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History of Our Lady of Victory School |
Our Lady of Victory Parish and School is one of many throughout the world named in honor of the famous victory won by the combined Christian naval forces over the fleet of the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571. This battle, the largest naval engagement since the the Battle of Actium (30 BC), was one of the most decisive in history, as it showed that the Ottoman forces were not invincible, and it prevented the Mediterranean from becoming an Ottoman (Moslem) lake. The battle was fought in the Gulf of Lepanto (now the Gulf of Corinth), which separates the Pelloponnesian penisula of Greece from the Greek mainland to the north. At the time, Greece was controlled by the Ottoman Turks. The Christian forces were led by the son of Emperor Charles V, Don John of Austria, only 24 years of age. On the day of the battle, Pope Pius V, accompanied by many faithful, was praying the Rosary in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. From dawn to dusk the prayers continued in Rome as the Christians and the Moslems battled at Lepanto. The battle was a rout, ending with the virtual destruction of the Ottoman navy. Approximately 25,000 Turks were slain, some 10,000 Christian galley slaves were liberated, and much booty gained. The Christian forces, however, lost over 7,000 men. Among the wounded was Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes, who lost the use of his left arm and consequently turned to literature for his career.
Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese, 1571, Venice, Gallerie dell'Accademia. Saints Peter, Roch, Justine and Mark ask Our Lady to help the Catholic fleet
Following the great Christian victory at Lepanto, Pope St. Pius V declared that henceforth a commemoration of the Rosary would be a part of the Vatican's Mass on every October 7. In 1573 his successor, Pope Gregory XIII, established the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary--to be celebrated at all Churches which had specific altars dedicated to the Rosary. In 1716 Pope Clement XI extended the Feast of the Rosary (October 7th) to the Universal Church.
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Sixty years after the Battle of Lepanto, King Louis XIII of France built the sanctuary of Notre Dame de Victoires in Paris (2eme arrondissement) to honor Our Lady of Victory and thank her for all her favors and victories. A white marble statue of Our Lady standing beside her son was carved and placed above the Lady Altar. Many saints, including Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and St. John Bosco have visited the Shrine to thank Our Lady of Victory for miracles or to pray for the conversion of sinners. Copies of this statue, or statues inspired by it, adorn many of the parishes named for Our Lady of Victory, including the outside of our church. Our Lady of Victory Parish in Washington, DC, dates from 1906, when it was founded by Father Malachy Yingling and faithful local families. The first church was dedicated by Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore in 1911. In 1922 a fire destroyed the sanctuary, which was rebuilt and dedicated in 1929. By the late 1950s the church had become too small for the burgeoning parish, and the current altar area, sacristy, and transepts were added. The bell tower was rebuilt on the left side of the church. The new church, in more or less its current form, was dedicated in 1957.  Statue of Our Lady of Victories in Paris |
By 1954 the growing number of families with school-age children convinced the parish that a school was needed. In 1954, Monsignor Hess broke ground for a seven-classroom school and a convent at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Whitehaven Parkway, where it stands to this day (with additions). The Sisters of Notre Dame of Cleveland were responsible for the school, which was dedicated in October of 1955. Rapid growth of the parish required addition of an eighth classroom and other rooms over the auditorium in 1959. In June, 1960, the first graduates were awarded diplomas.
Excavations for Our Lady of Victory School, 1954. Extension has not yet been put on rectory. Cornerstone of Our Lady of Victory School Laid by Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle, 1954 Our Lady of Victory School Under Construction, 1955. Note the old bell tower of the church to the left. The school flourished through the 1960s and 1970s, but declining enrollments stemming from demographic changes in the parish nearly led to its closing in the early 1990s. The Sisters left in 1990, and Susan Milloy became principal. Together with a courageous and dedicated group of parents, headed by Mrs. Joni Lawler, Mrs. Annie Durbin and Mrs. Arlene Heiss, she worked hard to keep the school open. A "baby boom" in the area shortly thereafter translated into enormous demand for schools, which continues to this day. OLV is once again home to a capacity enrollment of bright and eager students. In 2004, a dyamic new principal arrived, Mrs. Shiela Martinez. The school year 2005-2006 is the school's golden anniversary. During the summer of 2005, a major renovation of the school plant was completed. This included installation of new energy-efficient windows, air conditioning, new lighting, and fiber optic cable. In 2007 a new milestone was reached when OLV became the first Catholic school in the District of Columbia to be be named a "Blue Ribbon School of Excellence" by the United States Department of Education. OLV continues to educate children to ever higher standards.
Msgr. Hess breaking ground
for school and convent, September 12, 1954
Architect's rendering of Our Lady of Victory School and Convent, 1954
