For centuries, it has been a naval custom for sailors to salute the quarterdeck, the captain’s part of the deck. This secular practice, still in use today, actually has religious roots.

Back when people had faith, and God was part of life, ships commonly had a little shrine on the quarterdeck, usually containing a crucifix or a statue of Our Lady. The sailors showed their devotion and respect for Jesus and Mary by saluting the shrine. It was a gesture of their faith that Our Lord and His Mother were really there with them at sea, protecting them.

One of the most famous Marian naval statues was present on the Royal Galley of Don John of Austria during the historic battle of Lepanto. October 7, 1571, marks one of the most overwhelming Catholic victories ever recorded. The Turks lost 30,000 men, and the Catholics only 7,500.

This incredible victory was obtained by Our Holy Mother in answer to Her children’s fervent prayers - particularly the Rosary, which Pope Pius V had urged everyone to pray.

In gratitude, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was established on October 7, the anniversary of the victory. The wooden statue onboard was lovingly named "Lady of Victory."

7 years later, when Don John of Austria died, he gave this beloved statue to the Brotherhood of the Galleys in the church of St. John Lateran. This church has since been destroyed. But the statue has survived.

Almost 300 years later, in 1854, the statue was given to the Academy which has become the Spanish Naval Academy. In September that year, the statue was restored by the artist Flores Loma.

In the century and a half that followed, the statue lay forgotten and neglected. The Lady of Victory, present on the flagship of the Catholic Fleet in a critical turning point of Catholic History, was not given the love or respect it deserved even from a historic viewpoint, much less a religious one. It grew so worn down as to be almost unrecognizable.

But recently, the statue has been rediscovered, and put in the care of the Naval Museum of Madrid. Plans are underway for a full restoration, upon which it will be beautifully dressed and presented for all to see.