The Association’s annual Rosary Octave of Prayer will begin on Saturday, October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Saint Pius V established this feast in 1573 in gratitude for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto, a victory attributed to widespread recitation of the Rosary.

Pope Francis has encouraged the faithful to “rediscover, especially during the month of October, the beauty of the prayer of the Rosary, which has nourished the faith of the Christian people through the centuries … The recitation of the Rosary is the most beautiful prayer we can offer to the Virgin Mary; it is a contemplation on the stages of the life of Jesus the Savior with his Mother and is a weapon that protects us from evils and temptations.”

Beyond its power to help us individually, the Blessed Virgin has urged the recitation of the Rosary as a means of restoring peace in the face of wars, oppression, and social injustice. You are invited to be among those AMM members joining us from home to pray five mysteries of the Rosary daily for eight days. Send your intentions to be remembered in prayer throughout the octave at Our Lady’s Shrine. You may also request Votive Lights to burn for your needs or as a gift of gratitude for blessings and favors Our Lady has already obtained for you and those you love.