La Médaille de Saint Benoît

Saint Benedict for the protection of their homes and families

At the very turning point of history, God is raising up great saints in order to strengthen the supernatural hold on souls exercised by the Church by virtue of her divine mission. The Roman Empire collapsed and the Barbarian invaded all of Europe. Benedict then appeared as chief of the monks of the West.

On the face of the medal is the image of Saint Benedict. In his right hand, he holds the cross, the Christian symbol of salvation. In the left hand of Saint Benedict is his rule for monasteries which could well be summed up in the words of the prologue exhorting us to "set out on this path [of God], with the Gospel as our guide". On a pedestal to the right of Saint Benedict is the poisoned cup, broken when he made the sign of the cross. On a pedestal to the left, a crow is about to take away the poisoned bread that a jealous enemy has sent to Saint Benedict.

When a person wears the Medal of Saint Benedict or the Crucifix of Saint Benedict, it is a constant reminder to that person to think of Christ always, indeed, a continuous exorcism. Even at the mere mention of the name of Jesus Christ, the devil recoils. Consider the faith and love of the Lord Saint Benedict invoked throughout his life.

During his lifetime, Saint Benedict was known to perform many miracles using the power of the Holy Cross. Among these were his heroic escape from temptations and his miraculous escapes from the traps set to kill him.

Saint Benedict became known for his power over the Devil, with the Holy Cross as an effective instrument to scare the Devil away. The Saint Benedict medal is based on this tradition.

Most people, Catholics included, do not realize how indebted the Church, Europe and the world are to Saint Benedict of Nursia. The very presence of its monks in their monasteries has become a factor of stabilization and civilization, no matter where they are located. It is from these centers of great knowledge and prayer that the monks and nuns undertook their zealous work of evangelization.

It is devotion to the Cross, sign of our redemption, that gave birth to the Medal of Saint Benedict, because devotion to this medal is above all devotion to the sign of our salvation. It is the only medal in the Church that is blessed with a special exorcism.

Thus, it is well known for its power against evil spirit, temptations and its effectiveness in healing mental and bodily suffering.

Countless conversions have been made through the use of this medal. It has been used devoutly for centuries - in war, plague, natural disasters, and accidents of all kinds. Catholics wear it around their necks, tie it to their scapular or rosary, and often place it in the foundations of their buildings or above the doors of their homes.

Saint Benedict had a deep faith in the Cross and performed miracles with the sign of the cross. This faith and this particular devotion to the Cross have been transmitted to successive generations of Benedictines.

Benedict medals are used in many ways, but always as protection against evil. Some people bury them in the foundations of new buildings to protect them from evil influences, while others hang them on the wall or door of their house.