Special Priest's Blessing for the Saint Benedict Medal

There's a special blessing for the St. Benedict medal.

See http://www.osb.org/gen/medal.html

Print out the blessing and give it to the priest who will bless your medal.
He doesn't have to be a Benedictine Priest but should follow the approved formula.

Some links to articles about the Saint Benedict Medal:

https://christbearers.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/sending-the-devil-to-hell-with-st-benedict-at-your-back

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Benedict_of_Nursia

https://en.wiki2.org/wiki/Benedict_of_Nursia


http://www.communityofhopeinc.org/Prayer%20Pages/Saints/benedict.html

http://www.catholicsacramentals.org/saintbenedictmedal

http://listverse.com/2013/05/21/10-amazing-feats-performed-by-saints

http://catholicism.org/ad-rem-no-190.html

http://www.wjpbr.com/benedict.html

On the Sign of the Cross:

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2014/05/29/the-importance-of-the-sign-of-the-cross-must-not-be-lost

http://preparationforapocalypse.weebly.com/remedies.html

Ask a Priest:

http://www.catholicvu.com/3009.htm

Videos on the Saint Benedict Medal:

http://www.mashpedia.com/Saint_Benedict_Medal

True Stories:

http://newcovenantjournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/saint-benedict-medal.html

http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/2012/06/evil-spirits-were-particularly-enraged.html

Photos of St. Benedict Medal Tattoos:

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22saint+benedict+medal%22+tattoo&tbm=isch&source=lnt&tbs=itp:photo&sa=X&ved=0CBUQpwVqFQoTCNTr9P3fmcgCFco4iAodePML6A&dpr=1.2&biw=1138&bih=458 

https://blog.adw.org/2012/07/the-many-disguises-of-satan

Cheap Saint Benedict Medals

Twenty-five (25) medals can be purchased on Ebay for $2.99 or $3.99, with free shipping.

Here is a link to two (2) auctions for this.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=%22saint+benedict+medal%22+-rosary&LH_FS=1&_udlo=.01&_sop=15&LH_ItemCondition=3|10&_osacat=0&_from=R40&LH_PrefLoc=2&_udhi=5&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.X%22saint+benedict+medal%22+-rosary+-small&_nkw=%22saint+benedict+medal%22+-rosary+-small&_sacat=0

The Medal and the Saint

The Front and Reverse Sides of the Saint Benedict Medal

St. Benedict had a deep faith in the Cross and worked miracles with the sign of the cross.    Devotion to the Cross of Christ also gave rise to the striking of medals that bore the image of St. Benedict holding a cross aloft in his right hand and his Rule for Monasteries in the other hand.

Read more here:

http://christbearers.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/sending-the-devil-to-hell-with-st-benedict-at-your-back

Saint Benedict Medals and Stained Glass Windows

St. Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica:

Here are some photos of different types of Saint Benedict medals:

How to Use the Saint Benedict Medal

The Saint Benedict Medal Protects the Wearer From:

1. To destroy witchcraft and all other diabolical and haunting influences;
2. To impart protection to persons tempted, deluded, or tormented by evil spirits;
3. To obtain the conversion of sinners into the Catholic Church, especially when they're in danger of death;
4. To serve as an armor against temptation;
5. To destroy the effects of poison;
6. To secure a timely and healthy birth for children;
7. To afford protection against storms and lightning;
8. To serve as an efficacious remedy for bodily afflictions and a means of protection against contagious diseases.

How to Use the Saint Benedict Medal:

1. On a chain around the neck;
2. Attached to one’s rosary;
3. Kept in one’s pocket or purse;
4. Placed in one’s car or home;
5. Placed in the foundation of a building;
6. Placed in the center of a cross.

Note:  The use of any religious article is intended as a means of reminding one of God and of inspiring a willingness and desire to serve God and neighbor. It isn't regarded as a good luck charm or magical device.

The Only Written Documents of Saint Benedict

The only written documents of St. Benedict that have been found are the Dialogue II and the Rule of St. Benedict.   Here is a link to a pamphlet "Saint Benedict - the Hidden Meaning in His Story", which "focuses on St. Benedict’s story during his early years, when he matures spiritually amid hardships, trials and persecution":

http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/benpamphlet.html

July 11th: The Feast Day of Saint Benedict

Many paintings epict the image of Saint Benedict.

 

 July 11th is the Feast Day of Saint Benedict.

It is believed he died on March 21st (today's date).

Geum urbanum, also known as Wood Avens, herb Bennet, Colewort and St. Benedict's herb (Latin herba benedicta), is a perennial plant in the rose family (Rosaceae).

In folklore, Wood Avens is credited with the power to drive away evil spirits, and to protect against rabid dogs and venomous snakes. It was associated with Christianity because its leaves grew in threes and its petals in fives (reminiscent of, respectively, the Holy Trinity and the Five Wounds).

THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT

St. Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy, in 480 A.D. At age 17, he was sent to Rome for his liberal education, but he became disgusted by the dissoluteness rampant in the capital of the Empire, the he chose the call of God to a better and higher life.

He then decided to withdraw to the fastness of Subiaco about 40 miles east of Rome to live a simple life in a cave. Soon he was discovered by sheperds and the fame of his holiness rapidly spread.

Soon other men who wanted to profit from his example and teachings joined him. The number of his followes increased tremendously that Benedict had to build no less than twelve monasteries in the vicinity to house them. However, each monastery having twelve monks and an abbot to rule it, was personally directed by Benedict.

Among the monasteries he founded was the Monastery of Monte Cassino which still exists today. Here he wrote the Holy Rule for Monks. St. Benedict died in 547 A.D.

The Holy Rule was adopted by the monasteries in the empire of Charlemagne. From the seventh century until the emergence of the Friar Orders in the thirteenth century, monastic life was the only form of religious life in the West. It was the strongest civilizing force in Europe during the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages. In 1964, Pope Paul VI named St. Benedict "Patron of Europe".

THE HOLY RULE OF ST. BENEDICT AND ORDER

The Holy Rule of St. Benedict is the constitution of monastic life. It establishes the structure and government of the monastery, organizes the life of prayer, work, study and discipline, and exhorts the monk to seek God. Aside from brevity and breadth of scope, the Rule is characterized by moderation and adaptability.

Ora et Labora - Prayer and Work – summarizes the Benedictine monastic life: a balanced, discipline life of prayer and work in community. St. Benedict did not specify a particular apostolate for monks. Throughout the centuries, Benedictine monks have been engaged in liturgy, scholarship, education, the arts, and missionary and pastoral work.

Benedictine saints include St. Augustine of Canterbury; St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany; St. Ansgar; St. Adalbert; St. Gregory the Great and St. Gregory VII, two outstanding popes; the Venerable Bede, who wrote the first history of England, and St. Anselm, philosopher and theologian.

Religious in general take the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. However, Benedictine monks take the vows of obedience, conversion of life and stability. The last vow is distinctively Benedictine. By it, the monk binds himself to a particular monastic family for life. The stability of the monk insures the stability of community life.

When he wrote his Rule, St. Benedict did not have in mind an "order", that is, a widespread, centralized organization that we know today. He simply wrote a rule for monasteries. The Benedictine Order is actually a loose confederation of 26 congregations, which are in turn, federations of autonomous monasteries.

Usefulness of the Saint Benedict Medal

Saint Benedict was an amazing saint. 

Below is the best summarized information I can find about the medal.

The Medal or Cross of Saint Benedict

Medals, crosses, rosaries, statues, paintings & other religious articles have long been used as a means of fostering & expressing our religious devotion to God & the saints. 

Icons, or painted images of Christ & the saints, are especially popular among Eastern Christians as an aid to Christian piety & devotion.

The use of any religious article is therefore intended as a means of reminding us of God & of stirring up in us a ready willingness & desire to serve God & our neighbor. 

With this understanding we reject any use of religious articles as if they were mere charms or had some magic power to bring us good luck or better health. Such is not the Christian attitude.

Origin of the Medal of Saint Benedict

For the early Christians, the cross was a favorite symbol & badge of their faith in Christ. 

From the writings of St. Gregory the Great (540-604), we know that St. Benedict had a deep faith in the Cross & worked miracles with the sign of the cross. 

This faith in, & special devotion to, the Cross was passed on to succeeding generations of Benedictines.

Devotion to the Cross of Christ also gave rise to the striking of medals that bore the image of St. Benedict holding a cross aloft in his right hand & his Rule for Monasteries in the other hand. 

 

Thus, the Cross has always been closely associated with the Medal of St. Benedict, which is often referred to as the Medal-Cross of St. Benedict.
 

In the course of time, other additions were made, such as the Latin petition on the margin of the medal, asking that by St. Benedict's presence we may be strengthened in the hour of death, as will be explained later.

We do not know just when the first medal of St. Benedict was struck. At some point in history a series of capital letters was placed around the large figure of the cross on the reverse side of the medal. 

For a long time the meaning of these letters was unknown, but in 1647 a manuscript dating back to 1415 was found at the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria, giving an explanation of the letters. 

They are the initial letters of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan, as will be explained below.

The Jubilee Medal of Montecassino

The above features were finally incorporated in a newly designed medal struck in 1880 under the supervision of the monks of Montecassino, Italy, to mark the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedict. 

The design of this medal was produced at St. Martin's Archabbey, Beuron, Germany, at the request of the prior of Montecassino, Very Rev. Boniface Krug OSB (1838-1909).

Prior Boniface was a native of Baltimore & originally a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, until he was chosen to become prior & latter archabbot of Montecassino.

Since that time, the Jubilee Medal of 1880 has proven to be more popular throughout the Christian world than any other medal ever struck to honor St. Benedict.

Description of the Jubilee Medal

Because the Jubilee Medal of 1880 has all the important features ever associated with the Medal of St. Benedict, the following description of this medal can serve to make clear the nature & intent of any medal of St. Benedict, no matter what shape or design it may legitimately have.

The Cross of Eternal Salvation

 On the face of the medal is the image of Saint Benedict. 

In his right hand he holds the cross, the Christian's symbol of salvation. 

The cross reminds us of the zealous work of evangelizing & civilizing England & Europe carried out mainly by the Benedictine monks & nuns, especially for the 6th to the 9th/10th centuries.

Rule & Raven

In St. Benedict's left hand is his Rule for Monasteries that could well be summed up in the words of the Prolog exhorting us to "walk in God's ways, with the Gospel as our guide."

On a pedestal to the right of St. Benedict is the poisoned cup, shattered when he made the sign of the cross over it. 

On a pedestal to the left is a raven about to carry away a loaf of poisoned bread that a jealous enemy had sent to St. Benedict.

C. S. P. B.

Above the cup and the raven are the Latin words: 

Crux s. patris Benedicti 

 (The Cross of our holy father Benedict). 

On the margin of the medal, encircling the figure of Benedict, are the Latin words: 

Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur! 

(May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death!). 

Benedictines have always regarded St. Benedict as a special patron of a happy death. He himself died in the chapel at Montecassino while standing with his arms raised up to heaven, supported by the brothers of the monastery, shortly after St. Benedict had received Holy Communion.

Monte Cassino

Below Benedict we read: 

ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX 

(from holy Monte Cassino, 1880).

This is the medal struck to commemorate the 1400th anniversary of the birth of Saint Benedict.

Reverse Side of the Medal

Crux mihi lux

On the back of the medal, the cross is dominant. 

On the arms of the cross are the initial letters of a rhythmic Latin prayer: 

Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Nunquam draco sit mihi dux! 

(May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide!).

In the angles of the cross, the letters C S P B stand for 

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti 

(The cross of our holy father Benedict).

Peace

Above the cross is the word pax (peace), that has been a Benedictine motto for centuries. 

Around the margin of the back of the medal, the letters 

V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B 

are the initial letters, as mentioned above, of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan: 

Vade retro Satana! Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas! 

 (Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! 

What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!)

Use of the Medal

There is no special way prescribed for carrying or wearing the Medal of St. Benedict. 

It can be worn on a chain around the neck, attached to one's rosary, kept in one's pocket or purse, or placed in one's car or home. 

The medal is often put into the foundations of houses & building, on the walls of barns & sheds, or in one's place of business.

The purpose of using the medal in any of the above ways is to call down God's blessing & protection upon us, wherever we are, & upon our homes & possessions, especially through the intercession of St. Benedict. 

By the conscious & devout use of the medal, it becomes, as it were, a constant silent prayer & reminder to us of our dignity as followers of Christ.

The medal is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, a prayer for strength in time of temptation, a prayer for peace among ourselves & among the nations of the world, a prayer that the Cross of Christ be our light & guide, a prayer of firm rejection of all that is evil, a prayer of petition that we may with Christian courage "walk in God's ways, with the Gospel as our guide," as St. Benedict urges us.

A profitable spiritual experience can be ours if we but take the time to study the array of inscriptions & representations found on the 2 sides of the medal. 

The lessons found there can be pondered over & over to bring true peace of mind & heart into our lives as we struggle to overcome the weaknesses of our human nature & realize that our human condition isn't perfect, but that with the help of God & the intercession of the saints our condition can become better.

The Medal of St. Benedict can serve as a constant reminder of the need for us to take up our cross daily & "follow the true King, Christ our Lord," & thus learn "to share in his heavenly kingdom," as St. Benedict urges us in the Prolog of his Rule.

Two Special Uses of the Medal

By a rescript of the Sacred Congregation of Religious (4 May 1965) lay Oblates of St. Benedict are permitted to wear the Medal of St. Benedict instead of the small black cloth scapular formerly worn.

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (6 March 1959), the Blessing of St. Maur over the sick is permitted to be given with a Medal of St. Benedict instead of with a relic of the True Cross, since the latter is difficult to obtain.

Approved Blessing of the Medal of St. Benedict

Medals of Saint Benedict are sacramentals that may be blessed legitimately by any priest or deacon -- not necessarily a Benedictine (Instr., 26 Sept. 1964; Can. 1168). 

The following English form may be used.

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven & earth.

In the name of God the Father + almighty, who made heaven & earth, the seas & all that is in them, I exorcise these medals against the power & attacks of the evil one. 

May all who use these medals devoutly be blessed with health of soul & body. In the name of the Father + almighty, of the Son + Jesus Christ our Lord, & of the Holy + Spirit the Paraclete, & in the love of the same Lord Jesus Christ who will come on the last day to judge the living & the dead, & the world by fire. Amen.

Let us pray. Almighty God, the boundless source of all good things, we humbly ask that, through the intercession of Saint Benedict, you pour out your blessings + upon these medals. 

  May those who use them devoutly & earnestly strive to perform good works be blessed by you with health of soul & body, the grace of a holy life, & remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

May they also with the help of your merciful love, resist the temptation of the evil one & strive to exercise true charity & justice toward all, so that one day they may appear sinless & holy in your sight. 

This we ask though Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The medals are then sprinkled with holy water.

Permissu superiorum

Nihil obstat & Imprimatur, Saint Cloud, 24 April 1980.

Blessing of Saint Maur

Blessing of Saint Maurus over the Sick with the Medal of Saint Benedict invokes the power of the Cross & the healing of the Holy Spirit.

The Medal of Benedict

by Fr. Bernardine Patterson OSB

http://www.osb.org/gen/patterson/script.html

Introduction

Note: This article was originally published in The Scriptorium IX (1949), a publication produced by the junior monks of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota.

THERE IS NO MEDAL which possesses such wonderful power, & which is more highly esteemed by the holy Church than the Medal of St. Benedict. 

Whosoever wears this Medal with devotion, trusting in the life-giving power, may expect the powerful protection of the great Patriarch of Western Monasticism in time of spiritual & temporal needs.

The Medal of St. Benedict is more correctly called the Medal-Cross of St. Benedict. 

It is so termed because it is a medal on which is inscribed a Cross, or on which are found the letters of the Cross of St. Benedict.  

Since the years 1647-1650, the Cross of St. Benedict was imprinted on medals of oval or round forms, accompanied with the characters taken from a certain document, the so-called Metten-Munich Manuscript of which we shall treat later.

After 1741-1742 there was joined to the Cross the likeness of St. Benedict, so that the one side of the Medal-Cross had his image, while the other carried the Cross & the letters which form the Cross of St. Benedict.

The medals have been struck in various forms: round, oval, oblong, & square, while the design on the Cross was, at various times, Greek, Latin, or Gothic. 

The size of the medals also varies--some are about as large as an American dime, others the size of a nickel, a quarter, a half dollar, & even larger.

From the few facts that history gives us regarding the Medal of St. Benedict, we are justified in concluding that it must have been known under one form or another,  & perhaps even in use among the faithful, several hundred years before 1647.   At this latter period, however the Medal was little known.
 

The honor of having his image appear on a medal the reverse side of which bore the Cross, was conferred on St. Benedict--the strong, grave, & noble character of antiquity, the last of the real Romans--as a mark of the efficacy that the sacred sign of the Cross held in his regard.

Origin of St. Benedict's Medal-Cross

We know that in his frequent combats with the evil spirit, he generally made use of the sign of the Cross & by it wrought many miracles. 

St. Gregory the Great (d. 604), the first Benedictine Pope, in his biography of the great Patriarch1, represents St. Benedict as dispelling his own temptations by the sign of the Cross.

It is also fitting that on the Medal of St. Benedict we should find represented the poisoned cup broken by the sign of the Cross that the Saint made over it when the degenerate monks of Vico Varo endeavored to rid themselves of the Saint by mixing poison with his drink. 

St. Gregory says that when St. Benedict made the sign of the Cross over the cup, it was shattered as if struck by a stone.

At another time, Satan, desirous of instilling fear into the brethren, made the monastery appear to be on fire. 

By the power of the sacred sign of our Savior's Passion, the imaginary flames disappeared.

In the Holy Rule St. Benedict legislates that the monk, at his profession should set the sign of the Cross as an irrevocable seal on the written formula of his vows.

St. Benedict's disciples also had great confidence in the power of this sacred sign. 

St. Maurus & St. Placidus, his first & most renowned disciples, wrought numerous miracles through the power of the Holy Cross & in the name of their holy Founder.

The Medal of St. Benedict, according to an old tradition, became widely known through the following occurrence. 

Bruno, afterward Pope Leo IX, had in his youth been bitten by a venomous reptile, in consequence of which he was seriously ill for 2 months. 

He had lost the use of speech & in a short time was reduced to a skeleton.

All hopes of his recovery had been abandoned when suddenly he beheld a luminous ladder that reached to heaven from which descended a venerable old man wearing the habit of a monk. 

It was St. Benedict, bearing in his hand a radiant cross with which he touched the swollen face of Bruno, & instantly cured him. 

Then the apparition disappeared.

Bruno, who had been healed in such a miraculous manner, later entered the Order of St. Benedict. 

He ascended the papal throne in the year 1048, under the name of Leo IX & was renowned in the Church for his sanctity, his devotion to the Holy Cross, & to St. Benedict. 

He was later canonized. Through this pope the Medal of St. Benedict was enriched with special blessings, & its veneration spread far & wide.

However true that tradition may be, we are certain that in the year 1647 the Medal was known. 

In that year, an old manuscript, a copy of the Gospels, dating back to the year 1415, was found in the Benedictine monastery of Metten, in Bavaria, which gave a clue to the origin of certain mysterious crosses marked here & there on the walls of the monastery & surrounded by letters whose meaning was then unknown.

On the last page of this book was a pen-picture representing St. Benedict with the Cross in one hand & a sort of banner or scroll in the other. 

On the staff of the Cross & on the scroll, were written the words of which the mysterious characters engraven on the walls were the initials.

The discovery of the pen-picture with its cross & verses, gave a new impulse to the devotion to the Cross as well as to St. Benedict, who, as we have mentioned before, had applied that holy sign with so much effect. 

Medals, as symbols of this twofold devotion, were struck & distributed among the people. 

Their pious use soon became for them a source of many temporal & spiritual blessings.

The numerous & extraordinary favors attained procured for them a wide & rapid spread, not only in Germany, where they were first struck, but in all parts of Catholic Europe.

 Only a few years later, St. Vincent de Paul, who died in 1660, appears to have been acquainted with the value of the Medal. 

The Sisters of Charity founded by him have, from time immemorial, worn it attached to their rosary beads, & for many years it was made in France for them alone.

Finally, in 1741, Pope Benedict XIV, moved by the many favors which God had shown through the Medal, & desirous that all should share these blessings, solemnly approved the devotion & recommended it to the faithful. 

As a further inducement, the same holy Pontiff enriched the Medal with numerous indulgences.

At present we distinguish 2 types of medals. 

The first described & approved by Pope Benedict XIV, is found in various shapes--oblong, round, & square. 

It is known as the Ordinary Medal. 

The second, called the Jubilee or Centenary Medal, is round only & more artistic than the former, designed in the Beuronese style of sacred art.

The Ordinary Medal

It was this type of Medal that Pope Benedict XIV approved in 1741 at the instigation of Abbot Benno Loebel. 

Abbot Benno had represented St. Benedict clothed in the habit worn by the monks at that time (1741).

But since the Pope only prescribed that the Medal represent St. Benedict, not specifying how, it wasn't long before St. Benedict was pictured in many different manners. 

Since no one knew exactly how St. Benedict looked, the different artists endeavored to represent him on their Medal-Crosses in the way their artistry & fancy suggested. 

Most of them took various scenes in the Saint's life such as the cave at Subiaco where Benedict first donned the monastic habit.

Among those which were historically incorrect were the ones which pictured St. Benedict dressed in all the pontifical vestments, together with crosier, ring, sandals, etc., of a mitred abbot. 

St. Benedict was very probably not a priest, & in fact it is even uncertain that he was a deacon. 

Abbot Benno of Reichau was the first abbot to obtain the use of pontifical insignia, in the year 1008.

On the other hand, some were historically correct, though fancifully imagined, such as the one representing St. Benedict seated at the door of his monastery, having a book on his knees & a skull on the book, while the Saint looks in the direction of a tree, on one of the branches of which rests a black bird, which is without feet or beak.

These curious Medal Crosses nevertheless carried the privileges of the blessing & the indulgences imparted to the Medal of St. Benedict, since they complied with the orders of Pope Benedict XIV, having both the Cross & the effigy of St. Benedict.

The Jubilee Medal

The Jubilee or Centenary Medal was struck in 1880 to commemorate the 14th centenary of St. Benedict's birth (480-1880). 

The Jubilee Medal carries more indulgences than the Ordinary Medal & its type is fixed since the year 1880, while, as we have seen, the Ordinary Medal 

is struck in various manners.

This artistic Medal was designed by an artist-monk of St. Martin's Archabbey, at Beuron in Hohenzollern, southern Germany. 

By a decree of August 31, 1877, Pope Pius IX approved the design of this new Medal & also added to it many indulgences over & above, those already granted for the use of the old one. 

We shall speak of indulgences later.

The Jubilee Medal represents St. Benedict holding a Cross in his right hand, & a book) the Holy Rule, in his left. 

On the right side of St. Benedict is the poisoned cup shattered by the sign of the Cross which the Saint made over it, on his left we have another scene from his life) a raven about to carry away a loaf of poisoned bread sent to the Holy Patriarch.

Above the cup & the raven stands the Latin inscription: 

Crux S. Patris Benedicti. 

Round the edge of the same side are the words: 

Ejus in obitu nostro prasentia muniamur. 

Below we read: 

Ex S.M. Cassino, MDCCCLXXX.

Only that type of the Jubilee Medal struck by authority of the Archabbey of Monte Cassino has the privilege of the extra indulgences.  

Hence the imprint or date Ex S.M. Cassino MDCCCLXXX is necessary.  

Unless present, it wouldn't be an authentic Jubilee medal but only one of the hundreds of species of the Ordinary Medal of St. Benedict.

The Letters on the Medal

A number of letters arranged in various orders on the side on which the Cross is found remain to be explained. 

 

There is nothing hidden or superstitious about these letters; their significance is well known & approved by the Church.
 

The manuscript of 1415 reveals their meaning & proves them to be the initials of Latin words which go to make up sentences explanatory of the object of the Medal & its use. 

They are in reality for the most part short prayers & imprecations, thought to have been frequently in the mouth of St. Benedict himself.

The 4 letters at the sides of St. Benedict's Cross: 

C.S.P.B. stand for:

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti. 

The 5 letters on the length of St. Benedict's Cross: 

C.S.S.M.L. 

represent the first part of a prayer, or ejaculation: 

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux. 

The 5 letters making the breadth of St. Benedict's Cross are 

N.D.S.M.D.; Non Demon Sit Mihi Dux.

The oldest manuscript has "demon" & might be literally translated 

"Let not the demon be my guide." 

The manuscript of the year 1415 has, instead of "devil", or "demon", a monster with wings of a "dragon." 

In the latter case the translation would be: 

"Let not the dragon by my guide."

The 14 letters around the Cross, making its border are 

V.R.S.N.S.M.V.; S.M.Q.L.I.V.B. 

They come from a Leonine Poem & represent only 3 of its 16 verses. 

The initials stand for the verses:

Vade retro Satana;
Nunquam suade mihi vana.
Sunt mala quae libas;
Ipse venana bibas!

In English: "Begone Satan! Suggest not to me vain things. The cup you offer me is evil, drink the poison yourself!"

These or similar words are supposed to come forth from St. Benedict's lips: the words of the first verse, apply to the temptation that visited him at his cave & over which he triumphed by the Sign of the Cross.

The words of the second verse refer to the occasion when his enemies presented him the beverage of death, which he discovered by making the Sign of life over the cup that contained the poison.

As its history shows, God has already bestowed many great favors on the faithful through the Medal of St. Benedict many years before it obtained the solemn recognition & approval of the Church. 

Need this seem extraordinary to us? 

Is it not wonderful that God should mercifully look down on those who place their trust in the Cross & call upon Him in their danger & needs in the name of the Christ crucified?

Again, is it not the teaching of the Church that our prayers will be more readily heard, our wants more speedily supplied, when we place them in the hands of some such influential person at the heavenly court as St. Benedict!

And what is the right use of the Medal of St. Benedict but a practical devotion to the Cross of Christ & mark of confidence in the intercession of that great servant of God, Benedict, who has so well taught us this devotion by his word & example?

Devotion to the Medal of St. Benedict is, above all, devotion to the sign of our salvation. 

We may truly say that the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is the main object of this devotion, as it was faith in the sign of the Cross which gave rise to the Medal. 

Its primitive form shows us the Cross only with the letters inscribed upon it; 

& to this day it is called the Medal or Cross of St. Benedict.

But the value of the Medal grew as time went on. 

The Church, the infallible interpreter of the divine was not slow to recognize God's special blessing upon it. 

Following in the way pointed out to her by God in dealing with the Medal in the past, the Church adds those favors which it is in her power to grant. 

She raised the Medal of St. Benedict to the dignity of a sacramental with a blessing of its own, & enriched it with numerous indulgences.

From her very origin the Church has been accustomed to bless & dedicate various objects to pious uses. 

Among the objects for which a special form of blessing is given, we find the Medal of St. Benedict. 

It is in fact the only medal in existence which is honored with such a blessing in

the Roman Ritual.

One great advantage of this singular privilege is that in the prayers used for 

the blessing we have an authoritative explanation of the use & object of the 

Medal. 

We cannot do better therefore, than learn from the Church herself the spirit in which we should make use of this devotional object which she recommends so warmly.

Usefulness of the Medal

Let us now turn to the immediate, practical use of the Medal. In what circumstances are we to make use of it? 

Following the instruction given in the Church's blessing, we may sum up all its uses by saying that the Medal is powerful: to ward off dangers from soul & body, to procure for us spiritual & temporal favors, & to use it as a means of gaining indulgences.

In what manner should we make use of the Medal? 

The words, which the Church prescribes in the authorized formula for the blessing of the Medal, are sufficiently clear in regard to the manner in which the Medal should be used in order that we may reasonably hope to receive its benefits. 

The requirements are first that we devoutly wear the Medal on our person, & second that we be zealous in the practice of good works.

The learned Abbot Guaranger's little book on the Medal of St. Benedict explains how the Medal is useful:

We should make use of the Medal on all occasions when we have reason to fear the snares of the enemy. 

Its protection will prove efficacious in every kind of temptation. 

Numerous & undeniable facts attest its wonderful efficacy on a thousand different occasions where the faithful were exposed to dangers either from the direct influence of the devil, or from the effects of certain evil practices.

We may also employ it in favor of others to preserve or deliver them from dangers which we foresee are threatening them. 

Unforeseen accidents await us on land & sea; let us carry about us the Medal of St. Benedict with faith & we shall experience his protection. 

Even in the most common circumstances of life, in those things which regard our temporal well-being has the efficacy of the holy Cross & the power of St. Benedict been felt.

The wicked spirits, in their hatred, often molest the domestic animals or do 

harm to the food which should sustain life.  

Experience has proved that the Medal of St. Benedict, made use of with faith & prayer, has often made the snares of the devil harmless, procured a visible 

improvement in cases of sickness, & sometimes even effected a complete cure.
 

Indulgences

Note:  Since this article was written in 1949, the Church has simplified the regulations concerning indulgences & links all indulgences more closely to the Sacrament of Penance. 

The teaching is summarized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (sec. 1471-79).

All indulgences attached to particular orders, places, or things were abolished with the publication of "Apostolic Constitution on the Revision of Indulgences" by Pope Paul VI, (January 1, 1967). 

The historical text below should be read in light of the Church's current teaching & practice.

It would take too much space to enumerate in detail all the indulgences with which the Church has enriched the Medal. 

In fact, such a complete list is not necessary, at least as far as the partial indulgences are concerned. 

To gain the partial indulgences all that is required, besides being in the state of grace, is that we make a general intention to gain all indulgences possible during the day.

To gain a plenary indulgence, however, we are also required to go to confession, receive Holy Communion, & pray according to the intention of the Holy Father. 

There is a further requirement for the plenary indulgences attached to the Benedictine Medal, that of doing some good work each week.
 

Since every practical Catholic already habitually performs some good work, such as reading Sacred Scripture, participating at Mass, saying the Rosary or other prayers, giving alms, exercising charity or observing the laws of the Church, we need not stress this condition.

In listing these plenary indulgences we must distinguish the 2 types of the Medal. 

The plenary indulgences attached to the Ordinary Medal are the following: one on each of the days of Christmas, Epiphany, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Immaculate Conception, Annunciation, Purification, Assumption, All Saints Day, St. Benedict's Day. Holy Thursday; 2 on Easter Sunday.

A plenary indulgence is also granted to the person who, being at the point of death, goes to confession & receives Holy Communion, if able (if not, at least makes an act of contrition).

Devoutly recommending the soul to God the person invokes with the lips or, at least with the heart, the holy names of Jesus & Mary.

On the Jubilee Medal may be gained all the indulgences attached to the Ordinary Medal besides the following plenary indulgences: 

one on any day of our choice once a year; 

one on the feast of St. Maurus; 

2 on the feast of St. Scholastica; 

3 on the feast of St. Benedict (March 21); 

one on the solemnity of St. Benedict (July 11); 

one on the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Montecassino; 

one on the feast of St. Placid; 

one on the feast of St. Justina.

Such facts have made the Medal of St. Benedict dear to Catholic piety. Let us make a trial of it. 

The practical use of this sacramental, founded on the sole teaching of the Church, will strengthen our faith, that faith which distinguished our Catholic forefathers & which is the rightful inheritance of every Catholic Christian.

"In our difficult times," says a Catholic writer on the Medal, "its diligent use is more than ever timely. 

Every hour, books, pamphlets, & newspapers, boldly set before their readers the deadly poison of false doctrines & impudent lies; every hour the progress of the arts & the sciences adds food to our vanity & evil desires & gives new impulses to wantonness & pleasure.

"The present is more than ever the time, in which we should purify our hearts by the sign of the Cross & throw far from us the poisonous draught which the world offers us. 

The world is fast returning to paganism; it denies Christ & rejects His light to follow the prince of darkness.

Let us carry the Cross upon our breast, arm ourselves with prayer & good works, that we may escape the snares laid around us & have the courage to serve our Lord & Savior in the midst of a world that is becoming ever more forgetful of Him. 

To that end, let us ask the assistance of the great St. Benedict; may he whose life was so blameless & whose end so happy, assist us during our life & obtain for us a happy death!"