Miraculous Medal

The Miraculous Medal (French: Médaille miraculeuse), also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Grace, is a devotional medal, the design of which was originated by Saint Catherine Labouré following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary[2] in Rue du Bac, Paris, France. It was made by goldsmith Adrien Vachette.[3]

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal design was executed by Adrien Vachette based on Saint Catherine Labouré's visions.
LocationParis, France
Date18 July 1830
27 November 1830
WitnessSaint Catherine Labouré
TypeMarian apparition
Approval1836[1]
Archbishop Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen
Archdiocese of Paris
ShrineChapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Paris, France
PatronageSpecial graces, architects, miners, prisoners
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris

According to the teaching of the Catholic Church, the use of sacramentals such as this medal[4] prepares people to receive grace and disposes them to cooperate with it.[5]

Background

Catherine Labouré stated that on 18 July 1830, the eve of the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, she woke up after hearing the voice of a child calling her to the chapel, where she heard the Virgin Mary say to her, "God wishes to charge you with a mission. You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the grace to do what is necessary. Tell your spiritual director all that passes within you. Times are evil in France and in the world."[6]

On 27 November 1830 Catherine reported that the Blessed Mother returned during evening meditations. She displayed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe. She wore many rings set with gems[7] that shone rays of light over the globe. Around the margin of the frame appeared the words Ô Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous ("O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee"). As Catherine watched, the frame seemed to rotate, showing a circle of twelve stars, a large letter M surmounted by a cross, and the stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. Asked why some of the gems did not shed light, Mary reportedly replied, "Those are the graces for which people forget to ask." Sister Catherine then heard the Virgin Mary ask her to take these images to her father confessor, telling him that they should be put on medallions, and saying "All who wear them will receive great graces."[8]

St. Catherine Labouré

Sister Catherine did so, and after two years of investigation and observation of Catherine's ordinary daily behavior, the priest took the information to his archbishop without revealing Catherine's identity. The request was approved and medallions were designed and produced through goldsmith Adrien Vachette.[9][10]

The chapel in which Saint Catherine experienced her visions is located at the mother house of the Daughters of Charity in Rue du Bac, Paris.[11] The incorrupt bodies of Saint Catherine Labouré and Saint Louise de Marillac, a co-founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, are interred in the chapel, which continues to receive daily visits from Catholic pilgrims today.

Pope John Paul II used a slight variation of the reverse image as his coat of arms, the Marian Cross, a plain cross with an M underneath the right-hand bar (which signified the Blessed Virgin at the foot of the Cross when Jesus was being crucified).

Properties of the medal

Front side:

  • Mary stands on a globe, crushing a serpent beneath her feet. Describing the original vision, Catherine said the Blessed Mother appeared radiant as a sunrise, "in all her perfect beauty."
  • Rays shoot out from Mary's hands, which she told Catherine, "symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them."
  • Words from the vision form an oval frame around Mary: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

Reverse side:

  • A cross-and-bar surmounts a large, bold "M".
  • Twelve stars disperse around the perimeter.
  • Two hearts are depicted underneath the "M", the left lapped with a crown of thorns, the right skewed by a sword. From each, a flame emanates from the top.

Symbolism

The elements of the design encapsulate major Marian tenets and of the Catholic faith.

Front side:

  • Mother – Her open arms, the "recourse" we have in her.
  • Immaculate – The words, "conceived without sin."
  • Assumed into Heaven – She stands on the globe.
  • Mediatrix – Rays from her hands symbolizing "graces."
  • Our Protection – Crushes the serpent (Gn 3:15).

Reverse side:

  • The large letter "M" – Mary as Mother, Mediatrix.
  • Cross and bar – Jesus' Cross of Redemption. Interleaving of the M and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus, which also implied her role as mediatrix
  • 12 stars – 12 Apostles; also recall the vision of Saint John as experienced in Book of Revelation 12:1: "And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars"
  • Left Heart – The Sacred Heart of Jesus, who died for the sins of humankind.
  • Right Heart – The Immaculate Heart of Mary, who intercedes for sinners.
  • Flames around both hearts – The burning love Jesus and Mary have for all people.

See also

Notes
  1. Dirvin, Fr. Joseph. "Saint Catherine Laboure of the Miraculous Medal". EWTN. Archbishop de Quelen [decided] to institute a canonical inquiry. He appointed Monseigneur Quentin, Vicar General of Paris, to conduct it. The sessions were opened on 1836 ... The findings of the Canonical Inquiry of Paris completely vindicated Catherine. The court extolled her character and virtue, and placed wholehearted credence in her visions. Two important conclusions were reached: that the Medal was of supernatural origin, and that the wonders worked through it were genuine.
  2. Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 0-87973-910-X p. 356
  3. "AMM - Miraculous Medal Story". www.amm.org. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  4. "CCC, 1674". Vatican.va. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  5. "CCC, 1670". Vatican.va. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  6. Dirvin, C.M., Joseph I. (1958). Saint Catherine Laboure of the Miraculous Medal. Tan Books & Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0-89555-242-6.
  7. " I saw rings on her fingers, three rings to each finger, the largest one near the base of the finger, one of medium size in the middle, the smallest one at the tip. Each ring was set with gems, some more beautiful than others..." Catherine Labouré, quoted in John Delaney, A Woman Clothed With The Sun, Doubleday, 1960, p. 77.
  8. "Glass, Joseph. "Miraculous Medal." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 20 Dec. 2012". Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  9. McMenamin, M. 2010. Precisely dated early versions of the Miraculous Medal. Numismatics International Bulletin, v. 45, nos. 3/4, p. 43-48.
  10. Mack, John (2003). The museum of the mind: art and memory in world cultures. British Museum.
  11. Mauriello, Rev. Matthew R. (1996). "The Miraculous Medal". Fairfield County Catholic. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

References
  • Alma Power-Waters, 2000, St. Catherine Labouré and the Miraculous Medal, Ignatius Press, ISBN 978-0-89870-765-6
  • Saint Catherine Labouré of the Miraculous Medal, by Joseph I Dirvin, CM, TAN Books and Publishers, Inc, 1958/84. ISBN 0-89555-242-6
  • Association of the Miraculous Medal
  • Rene Laurentin, Catherine Laboure: Visionary of the Miraculous Medal, Pauline books and Media, Boston, 2006, ISBN 0-8198-1578-0.

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