Roman Catholics traditionally observe October as the month of the Holy Rosary, which is celebrated in many parts of the country with special acts of devotion in honor of the Blessed Mother including the holding of prayer vigils, novenas, and the praying of the holy rosary in parish communities.
Marian devotees make it a habit to pray the holy rosary as often if not every day as a way of expressing gratitude to the Holy Mother for her maternal love, protection, and intercession.
The Holy Father Pope Francis has called for the praying of the healing rosary for the world for an end to the pandemic as well as for special devotion to the Blessed Mother.
On Monday, Oct. 3, the 1,000 employees and volunteers of the Archdiocese of Manila will gather to pray the holy rosary to mark the start of the month-long observance as well as to encourage the faithful to make it a habit to seek God’s favor by way of praying the holy rosary, said Fr. Sanny De Claro, Episcopal Vicar for Lay Employees of the Archdiocese of Manila.
“This event is in conjunction with the opening of the October Holy Rosary devotion. We wish to promote and encourage everyone to recite the rosary daily, especially for the whole month of October,” said Fr. De Claro.
The gathering will be held at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila at 8:30 a.m. It will be followed by a holy mass to be presided over by Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula. Participants will pray the holy rosary before the image of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary de La Naval, which is on a patronal visit in preparation for the feast of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary on Oct. 7.
The Catholic Church traditionally observes the month of October as Holy Rosary Month. St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, propagated the praying of the holy rosary after it was given to him by the Blessed Virgin Mary in an apparition during the 13th century.
Cardinal Advincula, earlier, called on the faithful to make it a habit to pray the holy rosary every day particularly this October.
In the country, the observance of the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary on Oct. 7 serves as the highlight of the Holy Rosary month. The event will be marked by Eucharistic celebrations, novenas, processions, and special prayer services. Several festivities in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary such as the La Naval de Manila and the Feast of Our Lady of Manaoag will be held this October.