Festival of the Rosary

Rosary, Festival of the

First Sunday in OctoberThe rosary is a string of beads used by Roman Catholics to count a ritual series of prayers consisting of 15 paternosters ("Our Fathers," also known as the Lord's Prayer), and 150 Ave Marias, or "Hail Marys." The rosary is divided into 15 decades—each decade containing one paternoster marked by a large bead and 10 Ave Marias marked by 10 smaller beads. As the prayers are recited, the beads are passed through the fingers, making it easier to keep track of the sequence.
The festival, observed on the first Sunday in October, was established by Pope Pius V under the name of Santa Maria de Victoria (St. Mary of Victory). But the name was changed by Gregory XIII to Festival of the Rosary. Among the events for which the faithful in the former Yugoslavia give thanks on this day is the victory of Prince Eugene over the Turks at Belgrade in 1716.
SOURCES:
BkDays-1864, vol. II, p. 402
DictWrldRel-1989, p. 630
OxYear-1999, p. 406
SaintFestCh-1904, p. 438