In 1571, the West was dealing with an invasion by the Turks, when Pope St. Pius V asked Christendom to pray the Rosary for their salvation from the much larger, more sophisticated fleet. On October 7, the Pope received a vision that because of the Rosary, the small Spanish fleet won the battle of Lepanto and the impending Turkish threat was vanquished.
Because of this and many other victories, both spiritual and temporal, Pope Gregory established October 7th as the feast of the Holy Rosary; it was extended to the entire Church by Pope Clement XI, and a new Mass and Office elevated it by Leo XIII.
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