Christians
have often experienced assistance from the Mother of God in miraculous
ways, especially at times when they had to ward off the attacks from
enemies of the Church. For example, the important victory of the
Christians over the Turks in the Gulf of Lepanto (October 7, 1571) was
accredited to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In
acknowledgment and gratitude, Pope Saint Pius V ordered that the
invocation Auxilium Christianorum, Help of Christians be added to the
Litany of Loreto.
One of the most
memorable examples of Mary’s protection is the one concerning Pope Pius
VII (1742-1823). Forcefully removed from the Apostolic See of Peter by
the order of Napoleon, he was imprisoned for more than five years in
Savona, then in Fontainebleau, and was left powerless to govern the
Church. After this time, and against odds, Pius VII was suddenly
restored to the papal throne to the applause of the whole of western
Christendom. It was the answer to the prayers of the Holy Father to Mary
Help of Christians.
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