Origin and History

The Miraculous Medal has its origin in the apparitions of Our Lady to Saint Catherine Labouré, a young novice of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, in Paris, France.

• The First Apparition (1830): In the Chapel of Our Lady of Rue du Bac, in Paris, Catherine Labouré saw the Virgin Mary, who stood upon a globe, crushing the head of a serpent. Rays of light emanated from Mary’s hands, symbolizing the graces she granted to those who asked for them.

• The Request for the Medal: Mary requested that a medal be struck with the image she had shown, promising great graces to those who wore it with faith.

• Our Lady’s Promise: “The people who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. The graces will be abundant for those who wear it with confidence.”

The Symbolism of the Medal

Every element of the Miraculous Medal holds a deep theological meaning:

The Face (Front) of the Medal

• Our Lady Standing: The Virgin Mary stands upon the globe, representing her royalty and her role as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

• The Serpent: She crushes the serpent, symbolizing her victory over evil and sin (a reference to Genesis 3:15).

• Rays of Light: The rays emanating from her hands symbolize the Graces that God grants humanity through her intercession.

• Oval Inscription: The phrase circling the image is: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” This inscription is an affirmation of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, a dogma that would only be proclaimed 24 years after the apparitions.

The Reverse (Back) of the Medal

• The Cross and the ‘M’: The ‘M’ for Mary is intertwined with the Cross of Jesus. This represents the inseparable union of Mary with the saving mission of her Son (the suffering of the Cross).

• Twelve Stars: The twelve stars surrounding the image symbolize the Church and the twelve Apostles (a reference to the Woman Clothed with the Sun in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 12).

• Two Hearts:

  • Heart of Jesus: Crowned with thorns (the Sacred Heart), representing His sacrificial love for humanity.

  • Heart of Mary: Pierced by a sword (the Immaculate Heart), symbolizing her sorrow and compassion (a reference to Simeon’s prophecy in Luke 2:35).