18th Jul - Our Mother Of Victory

 Our Mother of Victory commemorates the victory of Las Navas, where a signal victory was gained over the Moors by the courageous King Alfonso VIII, 

    King of Castile. He faced a huge army of warriors who had invaded Spain from Africa. Knights from all parts of Europe gathered in Toledo in response to Pope Innocent’s 

    proclamation of a new crusade. King Alfonso remained with his reserves and with him were the knights of the military orders. Their concern was only for the salvation of their souls, 

    the honor of Christendom and the greater glory of God. Above their heads floated the royal banner of Castile, and upon it an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding her infant 

    Son in her lap. The battle began to the sound of trumpets and the fighting was fierce and it seemed the Christians would lose the battle when King Alfonso plowed into the fray 

    with his reserves. It was at that moment that a great miracle occurred. Mary, Virgin Most Powerful, had claimed that camp, and there was nothing anyone could do to change it. 

    It seemed to the Moors that an avenging angel had sped down to earth from the heavens and like men gone mad with terror, they cast down their spears and began to flee in all 

    directions, running wildly into each other. King Alfonso had fearlessly led his Christian army to an incredible victory.




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