How Pope Pius V Stopped Invaders in 1571

In October,  1571, a seemingly invincible barbaric enemy raged north out of the Middle East and closed in on continental Europe and threatened to viciously conquer all countries in its path.  These Turks (the Ottoman Empire) had just roared through the Middle East, overpowering the nations there, and confidently set their sights on the Christian kingdoms along the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, namely Italy and Spain, among others.  Pope Pius V, well aware of what was going on, called on all the Christian nations to come together to defend their beloved homelands from these brutal invaders.  They assembled a Christian fleet, but they were far less skilled and hopelessly outnumbered.  So what happened? 

First, rewind back to the thirteenth century.  Pope Pius V was a priest of the Dominican order.  The Dominicans, as they were called, were founded by Saint Dominic back in the twelfth century.  Early in the thirteenth century, it is said that the Blessed Mother appeared to him and gave him a rosary and asked him to modify the tradition of the rosary that had developed up to that time.  These modifications resulted in the rosary that we have today, and, of course, the rosary that Europe had at the time of Pius V two hundred years later.  Mary herself is said to have promised Saint Dominic that if the people prayed the rosary regularly that virtue and good works would flourish and that the abundant mercy of God would be bestowed.  She also promised that, through her intercession, all that we ask of her would be granted and the rosary would be a powerful armor against Hell; it would destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

So, fast forward now again to 1571 and the battle with the Turks.  Pius V called on the Christian leaders of the European continent to send their fleets into battle with the Turks, and at the same time, called on all Christians on the continent to pray the rosary for the success of the effort.  The truly miraculous result was a hugely astonishing victory for the Christian forces.  Thus began the use of a new title for the Blessed Mother (among the dozens of others that she has), that of “Our Lady of Victory,” which later became "Our Lady of the Rosary."

I don’t know how much of this story is true (check it out in Wikipedia -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Rosary), but it is certainly inspirational.  If true, imagine the power that this simple task, taking fifteen minutes out of every day to pray the rosary, would have for ending all that ails this world of ours.  Now, I, of course don’t have anywhere near the influence of a pope, but let’s try this.  Let’s all of us vow right now to pray the rosary every day.  Let’s see if the evils we encounter in this world will melt away.  Have faith!  I think we can make this work.  Amen!  Alleluia!