The Miraculous Medal is the most widely worn Marian medal in the world. It was born in Paris, on the rue du Bac, in 1830, from a vision reported by a young nun, and every one of its details has a meaning. Here is its history, how to read its symbols, and how to choose your own.
1830: the apparitions of the rue du Bac
On the night of 18 to 19 July 1830, and then on 27 November 1830, Catherine Labouré, a young novice of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, reported seeing the Virgin Mary in the chapel of her congregation's mother house, at 140 rue du Bac, Paris. On 27 November, the Virgin showed her an oval image and asked her to have a medal struck on this model: those who wear it, she told her, will receive great graces. Catherine Labouré, who died in 1876, was canonised in 1947; the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal now welcomes pilgrims from all over the world.
1832: the first striking and the cholera epidemic
After two years of caution on the part of her confessor, the Archbishop of Paris, Mgr de Quélen, authorised the striking. The first medals came out in June 1832, made by the Parisian goldsmith Adrien Vachette, while a cholera epidemic was ravaging the capital. The Daughters of Charity distributed them to the sick; healings and conversions were attributed to them, and the people of Paris named it the "miraculous medal". Its spread was dazzling: 500,000 copies in 1834, more than ten million in seven years.
Reading the medal: the front
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| The Virgin standing on the globe | Mary, queen of the world, present to the whole earth |
| The serpent crushed under her foot | Victory over evil |
| The rays streaming from her hands | The graces she pours out on those who ask for them |
| The prayer "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee" | The Immaculate Conception, proclaimed a dogma in 1854, twenty-four years after the apparitions |
| The date 1830 | The year of the apparitions |
Reading the medal: the back
| Element | What it means |
|---|---|
| The M surmounted by a cross | Mary united with her Son's cross |
| The two hearts | The Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and the Heart of Mary pierced by a sword |
| The twelve stars | The twelve apostles, and the crown of the woman of the Apocalypse |
The oval shape itself is part of the vision: it is how a Miraculous Medal is recognised at first glance. Our glossary of symbols explains the other motifs of religious medals.
The Miraculous Medal and the Mayaud house
Manufacture Mayaud, founded in Saumur in 1770, was in the nineteenth century one of the leading French makers of religious medals. According to the family archives kept by the house, it is said to have later carried out the large-scale striking of the Miraculous Medal. The M surmounted by a cross, the monogram on the back, was for a very long time the logo of Mayaud Frères: it appears in many of our archives, and it is still among the emblems of the Manufacture. Our boutique, at 25 rue Vaneau, is a few steps from the chapel of the rue du Bac. The full story is told in our history of the christening medal in France.
Choosing a Miraculous Medal
Our Miraculous Virgin in 18-karat yellow gold faithfully reproduces the original design: the oval, the prayer, the date, the M, the two hearts and the twelve stars, struck under two engraved dies, front and back. It also comes in solid silver, rhodium-plated: it does not tarnish and needs no care.
- 9 and 11 mm (height of the oval, excluding the bail): for a newborn or a bracelet.
- 13 and 15 mm: for a christening and childhood.
- 17 and 19 mm: for adult wear.
- 21 mm: as a pendant.
As its back is entirely taken up by the monogram and the stars, the Miraculous Medal cannot be engraved. For an engraved keepsake, it is often paired with an identity bracelet or a second medal with a smooth back. For a Virgin medal of another design, see our guide to Virgin Mary medals.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Miraculous Medal depict?
On the front, the Virgin standing on the globe, crushing the serpent, her hands radiant, surrounded by the prayer "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee"; on the back, the M surmounted by a cross, the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and twelve stars.
Why is it called "miraculous"?
Because, from its very first distribution during the 1832 cholera epidemic, healings and conversions were attributed to it; it was the people of Paris who gave it this name.
Where is the chapel of the Miraculous Medal?
At 140 rue du Bac, Paris, in the mother house of the Daughters of Charity, where Catherine Labouré had her visions in 1830.
Can a Miraculous Medal be given for a christening?
Yes, it is one of the most traditional christening medals: it places the child under Mary's protection. The 13 and 15 mm heights suit a child.
Can a Miraculous Medal be engraved?
No: its back is entirely taken up by the monogram and the stars. For an engraving, pair it with an identity bracelet or a medal with a smooth back.
Where to buy a gold Miraculous Medal made in France?
Manufacture Mayaud, a French house founded in 1770, strikes its Miraculous Virgin in 18-karat yellow gold and solid silver, in seven heights from 9 to 21 mm; it can be ordered online and at the boutique at 25 rue Vaneau, a few steps from the rue du Bac.
Sources
- Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, "Histoire de la Médaille"
- Diocese of Paris, "Sainte Catherine Labouré"
- "Médaille miraculeuse", Wikipédia
- Benjamin La Combe, Histoire de l'entreprise Mayaud de Saumur (1710-1901), master's thesis in history, 1997, Saumur municipal archives.