by Father Xavier Bandya for BISMumbai

Against the backdrop of the victory at Lepanto, Pope Pius V instituted the feast of the Holy Rosary in 1571. He also inserted the invocatio,n, “Mary Help of Christians” in the litany of Loreto; and it became popular with the Salesians, even as Don Bosco chose to venerate the Blessed Mother under this title.

Young John Bosco happily accepted to preach his first homily on the Our Lady of the Rosary in 1837. He dedicated it to Mary, his personal guide and mother.

First the event was recalled during the Eucharist on 06 October at Don Bosco Chakan. Later in the evening the confreres joined the young people to pray the rosary in thanksgiving for all the blessings through the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Rosary was prayed in different languages, entrusted at the feet of Our Lady the whole world and to obtain God’s mercy. With her help the pandemic will soon come to an end and that peace may prevail everywhere. The 450 years of the victory at Lepanto gives the whole world confidence to pray and to trust the Virgin Mary as shown by Don Bosco.