September 12 – Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, Victory Over the Turks

To celebrate the power of Our Lady's name, the Church has designated September 12 as the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary. 

This holy day was extended to the Universal Church after the great victory of the Catholic forces over the Turks in 1683 at the gates of Vienna.

The Polish King Sobieski played a key role in this victory.  Before setting out for Vienna in August, his forces marching behind the banner of the Blessed Virgin, he visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Czestochowa to beg Her help and blessing.  His prayers were answered. King John Sobieski forced the Turks to lift the Siege of Vienna in a most extraordinary battle. 

The Polish king planned and led the 3,000 strong Polish heavy lancers in a tremendous cavalry charge that broke the lines of the Turks. 

After the battle, Sobieski said: "We came, We saw, God conquered".

Some may object to the historical paradigm, not that it is inappropriate, but that it happened a long time ago.

Yet, the Blessed Virgin made an historical visit to earth just ninety three years ago, bringing roughly the same message to a larger distressed population.

As Our Lady of the Rosary, she appeared six times at Fatima in Portugal to three related children, two of whom have been recently beatified.

America Needs Fatima has probably given more space to this story than any other. Here we would like to stress the historical applications.

In essence, she warned that God was terribly offended by the sins of mankind and unless that sinfulness subsided the world as a consequence would face horrible chastisements.

Immediately following, we had a bloody conclusion to World War I, then six years of the most depraved slaughter of World War II and continual wars, atrocities and mutilations ever since instigated by two of the enemies of Western Civilization: Communism (as Our Lady predicted) and Islam. Sinfulness has not abated, but only increased, especially in the areas of family life, immoral fashions and lewd entertainment.

Our Lady will intervene once again in history, either to help her suffering children who have recourse to her or to bring down the wrath of God on those who refuse to pray, make sacrifices and stop offending Him. 

During the third apparition on July 13, 1917, she announced the ultimate result, “Finally my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”