St. Dominic confronts demons with the Rosary, Mary: Day 293

St. Dominic confronts demons with the Rosary

St. Alphonsus recalls the story of a demon-possessed man who misled the people by his false religious teaching. When he confronted St. Dominic, he was liber- ated from the evil spirits by the power of the Rosary.

The Rosary is a powerful weapon against the demons.

St. Dominic was once preaching in the town of Carcassone in France. A heretic there, who had publicly ridiculed the devotion of the Rosary and was possessed by demons, was brought to him. The saint demanded that the evil spirits declare publicly whether the things that Dominic had preached about the most holy Rosary were true.

Howling, they replied, “Listen, Christians! All that this enemy of ours has said about Mary, and about the most holy Rosary, is true.” They also said that they had no power against the servants of Mary; and that many, by invoking in death the name of Mary, were saved, despite what they might otherwise have deserved.

The demons concluded: “We are forced to declare that no one is lost who perseveres in devotion to Mary and in devotion to the most holy Rosary. For Mary obtains for those who are sinners true repentance before they die.”

St. Dominic then made the people recite the Rosary. And what a miracle took place! At every Hail Mary, many evil spirits left the body of the possessed man, appearing like red-hot coals as they went out. When the Rosary was fin- ished, he was entirely freed. On this occasion, many heretics were converted.

—St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Have I found that praying the Rosary keeps the Enemy of my soul at bay? Does this incident from St. Dominic’s life encourage me to pray the Rosary more fervently?

CLOSING PRAYER

From a “Prayer to the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary”: Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, in these times of such brazen impiety, manifest your power with the signs of your ancient victories, and from your throne, from which you distribute pardon and graces, mercifully regard the Church of your Son.

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