The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-04-02
THE BATTLE OF LEPANTo.


Voltaire. the French nfdel historian, writing
on Europe in the sixteenth century, says: The
great naval engagement of Lepanto, October Z,
1911 fought by the combined fleets of Pope Plus
V (by the way the last of the canonlzed popes)
and those of Spain and Venice against the whole
maritime forces of the Turks changed, in all
probability the destiny of Europe. Don Juan OF
Austria commanded the Christian fleet, which con-
sisted of 2O6 ships and 10000 while the Turks
had $50 ships, of which, after dreadful conflict
they saved but 100, losing 10000 men killed and
made prisoners. Thus was Europe saved, and the
naval power of Turkey Frustrated for time"
Treating of the events in the life of the great
Pontif, Plus V, Won Ranke, in his History of the
Popes," writes:
"The Turks were still making rapid progress
The Ottoman ascendancy was secure in the Med
iterranean, and its various attempts, first upon
Malta and then on Cyprus, made it obvious that
the Turks meditated the conquest of Europe. After
long efforts the Pope succeeded in awakening the
Catholic sovereigns to the perception that there
was indeed imminent danger In time followed
the battle of Lepanto the most successful in which
Christendom had ever engaged with the Turks. The
Pontiffs mind was so intensely absorbed by the
enterprise that on the day of the engagement, he
thought he witnessed the victory of the Christians
while in trance" The truth Isl the Pontiff awoke
from his midday sleep and stated to those in at
tendance that in dream he saw the battle and
that the Christians had gained a great victory.
The victory arrested the further advance of the
Turks and saved Europe. In recognition of the
triumph of the Christian fleet, which was placed
under the protection of the Blessed Virgin the
morning of the engagement, the petition "Help
the Christians; Pray for U.s. was added to the Lit
any of the Blessed Virgin.
Here is Father Frank Mahoney's spirited poem
"The Battle of Lepanto":
Let US sing how the boast of the Saracen host
In the Gulf of Lepanto we scattered,
When each knight of st. Johns from his cannon
of bronze,
With grape-shot their argosies battered
Oh, we taught the Turks then, that of Europe the
Could defy every InfdeT menace
And that still DER the main float the galleys of
Spain,
And red-Goned Standard of Venice
Quick we made the foe skulk, as we blazed at each
hulk,
While they left US splinter to fire at
And the rest of them fed DER the waters blood-red
With the gore of the Ottoman Pirate:
And our navy gave chase to the Infdel Race,
Nor allowed them moment to rally;
And we forced them at length to acknowledge our
strength
In the trench, in the field in the galley.
Then our men gave shout and the ocean
throughout
Heard of Christendom's triumph with rapture.
Galliotes eighty-nine of the enemy's line,
To our swift-sailng ships fell capture;
And l firmly maintain that the number slain
To at least forty thousand amounted;
To be twas sad work-if the life of Turk
For moment were worth being counted
We may well feel elate, though I'm sorry to state
That, albeit by the myriad we've slain 'em;
Still, the sons of the Cross have to weep for the
loss
Of six thousand who fell by the Paynim
Full atonernent due for each man that they |
slew,
And hecatomb paid for each hero;
But could all we'd kill give son to Castillo
Or to Malta a brave Cavalliero9
St. Mark for the slain intercedes not in vain
There's Mass at each altar in Venice;
And the saints we implore, fore the Banner they
bore,
Are Our Lady, st. George and St. Dennis.
Cor the brave, while we grieve in our hearts thew
shall live
In our months shall their praise be incessant;
md again and again, we will boast of the men
Who have humbled the pride of the Crescent.