In Catholic tradition, the entire month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. This month-long observance is largely due to the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
According to legend, Mary entrusted the Rosary to St. Dominic in the 13th century to aid in conflicts with the Albigensians. Later, the Dominican pope St. Pius V extended the popularity of the Rosary by introducing the feast day in 1571. Toward the end of the 19th century Pope Leo XIII promoted the practice of dedicating the entire month of October to the Rosary.