Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire Church
Text: Paul Labonne
Translation: Nathalie Senecal

CHRISTIAN VICTORY AT LEPANTO

In 1571, the victory of the Catholic forces (which included Spain, the Republic of Venice and the Papal See) at the naval battle of Lepanto, ended the Turkish hegemony in the Mediterranean. To commemorate the battle, Pope Pius V ordered the institution of a celebration in honour of Our Lady of Victories, which was later changed to the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, celebrated the first Sunday in October in all Catholic parishes.

To depict this battle, Nincheri chose a form he rarely used, the Rose Window. The composition, based at least partially on studies from live models, is set in the Doge's Palace in Venice. There, the richly dressed Doge kneels, imploring the Virgin for protection.