On May 30,1862 Don Bosco recounted his vision in detail. He said he had seen an immense sea on which a great many ships were arranged to do battle against a larger and taller ship. He saw that other vessels were defending the taller ship. The saint then wrote: 

The flagship commander-the Roman Pontiff- standing at the helm, strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns, from whose summits hang many anchors, and strong hooks Linked to chains. The entire enemy fleet closes in, to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have: books and pamphlets, incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons. The battle rages ever more furious. Beaked prows ram the flagship again and again, but to no avail, as, unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on its course. At times, a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole into its hull, but, immediately, a breeze from the two columns instantly seals the gash. Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up; firearms and beaks fall to pieces; ships crack up and sink to the bottom. In blind fury, the enemy takes to hand-to- hand combat, cursing and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up, but, struck a second time, dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy, and wild rejoicing sweeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead, than another takes his place. The captains of auxiliary ships elected him so quickly, that the news of the Pope's death coincides with that of his successor's election. The enemy's self assurance wanes. 

Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the two columns: first, to the one surmounted by the Host, and then to the other, topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point, something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other. 

Some auxiliary ships, which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship, are the first to tie up at the two columns. Many others, which had fearfully kept far away from the fight, stand still, cautiously waiting until the wrecked enemy ships vanish under the waves. Then they, too, head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks, and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea. (Memoirs, Vol. VIII. 107-108) 

The "Pillars of Victory" are thus clearly made known to us - Jesus in the Eucharist and true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. On a national and international level today, it is the Rosary Congress movement that is working to firmly establish these two pillars everywhere it goes. The Rosary Congress is a gift from Our Lady for the pivotal work of establishing everywhere the Pillars of Victory prophesied by Don Bosco. 

HOW IT ALL BEGAN In 1978, our Holy Father requested permission to visit Poland. The government would permit him to enter Poland if he would visit only those places predetermined by the government. The Holy Father desired to visit other places. Permission was not granted; the trip to his homeland seemed to be in jeopardy. 

On December 8, 1978, through a private revelation, Our Lady requested seven days and nights of continuous Rosaries to be said from May 1 - 7, 1979, at the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The prayers were to be offered for a resolution of the impasse preventing the papal pilgrimage. 

THE HIERARCHY SUPPORTS IT On the same day (Dec. 8), Our Lady's request was relayed to Bishop Zbigniew Kraszewski, a member of the Polish episco- pate's Marian Commission. He said, "it is good to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It is good to say the Rosary for the intentions of the Pope. It is good to pray at Jasna Gora. Do it!" The next day, the late Bishop Stefan Barela, Ordinary of Czestochowa and president of the bishops' Marian Commission was approached. He was pleased with the idea of seven days of prayer and encouraged it. However, he advised that it not be called a congress, for he feared possible repercussions from governmental authorities. "If you do not call it a congress, it will be easier for you to organize," he said. 

TITLE SIEGE OF JERICHO 

The seven-day prayer vigil or Rosary Congress began as requested on May 1. It was soon popularly referred to as the "Siege of Jericho", reminiscent of the Old Testament battle, because participants believed they “were destroying the walls of satanic darkness  ... overcoming the gates of hell ... fighting the princes and rulers of darkness. Such was the form of our prayers and meditations," said one organizer and participant. 

AROUND THE CLOCK PRAYER 

That first congress featured 15 conferences on the Rosary in Jasna Gora's Rosary Chapel. From 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. there was a continuous sequence of Masses, Rosaries and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Sacred Heart Chapel. From 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Rosaries were prayed before the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa. 

As the Rosary Congress was beginning, Bishop Kraszewski was informed again by Polish Communist authorities on May 2 that the Pope would be permitted to visit Poland, but with a limited itinerary. The bishop reportedly answered that the governmental restrictions would bring shame on the nation in the year marking the 1000th anniversary of Polish Christianity. The Pope would not come to Poland with such restrictions, he said. 

A TRIUMPH FOR OUR LADY 

On May 7, the last day of the Rosary Congress at Jasna Gora, the government unexpectedly relented and removed the major obstacles to the papal visit. The Polish people credit the Rosary Congress, or "Siege of Jericho", with clearing the path for the Pope's visit. Since that time, whenever Pope John Paul II makes any apostolic journey outside of Rome, somewhere in Poland there is a Rosary Congress offered for his intentions and protection. 

THE POWER OF THE ROSARY 

After the official prayer of the Church, the Rosary is the most powerful form of prayer. It is said that in 1214, the Blessed Virgin told St. Dominic that the principal weapon the Holy Trinity relies upon to reform the world is the Rosary. Throughout history there are numerous examples showing the power of Our Lady when humanity turns to her intercession through the Rosary. A few instances worth recalling: 
 

• In 1571, the Rosary crusade of  Pope St. Pius V is credited with saving Christian Europe from the invading Turks. The Catholic forces won a decisive victory over the formidable Turkish armada at Lepanto. 

• In August 1945, the Russians mysteriously withdrew their forces from occupied Austria after a mere 10% of the Austrian people pledged to say the Rosary daily. 

• In Brazil, devout praying of the Rosary prevented an attempted communist takeover in 1954. 

In our own day, the power of the Rosary is credited with the peaceful revolution in the Philippines. According to a public statement made by Jaime Cardinal Sin of Manila, Our Lady personally intervened to protect her children from a military attack. Abortion, homosexuality, drugs, violence, sexual promiscuity and the threat of nuclear war plague our age. It is crucial, however, that the faithful not lose heart. Our Lady told Fr. Stefano Gobbi (the founder of the Marian Movement of Priests) on October 7, 1986, that one of Satan's most effective tactics is to convince good people that the forces of good cannot succeed, that "it has already become useless to make any kind of an effort to lead humanity along the road of return to God and to good." Our Lady asks us to counter this diabolical tactic with trust in her and her weapon, the Rosary. 

OVERVIEW

The Rosary Congress is a cenacle of prayer that hastens hasten the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This truly spiritual experience is a foretaste of how beautiful the world will be when humanity returns to the love and service of God. It will be that period of peace foretold by Our Lady of Fatima wherein the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus will be the center of our lives and the Holy Spirit win fill our hearts with the fire of His love to renew the face of the earth. 

... Jesus, who has taught us the prayer to invoke the coming of the reign of God upon earth, will at last see fulfilled this prayer of His, because He will restore his reign. And creation will again be a new garden where Christ will be glorified by all and His divine kingship will be welcomed and exalted. It will be a universal reign of peace, of grace, of beauty, of harmony, of communion, of holiness, of justice and of peace. 

The great mercy will come to you as a burning fire of love and will be brought by the Holy Spirit who is given to us by the Father and the Son, so that the Father may see Himself loved by all his brothers (O.L.S. July 3, 1987).

The Cenacle or upper room in which the Eucharist was instituted at the Last Supper was also the scene of the first novena in preparation for the descent of the Holy Spirit. At His Ascension Jesus had asked His disciples to return to Jerusalem and await there the Gift He would send them at Pentecost. So they gathered in the cenacle around the Holy Mother in continuous prayer. Now, Our Lady invites us to gather with her again in cenacles of prayer and fraternity to await the second Pentecost. 

... Only in the cenacle of my Immaculate Heart, when the whole Church will have entered in, will the great prodigy of the second Pentecost take place. It will be a divine fire of purification and of sanctification that will renew the entire face of the earth” (O.L.S. June 7,1987). 

In that spirit, a Rosary Congress desires to be nothing but a continuous cenacle. Following the Polish example much time is spent in Eucharistic adoration while meditating on the central mysteries of our Faith in the prayer of the holy Rosary; conferences help to enlighten and strengthen our Faith; and all is enveloped in a spirit of penance and reparation for our sins and for the sins of humanity in order to call down God's mercy upon our the whole world. 

Finally, but far from least in importance, it is to be remembered that every Rosary Congress has the explicit desire and intention to be united with Our Holy Father, and to pray for his special intentions.