The Order of Saint

Benedict
The Medal of Saint
Benedict

The Medal or Cross of Saint Benedict

Medals, crosses, rosaries, statues, paintings, and other

religious articles have long been used as a means of fostering and
expressing our religious devotion to God and the saints. Icons, or
painted images of Christ and the saints, are especially popular among
Eastern Christians as an aid to Christian piety and devotion.

The use of any religious article is therefore intended as a means of

reminding us of God and of stirring up in us a ready willingness and
desire to serve God and 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 and 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
and worked miracles with the sign of the cross. This faith in, and 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 and 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 and originally a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, until he was
chosen to become prior and 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 and 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 and civilizing
England and Europe carried out mainly by the Benedictine monks and
nuns, especially for the sixth to the ninth/tenth centuries.

Rule and 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 and building, on the walls of barns
and 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 and protection
upon us, wherever we are, and upon our homes and possessions, especially through the intercession of
St. Benedict. By the conscious and devout use of the medal, it becomes, as it were, a constant silent
prayer and 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 and among the nations of the world, a prayer that the Cross of Christ be our
light and 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
and representations found on the two sides of the medal. The lessons found there can be pondered over
and over to bring true peace of mind and heart into our lives as we struggle to overcome the
weaknesses of our human nature and realize that our human condition is not perfect, but that with the
help of God and 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
and "follow the true King, Christ our Lord," and 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 and earth.

In the name of God the Father + almighty, who made heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in
them, I exorcise these medals against the power and attacks of the evil one. May all who use these
medals devoutly be blessed with health of soul and body. In the name of the Father + almighty, of the
Son +Jesus Christ our Lord, and of the Holy + Spirit the Paraclete, and in the love of the same Lord
Jesus Christ who will come on the last day to judge the living and the dead, and 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 and earnestly strive to perform good works be blessed by you with health of soul and
body, the grace of a holy life, and 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 and strive to
exercise true charity and justice toward all, so that one day they may appear sinless and holy in your
sight. This we ask though Christ our Lord. 
Amen.

The medals are then sprinkled with holy water.

Permissu superiorum

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

Authentic 1880 Jubilee-design Medals

Authentic, Beuronese-style, Benedictine medals (Monte Cassino, 1880) have been available since 1926 in a

wide variety of sizes and materials from Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN 56321.
The Benedictine Mission House of Christ the King Priory in Schuyler, Nebraska offers Benedictine
medals for suggested donations.

Johnson SRL, Barazante, Italy, offers high quality wholesale lots. Johnson, established in 1836, is the
oldest Italian medal factory, and the company cast the first Jubilee medal in 1880.

JMJ Totally Catholic and Catholic Supply are retail distributors that offer online a wide selection of
modern spin-offs such as "Benedictine" rosaries and crucifixes that feature the Medal of Saint Benedict
as a component.

Blessing of Saint Maur

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

Spread the Good News of Our Salvation in the Cross of Jesus

Illuminate your friends and proclaim your faith and devotion with a sweatshirt or mouse pad.

Bibliography and Web Resources

La ABADÍA de SAN BENITO (Lujan, AR).

"La Medella de San Benito," abridged from the article below by Mons. Martin de Elizalde OSB.

ABBAYE SAINT BENOÎT de PORT-VALOIS, CH. La médaille de S. Benoît, © 1999.

ALTENÄHR OSB, Abt Albert.

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti: Die Benedikt-Medaille, Facetten der Benedikt-Verehrung und
benediktinischer Frömmigkeit (Abtei Kornelimünster: Spirituelles).

BOUVILLIERS, Adélard OSB.

The Medal-Cross of St. Benedict, second ed., rev. and enlarged. Belmont Abbey Press, 1932.

CORBIERRE, A. J.
Numismatique Bénédictine: histoire scientifique et liturgique des croix et des médailles de Saint Benoit,
patriarche des moines d'occident d'après des documents inédits .... 2 v. Rome [: Giuseppe], 1904.

ELIZALDE, Mons. Martín de, OSB.

Espiritualidad : "La Cruz de San Benito" Revista Coloquio: Revista de la Abadía de San Benito (Lujan,
AR), I:4 (1998).

GUERANGER, Prosper OSB.

Essai sur l'origine, la signification et les privileges de la medaille ou croix de S. Benoit. Poitiers, 1862;
11th ed., Paris, 1890. 
The Medal or Cross of St. Benedict: Its Origins, Meaning and Privileges. Trans. from the French; ed.
with an introduction and appendix on the Centenary Medal, etc., by an EBC monk of Douai, France.
London: Burns & Oates, 1880. HTML version.
HECHT, Laurence OSB.
Der St. Benedikts-Pfennig: Kurzer Bericht über Ursprung, wunderbare Wirkungen u. Ablässe der
Medaille des hl. Benedikt, Abt und Patriarch der abendländischen Mönche.  Einsiedeln; New York: Karl
und Nikolaus Benziger, 1862.

KNIEL, Cornelius.
Die St. Benediktsmedaille, ihre Geschichte, Bedeutung, Ablasse u. wunderbare Wirkungen. 2. Aufl.
Ravensburg: Kitz, 1895.

LA MEDAILLE-CRUCIFIX DE SAINT BENOîT de La Mission saint Benoît.

MOSTEIRO de SÃO BENITO do RIO de JANEIRO.

Medalha e Oração de São Bento, 1996.

OTT, Michael OSB.

"Medal of Saint Benedict," Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913.

PATTERSON, Bernardine OSB.

"The Medal of St. Benedict," The Scriptorium IX (1949) 101-.

SAINT JOHN'S ABBEY (Collegeville, Minn.)

The Medal of Saint Benedict (Jubilee Medal Leaflet). Collegeville, Minn.: St. John's Abbey, 1923; rev.
2008, Liturgical Press.

VETH, Martin OSB.

The Medal or Cross of St. Benedict. Atchison: Abbey Student Press, St. Benedict's College, 1906.

ZELLI-JACOBUZI, Leopoldo.
Origen y efectos admirables de la cruz o medalla de San Benito abad, por Don Zelly-Jacobuzj del Monte
Casino, abad de S. Pablo en la Via de Ostia. Traducida de la 6a edicion francesa por M.M. de Legarreta.
La edicion mexicana. Mexico, Imprenta Guadalupana de Reyes Velasco, 1895.

7 Things You Must Know about St. Benedict’s Medal

by  HHAMBROSE on  2012-11-09 • 9:00 am  •  http://spl.link/j1i7m63 Comments
1. The Story of St. Benedict
From Fisheaters:
St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (A.D. 480-543), the twin brother of St. Scholastica, is considered to be the Father of
Western monasticism, and his “Rule of St. Benedict” came to be the basis of organization for many religious orders
(his own Order has its cradle at Monte Cassino, Italy, about 80 miles South of Rome).
At any rate, in order to understand the symbolism of the Medal, you must know of this event in St. Benedict’s life: he’d
been living as a hermit in a cave for three years, famous for his holiness, when a religious community came to him
after the death of their abbot and asked Benedict to take over. Some of the “monks” didn’t like this plan and
attempted to kill him with poisoned bread and wine. Just as St. John the Divine was miraculously saved from being
poisoned, when St. Benedict made the sign of the Cross over these things, he came to know they were poisoned, so
he toppled the cup and commanded a raven to carry off the bread.
 

2. The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict

Front
 Back

 
The Catholic Encyclopedia Explains:
FRONT
One side of the medal bears an image of St. Benedict, holding a cross in the right hand and the Holy Rule in the left.
On the one side of the image is a cup, on the other a raven, and above the cup and the raven are inscribed the
words: “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti” (Cross of the Holy Father Benedict). Round the margin of the medal stands the
legend “Ejus in obitu nostro praesentia muniamus” (May we at our death be fortified by his presence).
 
 
BACK
The reverse of the medal bears a cross with the initial letters of the words: “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux” (The Holy Cross
be my light), written downward on the perpendicular bar; the initial letters of the words, “Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux”(Let
not the dragon be my guide), on the horizontal bar; and the initial letters of “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti” in the
angles of the cross. Round the margin stand the initial letters of the distich: “Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade
Mihi Vana — Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas” (Begone, Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities — evil
are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison). At the top of the cross usually stands the wordPax (peace)
or the monogram I H S (Jesus).
 

3. The History of the Jubilee Medal

The Catholic encyclopedia recounts:
The medal just described is the so-called jubilee medal, which was struck first in 1880, to commemorate the
fourteenth centenary of St. Benedict’s birth. The Archabbey of Monte Cassino has the exclusive right to strike this
medal. The ordinary medal of St. Benedict usually differs from the preceding in the omission of the words “Ejus in
obitu etc.”, and in a few minor details. (For the indulgences connected with it see Beringer, “Die Ablässe”, Paderborn,
1906, p. 404-6.)
The habitual wearer of the jubilee medal can gain all the indulgences connected with the ordinary medal and, in
addition:
(1) All the indulgences that could be gained by visiting the basilica, crypt, and tower of St. Benedict at Monte Cassino
(Pius IX, 31 December, 1877)
(2) A plenary indulgence on the feast of All Souls (from about two o’clock in the afternoon of 1 November to sunset of
2 November), as often as (toties quoties), after confession and Holy Communion, he visits any church or public
oratory, praying there according to the intention of the pope, provided that he is hindered from visiting a church or
public oratory of the Benedictines by sickness, monastic enclosure or a distance of at least 1000 steps. (Decr. 27
February, 1907, in Acta S. Sedis, LX, 246.) Any priest may receive the faculties to bless these medals.
 

4. The Ancient Origins of the Medal

The Catholic Encyclopedia recounts:
It is doubtful when the Medal of St. Benedict originated. During a trial for witchcraft at Natternberg near the Abbey of
Metten in Bavaria in the year 1647, the accused women testified that they had no power over Metten, which was
under the protection of the cross. Upon investigation, a number of painted crosses, surrounded by the letters which
are now found on Benedictine medals, were found on the walls of the abbey, but their meaning had been forgotten.
Finally, in an old manuscript, written in 1415, was found a picture representing St. Benedict holding in one hand a
staff which ends in a cross, and a scroll in the other. On the staff and scroll were written in full the words of which the
mysterious letters were the initials. Medals bearing the image of St. Benedict, a cross, and these letters began now to
be struck in Germany, and soon spread over Europe. They were first approved by Benedict XIV in his briefs of 23
December, 1741, and 12 March, 1742.
 
 Click to view St. Benedict’s Medal on Amazon.

5. The Medal Wards Against

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 are 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.
 

6. How to use the 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.
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 is not regarded as a good luck charm or magical device. 1
 
 Click to view St. Benedict’s Crucifix Necklace on Amazon.

7. The Cross of the Happy Death

The excellent Catholic source Fisheaters explains:
This Crucifix is known as “The Cross of a Happy Death” not only because of the exorcizing properties of the Medal
and the image of Christ’s Body, but because of St. Benedict’s particular patronage based on his death. Pope St.
Gregory the Great (A.D. ca. 540-604) describes his passing in his Dialogue:
Six days before he left this world he gave orders to have his sepulchre opened, and forthwith falling into
an ague, he began with burning heat to wax faint; and when as the sickness daily increased, upon the
sixth day he commanded his monks to carry him into the oratory, where he did arm himself receiving
the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ; and having his weak body holden up betwixt the hands of his
disciples, he stood with his own hands lifted up to heaven; and as he was in that manner praying, he
gave up the ghost.
A plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions to one who, at the hour of his death, kisses, touches, or
otherwise reverences the Crucifix, and commends his soul to God.

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The following two prayers to St. Benedict are recited by the monks of Most Holy Family Monastery every day.
We recommend them to others as well. St. Benedict is an extremely powerful intercessor for us in Heaven. St.
Benedict, born in 480 A.D., was the founder of western monasticism and is renowned for his power against the
Devil. St. Benedict was also a great miracle worker, as many books document. In particular, we recommend The
Life of St. Benedict by Pope St. Gregory the Great. He is a powerful patron that we need today when impurity,
apostasy and infidelity inundate the earth. St. Benedict died March 21, 543, as he stood before the altar of Monte
Cassino immediately after receiving Holy Communion. St. Benedict is easily one of the greatest saints of all time.

Prayer to St. Benedict for a Happy Death

"O holy Father, St. Benedict, blessed by God both in grace and in name, who, while standing in prayer, with
hands raised to heaven, didst most happily yield thy angelic spirit into the hands of thy Creator, and hast
promised zealously to defend against all the snares of the enemy in the last struggle of death, those who shall
daily remind thee of thy glorious departure and heavenly joys; protect me, I beseech thee, O glorious Father, this day and every day, by thy
holy blessings, that I may never be separated from our dear Lord, from the society of thyself, and of all the blessed. Through the same Christ
our Lord. Amen."

St. Benedict himself revealed to St. Gertrude - also one of the greatest saints in the history of the Catholic Church, and herself a Benedictine
nun - that "whoever reminds me of the extraordinary privilege with which God deigned to glorify my last moments, shall experience my
particular assistance in his final combat. I will be a faithful protector against the assaults of the enemy. Fortified by my presence, he will
escape the snares of the evil one and safely attain eternal happiness."

Novena to St. Benedict

"O Glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy
feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers
which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessings be
with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin."

"Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries
and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy towards those who were afflicted or
troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I
therefore invoke thy powerful intercession in the confident hope that thou will hear my prayers and obtain for me the
special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention it), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my
soul."

"Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal
happiness of heaven. Amen."

Prayers to St. Benedict, Patron Against Poisoning, Patron of Religious to Filled With the Spirit's Power

Admirable Saint and Doctor of Humility, you practiced what you taught, assiduously praying for God's glory and
lovingly fulfilling all work for God and the benefit of all human beings. You know the many physical dangers that
surround us today often caused or occasioned by human inventions. Guard us against poisoning of the body as
well as of mind and soul, and thus be truly a "Blessed" one for us. Amen.

Dear St. Benedict, you are a "blessing" indeed, as your name indicates.
Practicing what you preached, you founded the monastic tradition of the West by joining prayer to labor for God---
both liturgical and private prayer. Help all religious to follow their Rule and be true to their vocation.
May they labor and pray for the world to the greater glory of God. Amen.
St. Benedict
Cross 
This beautiful cross is Glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me humbly kneeling at your
designed especially for feet. I implore you in your loving kindness to pray for me before the throne of God. To you I have recourse in the
those devoted to St.
dangers that daily surround me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.
Benedict.
Inspire me to imitate you in all things. May your blessing be with me always, so that I may see and serve Christ in
others and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces which I need so much in the trials, miseries, and afflictions of life. Your heart was
always full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. You never dismissed without consolation
and assistance anyone who had recourse to you. I therefore invoke your powerful intercession, confident in the hope that you will hear my
prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore (mention your favor).

Help me, great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the sweetness of His loving will, and to attain the eternal
happiness of heaven. Amen.

Novena to St. Benedict

Glorious St. Benedict who taught us the way to religious perfection by the practice of self-conquest, mortification,
humility, obedience, prayer, silence, retirement and detachment from the world, I kneel at your feet and humbly beg
you to take my present need under your special protection (mention here). Vouchsafe to recommend it to the Blessed
Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above
all, obtain for me the grace to one day meet God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the angels and saints to
praise Him through all eternity. O most powerful Saint Benedict, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the
grace of winning my way to heaven, there to worship and enjoy the most holy and adorable Trinity forever and ever.
Amen.

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and 1 Glory Be.

The Litany of St. Benedict

Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.
Holy Father, Saint Benedict, Pray for us.
Father most reverend, Pray for us.
Father most renowned, Pray for us.
Father most compassionate, Pray for us.
Man of great fortitude, Pray for us.
Man of venerable life, Pray for us.
Man of the most holy conversation, Pray for us.
True servant of God, Pray for us.
Light of devotion, Pray for us.
Light of prayer, Pray for us. 
Light of contemplation, Pray for us.
Star of the world, Pray for us.
Best master of an austere life, Pray for us.
Leader of the holy warfare, Pray for us.
Leader and chief of monks, Pray for us.
Master of those who die to the world, Pray for us. St. Benedict
Jubilee Medal 
Protector of those who cry to thee, Pray for us. Saint Benedict stands on a
Wonderful worker of miracles, Pray for us. pedestal, a shepherd’s crook in his
Revealer of the secrets of the human heart, Pray for us. arm, holding the cross of Jesus in
Master of spiritual discipline, Pray for us. his right hand and his famous Rule
Companion of the patriarchs, Pray for us. in his left. On his right side we see
Equal of the prophets, Pray for us. the poisoned cup that could not kill
him, and on his left an image of the
Follower of the Apostles, Pray for us. raven that fed him.
Teacher of Martyrs, Pray for us.
Father of many pontiffs, Pray for us.
Gem of abbots, Pray for us.
Glory of Confessors, Pray for us.
Imitator of anchorites, Pray for us.
Associate of virgins, Pray for us.
Colleague of all the Saints, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Intercede for us, O holy father Saint Benedict, 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray: O God, Who hast called us from the vanity of the world, and Who dost incite us to the reward of a heavenly vocation under the
guidance of our holy patriarch and founder, Saint Benedict, inspire and purify our hearts and pour forth on us Thy grace, whereby we may
persevere in Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer To St. Benedict

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy
feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers
which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be
with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries
and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy towards those who were afflicted
or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance any one who had re-course to
thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for
me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention it), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare
of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to
attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.
 The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict

The medal is approx 11/16" (dime size) and silver color aluminum - only 15¢
ea. (Order) 
(The St. Benedict Medal leaflet is available for 3¢ ea. )

The Medal of St. Benedict

There is indeed no medal which possesses such wonderful power and none so
highly esteemed by the holy Church as the Medal of St. Benedict. Whosoever wears
this medal with devotion, trusting to the life-giving power of the holy Cross and the
merits of the holy Father St. Benedict, may expect the powerful protection of this great
Patriarch in his spiritual and temporal needs.

ORIGIN OF THE MEDAL

The origin of the Medal probably dates back to the time of St. Benedict himself, of
whom we know that, in his frequent combats with the evil spirit, he generally made use
of the Sign of the Cross and wrought many miracles thereby. He also taught his
disciples to use the Sign of our redemption against the assaults of Satan and in other
dangers. St. Maurus and St. Placidus, his first and most renowned disciples, wrought
their numerous miracles through the power of the holy Cross and in the name and by
the merits of their holy Founder.

The Medal of St. Benedict became more widely known through the following
wonderful occurrence: Bruno, afterwards Pope Leo IX, had in his youth been bitten by a
venomous reptile, in consequence of which he was seriously ill for two months. He had
lost the use of speech and was soon 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 and instantly cured him. Then the apparition disappeared.
 Bruno, who had been healed in such a miraculous manner, later on entered the
Order of St. Benedict. He ascended the papal throne in the year 1048 under the name
of Leo IX and was renowned in the Church for his sanctity, his devotion to the holy
Cross and to St. Benedict. Through this pope the Medal of St. Benedict was enriched
with special blessings, and its veneration spread everywhere. The use of the Medal was
solemnly approved and recommended to the faithful by Pope Benedict XIV in 1742.

THE BLESSING OF THE MEDAL OF ST. BENEDICT

The Medal of St. Benedict must be blessed by a Benedictine Father, or by a priest

especially authorized. [The blessing can now be given by any priest (Instr., 26 Sept.
1964; Can. 1168). Also, Dom Gueranger states that the Medal is powerful even without
the special Benedictine blessing. – Publisher, 1995]. There are three solemn prayers of
the Church for the blessing of the Medal.

The first prayer is an exorcism of the wicked spirit, to make void his evil influence,
with the earnest petition that the Medal be for the welfare of the body and soul of the
wearer. The second prayer is a fervent petition:

O Almighty God, the Giver of all good gifts, we humbly beseech Thee that Thou
wouldst bestow, through the intercession of the holy Father St. Benedict, Thy blessing
upon these Medals, their letters and characters designed by Thee, that all who wear
them and strive to perform good works may obtain health of body and soul, the grace of
salvation, the indulgences conceded to us, and by the assistance of Thy mercy, escape
the snares and deceptions of the devil and appear holy and stainless in Thy sight.
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen

The third prayer is very impressive in virtue of the detailed and solemn
commemoration of the agony, sufferings and death of Our Lord.

After the blessing, the Medals cannot be sold; otherwise, the blessing is lost. Medals
must be bought before they are blessed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MEDAL

We distinguish two types of the Medal of St. Benedict: the ordinary medal, and that
of Monte Cassino, which is known as the Jubilee [or Centenary] Medal. We describe
here only the Jubilee Medal.

The Jubilee Medal was struck in 1880 under the supervision of the monks of Monte
Cassino, Italy, to mark the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedict. Monte
Cassino was given the exclusive right to strike this medal, and special Jubilee
indulgences were added. The design of the Jubilee 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 and originally
a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, until he was chosen to
become prior and latter archabbot of Monte Cassino.

On one side, the Medal has a cross, the sign of our redemption, the
protecting shield given us by God to ward off the fiery arrows of the evil spirit.
At the top of the cross usually stands the word  PAX (peace) or the
monogram I H S (Jesus).

In the angles of the cross are found these four letters:  C.S.P.B. They stand
for the words: Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti – " The Cross of the Holy Father
Benedict."

On the vertical bar of the cross itself are found the letters: C.S.S.M.L., and
on the horizontal bar of the cross: N.D.S.M.D. They signify:

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux,

Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux

This means:
May the holy Cross be my light,
Let not the dragon be my guide.

Round the margin of the Medal, beginning at the right hand on top, we have the
following letters: V.R.S.N.S.M.V.--S.M.Q.L.I.V.B., They stand for the verses:
Vade Retro, Satana!
Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana.
Sunt Mala Quae Libas
Ipse Venena Bibas.

The English words are:

Begone, Satan!
Suggest not vain things to me.
Evil is the cup thou offerest;
Drink thou thine own poison.

The reverse of the Medal bears the image of St. Benedict holding in his right hand
the Cross, in the power of which he wrought so many miracles, and in his left hand
bearing the holy Rule, which leads all its followers by the way of the Cross to eternal
light.

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. Above the
cup and the raven are the Latin words: Crux S-Patris Benedicti. [The
initials C.S.P.B. are found on the reverse side – see above.]

Round the margin is the inscription: Eius in obitu nostro praesentia

muniamur – "May his presence protect us in the hour of our death."

Below St. Benedict we read: ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX (from holy Monte

Cassino, 1880).

THE POWER AND EFFECTS OF THE MEDAL

Let us state here that we do not ascribe any unknown or hidden power to the Medal,
a power which the superstitious ascribe to their charms. We know wherein its power
lies, and we protest that the graces and favors are due, not to the gold or the silver, the
brass or aluminum of the Medal, but to our faith in the merits of Christ crucified, to the
efficacious prayers of the holy Father St. Benedict, and to the blessings which the holy
Church bestows upon the Medal and upon those who wear it. This Medal excludes
every power or influence which is not from above.

Through the pious use of the Medal of St. Benedict thousands of miracles and
wonderful cures have been obtained. We would here mention that in the last few years
we have received a number of letters relating most remarkable cures and extraordinary
favors obtained by the devout use of the said Medal. It is, indeed, edifying to see how
that faithful love and venerate this highly blessed Medal and how anxious they are to
obtain this holy article, which has proved to be a remedy to almost every evil.

The Medal of St. Benedict is powerful to ward off all dangers of body and soul
coming from the evil spirit. We are exposed to the wicked assaults of the devil day and
night. St. Peter says, "Your adversary the devil, as roaring lion, goeth about seeking
whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8). In the life of St. Benedict we see how the devil
tried to do harm to his soul and body, and also to his spiritual children. Father Paul of
Moll, saintly Flemish Benedictine wonder-worker (1824-1896), frustrated the evil doings
of the spirit of darkness chiefly through the use of the Medal of St. Benedict, which has
proved a most powerful protection against the snares and delusions of the old enemy.
Missionaries in pagan lands use this Medal with so great effect that it has been given
the remarkable name, "The devil-chasing Medal."

The Medal is, therefore, a powerful means:

 To destroy witchcraft and all other diabolical influences.

 To keep away the spells of magicians, of wicked and evil-minded persons.

 To impart protection to persons tempted, deluded or tormented by evil

spirits.

 To obtain the conversion of sinners, especially when they are in danger of

death.

 To serve as an armor in temptations against holy purity.

 To destroy the effects of poison.

 To secure a timely and healthy birth for children.

 To afford protection against storms and lightning.

 To serve as an efficacious remedy for bodily afflictions and a means of

protection against contagious diseases.

Finally, the Medal has often been used with admirable effect even for animals
infected with plague or other maladies, and for fields when invaded by harmful insects.

THE USE OF THE MEDAL

It may be worn about the neck, attached to the scapular or the rosary, or otherwise
carried devoutly about one's person. For the sick it can be placed on wounds, dipped in
medicine or in water which is given to them to drink.

The Medal is frequently put into the foundation of houses or in walls, hung over
doors, or fastened on stables and barns to call down God's protection and blessing. It is
also buried in fields, as the saintly Father Paul of Moll advised his friends to do.

No particular prayers are prescribed, for the very wearing and use of the Medal is
considered a silent prayer to God to grant us, through the merits of St. Benedict, the
favors we request. However, for obtaining extraordinary favors, it is highly
recommended to perform special devotions in honor of the holy Father St. Benedict, for
instance, on Tuesday, on which day the Church commemorates the death of the holy
Patriarch. The Way of the Cross is also highly recommended or a novena to St.
Benedict. His feast is celebrated March 21st, two days after the feast of St. Joseph.

St. Benedict Medal Prayer

May the intercession of the Blessed Patriarch and Abbot Benedict render Thee
merciful unto us, O Lord, that what our own unworthiness cannot obtain, we may
receive through his powerful patronage. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen
(This prayer may be said when using the Medal for any pious purpose.)

Novena Prayer to St. Benedict

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of virtue, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold
me humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thee, in thy loving kindness, to pray for me
before the throne of God. To thee do I have recourse in the dangers that daily surround
me. Shield me against my selfishness and my indifference to God and to my neighbor.
Inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I
may see and serve Christ in others and work for His kingdom.

Graciously obtain for me from God these favors and graces which I need so much in
the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always full of love, compassion
and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never
dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I
therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, confident in the hope that thou wilt hear my
prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I earnestly implore. (Name your
petition.)

Help me, great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to run in the
sweetness of His loving will and to attain the eternal happiness of Heaven. Amen.