odds and despite a grueling conflict, the Christian fleet was overwhelmingly victorious. The pope and all of Christendom knew it was due to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the prayers of the Rosary. In thanksgiving, Pope Pius V established the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (also called Our Lady of Victory) on October 7th to commemorate this triumph for the Faith under Mary’s patronage.
Devotion to the Rosary continued to wax and wane through the years, sometimes falling into obscurity through laxity and the subversive forces of darkness. In the late 19th century Pope Leo XIII revived the devotion in response to the encroaching evils both in society and the Church. An avid devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he thoroughly immersed himself in the writings of St. Louis de Monfort. Pope Leo believed praying the Rosary and meditating on its mysteries would be a powerful weapon against Satan’s destructive forces and also a means of growing stronger in our Faith. He ceaselessly promoted Our Lady’s Psalter through numerous encyclicals, letters, and addresses.
In his encyclical Supremi Apostolatus Officio, in honor of the Feast Day already present in October, he dedicated the entire month to the Rosary, urging all the Faithful to “cling more and more to the practice of the Rosary, . . . not only as an ever-ready remedy for their misfortunes but as a whole badge of Christian piety” (No. 8).
Key Catholic Feast Days in October
October is a month rich in liturgical celebrations. Some of the notable feast days in October include:
The Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, October 1, honors the Doctor of the Church who promised to spend her time in Heaven showering down roses upon Earth. St. Therese had a deep devotion to Our Lady from her early childhood.
The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, October 2, honors those whom God has placed over us to protect, guide, and spur us on to love and good works til we reach our spiritual Home.
The Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, October 7, commemorates the victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571.
The Feast of St. John Paul II, October 22, commemorates a recent pope and champion of the Holy Rosary. Devoted to this prayer from his youth, John Paul II promoted it throughout his religious life, and as pope, he particularly called for the family recitation of the Rosary. He added the Luminous Mysteries to further the Faithful’s catechetical meditation on the life of Christ.
St. Anthony Mary Claret, on October 24, honors the founder of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and fervent devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Anthony is known to have begun every sermon with instructions on how to pray the Rosary, and he prayed three Rosaries every day.
“It can be said that the Rosary is a compendium of our holy religion.” St. Anthony Mary Claret (Calloway #225).
Catholic Saints and the Holy Rosary
Numerous saints, popes, and pious souls have held a deep devotion to the Holy Rosary. In addition to those discussed above, we will consider a few more. St. Louis de Monfort, Blessed Lucia dos Santos, St. Padre Pio, and Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen.
St. Louis de Montfort, a French priest and prominent figure in the Catholic Church during the 17th century, is renowned for his unwavering dedication to the Holy Rosary. He saw the Rosary as a spiritual weapon against evil and a pathway to deeper contemplation of the mysteries of Christ’s life. He said,
“I beg of you to beware of thinking of the Rosary as something of little importance – as do ignorant people and even several great but proud scholars. Far from being insignificant, the rosary [sic] is a priceless treasure which is inspired by God.”
Blessed Lucia dos Santos, one of the children of Fatima, had been faithful to pray a Rosary with her family even before the Blessed Mother appeared to her and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta. But after hearing Our Lady’s warnings and requests for more Rosaries to be prayed, Blessed Lucia became more fervent in this devotion. She believed Our Lady’s promise that the Rosary would end the war, and it did.
After the death of her cousins, which the Blessed Virgin prophesied, Lucia grew up and received more Marian apparitions in which Our Lady continued stressing the importance of the Rosary. In her memoirs, Lucia reiterated her lifelong devotion and confidence in this prayer.
“The Most Holy Virgin, in these last times in which we live, has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the rosary . . . There is no problem I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the holy rosary.” (Calloway #247)
St. Pio of Pietrelcina was a beloved Capuchin Franciscan of the 20th century. He was a mystic known for miracles during his life and after his death. He shared in the sufferings of Our Lord and Our Lady, receiving the stigmata early in his priesthood and frequently battling both physical and spiritual attacks from Satan and his demons. He was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin and called his Rosary the weapon that overcomes the devil. It is known that he prayed many Rosaries a day, proclaiming, “The Rosary is a weapon that wins all battles[,]” and “Our Lady has never refused me a grace through the recitation of the Rosary.”
Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen had a deep love for Mary. He called her “The World’s First Love” referring to Her having been thought of and planned by God before all of creation. He explained that when we say the Rosary we are not engaging in mindless repetition, but rather through the prayers and meditations “we are saying to God, the Trinity, the Incarnate Savior, the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you, I love you, I love you.’”
6 Ways to Grow in Devotion to the Holy Rosary this October
Here are a few ideas to help you dedicate October to the Holy Rosary.
- Commit to praying the Rosary every day of October.
- Learn Our Lady’s 15 Promises to those who pray her Rosary and teach them to others.
- Plan a rosary garden for your backyard with a statue of Mary and a bench for praying. Don’t forget to plan your favorite flowers in the Spring!
- Pray the Rosary as a family, with your spouse, or with a friend. Each person can share their intentions before praying and then lead a decade.
- Place a rosary on your bedside table, in your car, or anywhere that will remind you to pray a Hail Mary, a decade, or whatever you have time for in the various moments of your day.
- Spend time meditating on each Mystery and event of the Rosary, imagining yourself in the Scripture scene.
- Journal insights received while praying the Rosary.
Further Reading on the Holy Rosary
Several books provide valuable insights for those interested in deepening their understanding of this devotion.
- Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon, by Donald H. Calloway, MIC, delves into the history of the Rosary and many renowned saints who Championed this prayer.
- Holy Rosary – St. Josemaria Escriva – Casa Maria Bookstore, a devotional book of prayer and meditations
- The Rosary, by Bishop Robert Barron, is an essential book for anyone hoping to gain a better understanding of the Rosary, a stronger commitment to praying it, and a deeper appreciation of its power.
- Rosary Meditations from Mother Teresa of Calcutta – Casa Maria Bookstore, a devotional book of prayer and meditations
- The Secret of the Rosary, by St. Louis de Montfort, describes the many benefits of the Rosary and how to say it with true devotion.
The Prayers of the Holy Rosary
Several prayers make up the Holy Rosary in the Catholic tradition. Visit our Rosary Resorces to learn how to pray it or to pray along with us!
Let’s Carry It On
The dedication of October to the Holy Rosary is a rich tradition that opens our hearts to consider the beauty and efficacy of a prayer given to us by Our Lady, Herself. It echoes the cry of The Lord, “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). The Rosary is a prayer that moves mountains and also a meditation that permeates us with the goodness of God’s Providence. Each bead of the Rosary becomes a pathway to reflection, contemplation, and a profound connection with the Lord and His Blessed Mother. Let the Our Fathers and Hail Marys reverberate and linger with the reminder that the dedication to the Holy Rosary is not confined to a single month but extends throughout the year. May we faithfully carry on the practice of this cherished devotion specifically requested by the Queen of Heaven to draw us into communion with Christ, convert sinners, and restore the culture to Christ.
