The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

TODAY is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, patroness of Santo Rosario church. It is a church where Holy Mass is said at least 12 times a day. And for today’s fiesta celebration at 4:30 p.m., the main presider will be Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal (Archdiocese of Cebu). Expected at this Mass are pilgrims, parishioners, Marian devotees, dawn rosary groups, the parish pastoral council, with the Santo Rosario grand parish choir. A procession will take place after the Mass, going out to Osmeña Blvd., and up to Fuente Osmeña, down to Ramos St., then D. Jakosalem and P. del Rosario streets, and back again to the church.

The church patroness, the Blessed Virgin as Our Lady of the Rosary, got her title in the 16th century. In 1571, during the Battle of Lepanto, a rosary procession in St. Peter’s Square was credited with the successful stopping of the Mohammedan forces from going into Western Europe. For this victory, Pope Pius V mandated a feast in Our Lady’s honor as Our Lady of Victory, which was changed two years later by Pope Gregory XIII to the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Oct. 7.

The praying of the rosary itself by the Catholic faithful has obscure beginnings. But it is St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, who is credited with spreading the devotion of the rosary as we know it today: the praying of the Hail Mary on each of the 50 rosary beads and the contemplation of different mysteries for each decade—five mysteries named “joyful” (from the announcement of Jesus’ coming to Mary to His early childhood); another five labeled as “sorrowful” (from Jesus’ agony in the garden to His crucifixion and death); and a third called “glorious” (from Jesus’ resurrection to Mary’s coronation as Queen of Heaven).

Pope John Paul II added another set of mysteries: the Mysteries of Light that dwell on Jesus’ ministry—from His baptism in the Jordan River by St. John, to His institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.

The praying of the Holy Rosary has been highly recommended by Our Lady herself—in many of her apparitions, particularly in her appearance in Fatima—for world peace.

The parish of Santo Rosario, which dates back to 1933, is a dynamic hub of Catholic devotees. Non-parishioners find it a very convenient place to attend Mass. The parish priest is Bishop Julito B. Cortes, D.D., with  Fathers Carlito Salve, Ralph Perez and Charles Jayme as parish vicars, and Fathers Jake Reyes, Lydio Felizarta, Joseph Anore, Manuel Lim and Manulito Antiporta as resident priests.