ɪɾ ɪz kˈɔːld ðə "hˈoʊli wˈɔːɹ" bɪkˈʌz bˈoʊθ jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz hæv ɹˈoʊmən kˈæθlɪk ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs ɐfˌɪlɪˈeɪʃənz: vˌɪlɐnˈoʊvə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪz ˌɔːɡəstˈɪniən, ænd sˈeɪnt dʒˈoʊsəfz jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪz ɹˈʌn baɪ ðə dʒˈɛzjuːɪt ˈɔːɹdɚ.
It is called the "Holy War" because both universities have Roman Catholic religious affiliations: Villanova University is Augustinian, and Saint Joseph's University is run by the Jesuit order.