BATTLE OF LEPANTO.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 4, 24 May 1895, Page 4

BATTLE OF LEPANTO.

TfiH Tnrks— -originally a Tartar race— wtre at one time very powerful in Europe; Towards the end of the 14th century Bajazet, suroamed Udetim, or the Ligtreclng, from the rapidity of his movements, wts (heir fcultan. Ilia sway extended from the Carpathians in Europe, to the Euphrates in Asia, Having utterly routed an allied Christian army he vaunted that he would aobdue not only Hungary, bat Germany and Italy besides, and that he would feed his horse with a bu«hel of oats on the altar of 8t Peter's iv Rome. Tt.e Apostle heard the blasphemy, and the migbiy conqueror was not suffered to leave this world for his eternal habitation without Divine infliction in evidence that He Who made h<m could unmake him at His Will. Bajazet was defeated and captnred by Timour, Lord of Persia and Hindustan, in the great battle of Angora iv Asia Minor.

Timonr secured him in an iron cage, which according to Tartar custom was on wheels and in this he carried him about as some wild beast, on his march through Asia. Wonderful to relate Bajazet lived for nine months under this terrible visitation. This happened in the year a.d 1402. The Turks aoou recovered from this humiliating defeat and in 1453 made themselves masters of Constantinople. From this forward for the next hundred years their career was one long series of brilliant victories. City after city, fortress after fortress fell before them and tht iron hoof of their despotism pressed heavily on the fairest regions of Europe. Nothing would satisfy them. They saw tha religion of Mahomet extending its baleful influence over the greater part of Asia, along the entire coast rf Northern Africa from the Nile to the Atlantic, ruling with undisputed sway over the whole south-east of Europe and having a firm grasp on a considerable portion of the Spanish Peninsula. This waß to them as nothing. One of their Sultans openly asserted that he would not sheathe his sword as long as there was left a worshipper of Christ in any part of Europe. Full of this evil intent they tried to extend their conquests on all ■ides. They advanced as far in their victorious career as the city of Vienna to which they laid siege, and Vienna had fallen a victim to their fanatical prowess had not the gallant Sobieski and his brave Poles come to the rescue of the beleaguered city. Twice the Turkish forces laid siege to Malta and twice were they repulsed by the heroic resistance of the Knights of St John under the command of the invincible La Valette. The rich island of Cyprus then belonging to the Venetians was not so fortunate as Malta, for after a siege ol five months its capital Famagusta was taken by storm. The brave Christian soldiers who had for so long a time defended the city, having at last surrendered on honourable terms, were all ornelly put to death. For the chivalrous commander Bragadino a more awful fate was reserved. Contrary to the treaty of capitulation he was seized by the Turks, who, in a spirit of diabolical revenge for the leases he bad caused them, actually went so far as to flay him aliv*. This noble soldier, with the spirit of the early martyrs throbbing in bis bosom, betrayed not the slightest sign of fear or pain, but with a cheerful countenance kept repeating alond the fiftieth psalm, " Have mercy on me, 0 God, according to Thy great mercy," until his bodily strength gave way under the fearful torture, and his soul winged its night to God. We have heaid a great deal within the last few days of the Turkish atrocities in Armenia. These we see are nothing new to the Turks. Fanatical savages they were from the beginning, and, humanly speaking, such they ever shall remain. Unfortunately, at the time of which we speak the Christian nations of Europe were too busily engaged in petty wars amongst themselves — fomented by religious dissensions caused by the unhappy revolt of Luther — to think of uniting their arms against their common enemies the Turks. The Turkish Crescent borne by their victorious fleets and squadrons, could be seen floating triumphantly in all parts of the Mediterranean. The Adriatic seemed a mere lake for displaying the flag of the Moslem, and Venice itself, " the fair bride of the sea," was threatened with destruction by tha forces of the infidel. How all this was to en 1, if events wereallowei to take their natural course, it is by no means difficult to tell. Bu Ha who says to the mighty swell of the boundless ocean, " Thus far shalt thou go and no farther," sail the same to the all-conqaering forces and indomitable energy of the Turks. As we sometimes see a huge billow rise triumphantly from the deep, and fall and break before an apparently insignificant rock on the shoro, so here God made use of the humble and lowly pontiff, Pius V. to stem and overthrow the power of the Turks. Before his elevation to the dignity of Bupreme Pontiff, 8t Pius was known as Cardinal Alessandiino. In the conclave that was held for the election of a successor to Pius IV., in the beginning of January, 1666, few thought of the Aless^ndrine Cardinal as one likely to wear the Papal Tiara. But God's ways are different from those of men. St Charles Borromeo, nephew of the late Pope, had great influence in the conclave. " I resolved," said this Saint, "to look in this election only to religion and faith, And as I was acquainted with the piety, the irreproachable life, and the devout spirit of the Cardinal of Alessandria, Michael Ghislieri, I was convirced that the Cburch could not be better governed than by him." The other Oar* dinals were soon brought to the same way of thinkirg, and Michael Ghislieri was elected Sovereign Poniiff. All were filled with joy at the election save the new Popt himself. When aiked the cause of his Borrow, he replied :—": — " Alas ! in the Dominican convent where I lived always with God, I hoped to save my soul ; when made Cardi-oal-Bisbop, 1 began to fear, but now, at Pope, I almost despair of salvation." Such were Ihe lowly sentiments this worthy Dominican Father entertained of himself. But God, who delights to exalt the humble, made use of this His servant to bestow on Europe a blessing, the results of which are felt to the present day. • Pius V. no sooner assumed command of the bark of Peter than he turned hii attention to the perils by which it was menaced on all

sides, bat chiefly to those tbat were caused by the implacable foss of the Christian name — the Turks. He succeeded , after much difficulty, in forming a league of Christian states and princes to resist their encroachments, and, if possible, crush their power. Of tbis league he himself was the acknowledged head and iuler, and as such he gave chief coninoiiiid of tbe ccmb.ntd Christian fleet to Don John, of Austria, half-brother to Philip 11. of Spain. The treaty constituting this remarkable leßgue was signed ou tbr> 24 h cf May, 1571, " but eucb was the cowardice and jealousy of the parties concerned, that ttie autumu had arrived and nothing of importar.ee wae accompli ehed. Meanwhile the Turks were souring Ibe Gulf of Venice, blockading the ports, and terrifying the city itself."* The Pope, however, had arms of which the Turks did tot dream. He saw that ii was cot merely the political welfare of Europe that was at stake ; the Church itself was imperilled, and to Him who founded that Church on Peter he locked for help, and looked not in vain. 8t Pins V. proclaimed a jubilee, exhorted the faithful in all parts to repentance and prayer, and gave the example himself by fasting rigorously, and by walking barefoot in the processions that he inaugurated to supplicate tbe blessing of Heaven on the Christian arms. He ordered that all men of disorderly or immoral lives should be nt once dismissed from the Christian fore, r, as their Bins would be hk( ly to draw defeat upon tbe cause. But especially did he encourage all to have recourse by humble prayer to her who never turns a deaf ear to those who ask her aid and whose every petition is graciously granted by her Divine Son. A Domit.ican himself, St Pius V, was teudeily attached to that most touchirg devotion introduced into the Chnrch by Si Dominic, tbe devotion of the Holy Rosary. By this prayer was supplicaion made night and day in all psrts cf Christendom tbat she, through whom a Saviour was given to tbe worid, mipht now by her intercession with that Divine Saviour, the Blessed Fruit of her own virginal womb save Christendom from the terrible danger ih-it was hanging over it. And when was ever petition offered in vain to this benign Queen 'I Help came, came unexpectedly, came triumphantly.

The Pope himself blessed and presented to the admiral a standard of red damask, embroidered with a crucifix and wirh tbe figares of Sts. Peter and Paul and the logendj" In hoc sign) Voices " — in this sign shalt thou conqcer. Wlen the Christian fleet arrived at Mtssina this standard to which wbs attached a rosary beads was placid aloft on Dou John's own vessel. The men prepared for tbe stem work before them by a fast and the devout reception of the holy sacraments. When all was ready they weighed anchor and sailed off to seek the foe on the coast of Greece. Arriving at the gulf of Lepanto very early on Sunday morning October 7lh 1571, they sight* d the Turkish fleet lying safi ly at anchor under shtlter of tho land. Both sides at onca prepared for a contest which was to decide the fate of Europe. Don John gave the signal for action by displaying in full gaze of hrn men tbe hallowed standard received from the hi.nds of the Holy Fatl er. At this signal all fell upon treir knees and engagtd in fervent prayer till they came within racge of the enemy. The combined Christian fl 'et numbered in all two hundred and forty vessels, the Turkish fleet consisted of two hundred and forty five gallfye besides eighty-seven ships of every clas j , thus far outnumbering that ot the Ooristians. At the commencement of the engagement iho wind was entirely in favour of tbe Turks. AH Pashaw, the chief admiral, ex'ended his line in the form of a crtecent so as if possible to surround his opponents. The eun, too, was Bhining fair in front of the Christians which made it exceedingly difficult for them to watch the tactics of the enemy. To maka matteis stil 1 more trying for them, Don John had left a reserve of sixty vessels under the command of the MaiqnePß of Sainto Croix. He thus ha.l to face with one hundred and eighty sail the full force of tna Turks numbeiiuc; three hundred and thirty-two. Tbe wind, the sun, antl vastly Mipt'iior i umbt-rs were then entirely in favour of the Tuiks But the Christians, placing their hopes in other t .unearthly arm?, couragtouely beg'n ihe at'Bck. At tbe vry hour oi their atest • Xewiu.m, .is al-o d few bcntoiioci at the (ipeniug.

need the procession of the Rosary was wending its way through Borne to the Church of tho Minerva supplicating her who is styled " The Tower of David " to be a tow< r cf defence to the Christian forces. Their prayer w»s speedily answered. The wind veered round, and blew compleely ia favour of the Christians driving ecocide of smoke and flame on the Turkish vessels. Both aides fought with (he fiercest fary, and the most desparate vabur. At 1" gth, after three hours' combat, Barbango, commander of Don* John's left wing gained a decided advantage an 3 sank the ship of the Turkish rear-admiral who was opposing him. ThU Bight inspired Don John and his men with new courage. They boarded (he ship of Ah Papha, and soon the head of the chief-admiral of tbe< Turks was raised aloft on tbe spear of a Christian. On seeing this the great body of tbe Turks at once gave in and allowed themselves to be slaughtered without resistance. One Turkish squadron of about thirty chips escaped. All the rest were sunk, burned, or captured. Thirty thousand Moslems perished in that memorable fight. Three thousand, five hundred were made prisoners, and the chaina were struck off from no less than twenty thousand Christian captives. At the very moment of victory the holy Pope Pius, who was convening with Borne of his cardinals, suddenly stopped short, opened tbe window, and looked up to heaven wrapt in ecstacy. Coming to hinuetf after a few moments he said to the cardinals; " Tbis is no longer a time for business Let us go and return thanks to God in His Temple. Our arms have just been blessed with victory." When full particulars arrived it was fouad that the Turks were defeated precisely at the time stated by the saintly pontiff. In thanksgiving for this signal victory tht Holy Father decreed that the Festival of the Rosary should be kept throughouc the Christian world on the First Sunday of October ; and in gratitude to our Blessed Lady he ordered that the words : " Auxilium Christian' orum ora pro nobis "—"" — " Help of Christians pray for us," should be added to her litany. Tbe Feast of " Help of Christians " is kept yearly on the 24th of Mfy on which day was signed the treaty establishing the league by wh.ch *as won the glorious victory of Lcpanto.

As the Blessed Virgin under this title— Help of Ohr.stians— ia the special patroness of Australasia it occurred to the writer that tb« above few hunicd lines might prove interesting to same o! your readers. [tfote. — Those desirous of fuller information on this most interesting period of Church h'story might consult Cardinal Newman's Historical Sketches, vol. 1, p. 131, etc. He says : " Tho energy and vigour of 8t Pius were necessary for his times. He was emphatically a Boldier of Christ." Darrab' Hißt ry of Catholic Ohnrcb, Fredefs Modern History of Europe, Alban Butler, vol. 5 and 10, etc. Sir A. Allison, a uon-Catholic historian, says: "The battle of Lepanto arrested forever the dangers of Mahometan invasion in the south of Europe, vol. 6, p. 60. lUiiko says: "It was the most successful battle in which Christendom had ever engaged with the Turk-," vol. 1, p. 285]