Grace Thompson
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal originating from the Roman Catholic Church. The medal was designed by Catherine Labouré, also known as Sister Catherine, following her visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1830. The medal features an image of Mary Immaculate, with rays of light streaming from her hands, standing on a globe, crushing a serpent beneath her feet. The reverse side of the medal features a cross and the letter M, symbolizing the relationship between Mary and the suffering, passion, and death of her son, Jesus. The medal is associated with miracles and conversions, and its distribution and popularity grew rapidly in the 19th century, spreading throughout France and the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Original name | Medal of the Immaculate Conception |
| Other names | Medal of Our Lady of Graces, The Miraculous Medal, Marian microcosm |
| Depicts | Mary Immaculate, her hands open, full of light, standing on a globe as the Queen of Heaven and Earth |
| Front inscription | "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee" |
| Reverse side | The Cross and the letter M |
| Medal symbolism | Mary's close relationship with the suffering, passion, and death of her Son |
| Cross symbolism | Christ and our redemption |
| Bar under the cross | Sign of the earth and the Altar |
| Associated with | Miracles and conversions |
| Creator | Goldsmith Adrien Vachette |
| Distributed by | Daughters of Charity |
| Related events | Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal of Paris, France |
| Related people | St. Catherine Labouré, St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Louise de Marillac, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Vincent de Paul, Alphonse Ratisbonne, Archbishop of Paris Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen, Pope Leo XIII, Pope Pius XII, Pope John Paul II, Pope Gregory XVI, Maximilian Kolbe |
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What You'll Learn
- The Miraculous Medal was designed by the Blessed Mother and St. Catherine Labouré
- It is also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Immaculate Conception
- The medal depicts Mary Immaculate, standing on a globe, crushing a serpent
- It is associated with miracles and conversions, and millions have been distributed worldwide
- The medal has been approved and celebrated by the Catholic Church, including several Popes
The Miraculous Medal was designed by the Blessed Mother and St. Catherine Labouré
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal. The design of the medal was originated by St. Catherine Labouré following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France.
St. Catherine Labouré was awakened by a soft voice that said, "Sister, sister, sister." She was then led to the chapel where the Blessed Mother appeared and sat down near the altar. St. Catherine knelt at her feet and rested her hands in Mary's lap. Four months later, in November 1830, Mary appeared to St. Catherine again at the Rue de Bac Chapel. This time, the Blessed Mother was standing on a globe, with dazzling rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands. An inscription framed the apparition: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Mary then spoke to St. Catherine, saying, "Have a medal made according to this model. Everyone who wears it around their neck will receive great graces."
The medal, a sacramental, was made by the goldsmith Adrien Vachette. According to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, sacramentals, by the Church's prayer, prepare the faithful to receive grace and dispose them to cooperate with it. The prayer asking Mother Mary to pray for us, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee", appears on the front of the medal.
The Miraculous Medal was first called the "Medal of the Immaculate Conception". However, due to the numerous accounts of miracles by those who wore it, it became widely known as the "Miraculous Medal". The medal is a visual reminder of salvation through Jesus Christ. The front side of the medal depicts Mary Immaculate, her hands open, full of light. The reverse side of the medal features a cross and the letter "M", symbolizing the close relationship of Mary to the suffering, passion, and death of her Son.
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It is also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Immaculate Conception
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal. The medal was designed by Catherine Labouré, also known as Sister Catherine, following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France.
The medal was originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. However, due to the numerous accounts of miracles associated with it, it became widely known as the Miraculous Medal. The medal is a sacramental, and according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, sacramentals are visible reminders of invisible realities, preparing the faithful to receive grace.
The front side of the medal depicts Mary Immaculate, with her hands open and full of light. This design is based on Catherine Labouré's vision of Mary, in which she heard her say, "Have a medal made according to this model. Everyone who wears it around their neck will receive great graces." The reverse side of the medal features the Cross and the letter M, symbolizing Mary's close relationship with the suffering, passion, and death of her son, Jesus.
The Miraculous Medal has been widely distributed and is associated with miracles and conversions. During a cholera pandemic, the Daughters of Charity began distributing the medals, and reports of miraculous cures and conversions contributed to its popularity. The medal has been approved by the Catholic Church and has been worn by people seeking blessings and protection.
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The medal depicts Mary Immaculate, standing on a globe, crushing a serpent
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal. The design of the medal was originated by St. Catherine Labouré following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal of Paris, France. The medal was made by the goldsmith Adrien Vachette.
The front side of the Miraculous Medal depicts Mary Immaculate, standing on a globe, crushing a serpent. Her hands are open, full of light. St. Catherine Labouré saw Our Lady appear like this and heard her say, "Have a medal made according to this model. Everyone who wears it around their neck will receive great graces." Mary stands upon the globe as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent to proclaim that Satan and all his followers are helpless before her. The reference to "Mary conceived without sin" supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary—referring to Mary being sinless, "full of grace," and "blessed among women."
The reverse side of the medal features the Cross and the letter M, symbolizing the close relationship of Mary to the suffering, passion, and death of her Son. The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth and the Altar. The M signifies "Mary" and "Mother." Beneath the Cross, bar, and the M are two hearts side by side: the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. The two hearts represent the love of Jesus and Mary for us. The twelve stars signify the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, who represent the entire Church surrounding Mary.
The Miraculous Medal has been associated with miracles and conversions. During a deadly cholera pandemic, the Daughters of Charity started distributing the medals, and reports of miraculous cures and conversions led to a rapid increase in demand for the medal in France and worldwide. In 1842, a Jewish man named Alphonse Ratisbonne experienced a sudden conversion while wearing the Miraculous Medal, and the Church approved the miracle, granting it ecclesiastical sanction. The medal has been granted indulgences by many Popes and continues to be a popular devotional item for Catholics.
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It is associated with miracles and conversions, and millions have been distributed worldwide
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal. The medal was designed by Catherine Labouré, also known as Sister Catherine, following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal of Paris, France.
The medal is associated with miracles and conversions. In one instance, a Jewish man named Alphonse Ratisbonne experienced a sudden conversion while wearing the Miraculous Medal as part of a challenge. He reportedly had a vision of the Virgin Mary, as depicted on the medal. The Church approved the miracle, and the event is commemorated in the office of the Feast of the Miraculous Medal.
The medal was originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. However, due to numerous accounts of miracles by those who wore it, people began to refer to it as the Miraculous Medal. The medal features an image of Mary Immaculate, with her hands open and full of light. The reverse side of the medal features a cross and the letter M, symbolizing the close relationship between Mary and the suffering, passion, and death of her son, Jesus.
The distribution of the medals began during a deadly cholera pandemic by the Daughters of Charity. Reports of miraculous cures and conversions led to a rapid increase in demand for the medal in France and worldwide. By 1835, over 1 million medals had been distributed globally. By the time of Catherine Labouré’s death in 1876, more than 1 billion Miraculous Medals had been produced.
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$33.7
The medal has been approved and celebrated by the Catholic Church, including several Popes
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal based on a directive from the Blessed Mother to St. Catherine Laboure in November 1830 in Paris. The medal was struck in accordance with the instructions given by Our Lady and has been described as a "Marian microcosm" because of its extraordinary symbolism.
The medal, a sacramental, was made by the goldsmith Adrien Vachette. According to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, sacramentals, by the Church's prayer, prepare the faithful to receive grace and dispose them to cooperate with it. The prayer asking Mother Mary to pray for us, which is, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee", appears on the front of the medal.
The Miraculous Medal has been approved and celebrated by the Catholic Church, including several Popes. In 1835, following the success of the Miraculous Medal, the archbishop of Paris, Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen, initiated a canonical inquiry, which was entrusted to Canon Quentin, the Vicar General. In 1842, a Jewish man named Alphonse Ratisbonne experienced a sudden conversion while wearing the Miraculous Medal as part of a challenge, upon entering the basilica of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte in Rome. The Church approved the miracle, granting it ecclesiastical sanction, and is commemorated in the office of the Feast of the Miraculous Medal.
On July 23, 1894, Pope Leo XIII approved the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, composed by the Lazarists. This feast, with a special Office and Mass, was to be celebrated by the priests of the Congregation of the Mission yearly on 27 November. A decree on September 7, 1894, extended the privilege to other religious communities and allowed any priest to celebrate the Mass in chapels attached to the Sisters of Charity. In 1897, Pope Leo XIII granted a canonical coronation of the statue "of the Immaculate Conception, known as the Miraculous Medal". In 1947, after a canonical inquiry, Pope Pius XII canonized Catherine Labouré as a saint, which included an investigation into the apparitions of the Miraculous Medal. The Miraculous Medal was also granted indulgences by many other Popes throughout time.
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Frequently asked questions
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of Our Lady of Graces or the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a devotional medal. The design was originated by Catherine Labouré following her apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France.
The Miraculous Medal is associated with the Roman Catholic Church. The medal was made by the goldsmith Adrien Vachette and approved by the Catholic Church. However, there is no explicit information stating that only Catholics can wear the medal.
The Miraculous Medal is a visual reminder of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is believed that wearing the medal brings blessings for the body and soul. The medal is also believed to promote devotion to Mary, who was "conceived without sin".
The front side of the Miraculous Medal depicts Mary Immaculate, with her hands open and full of light. The reverse side features the letter "M" surmounted by a cross with a bar at its base, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.
