A French nun, St. Catherine Laboure, experienced a series of visions of the Virgin Mary in 1830.
St. Catherine Laboure was born on May 2, 1806 in Paris, France. She became a nun in 1828 and had visions of the Virgin Mary that lasted for about six months starting on November 27, 1830. The visions were detailed enough to allow for a medal to be produced based on them.
The medal was first created in 1832.
The Miraculous Medal was first created in 1832 by Saint Catherine Labouré. The medal is a symbol of the Virgin Mary and her role as protector of the Catholic faith. It's also a reminder that we should honor her with prayer and good works.
Stories about miracles that have occurred through wearing this medal have been circulating for decades, even centuries! This is what makes it so special; it's a way for us to show gratitude towards God for his many blessings, and ask him for continued protection from harm in this world which can sometimes be harsh on us humans.
The metal shows Mary and Jesus with several symbols on the front and back.
The medal's front side has the letters M and S, which stand for "Mary" and "Salus," Latin for salvation. The letter M on top of a cross is also called "Mater Dolorosa" or "Mother of Sorrows," because it represents Mary during the Crucifixion. Opposite this symbol is a heart, representing Mary's loving acceptance of God's will. There are two hearts surrounding the letter M to show that our love should be like hers—that we should accept God's will without complaint or doubt, always having faith in His love for us. A globe sits in Mary’s right hand; this signifies her role as Queen of Heaven and Earth (Revelation 17:1).
In addition to these symbols on her front side, there are several symbols on her back side:
Mary gave instructions for having the medal created and distributed to the world.
Mary appeared to Catherine Laboure, a French nun, in 1830 and asked her to have a medal created. It would depict a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary on one side and on the other side would be an image of herself holding an anchor in each hand with an inscription saying “O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee” around it.
Mary told Catherine that this new medal was to be worn by all people as often as possible, especially those who needed God's blessing or protection. She requested that they also distribute it freely among the poor as both blessings and gifts.
The medal has been on display at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris since 1872.
If you're in Paris, the chapel is located at Rue du Bac and open to the public. The medal has been on display there since 1872.
Millions of people claim that the medal has saved their lives or provided them with healing from illness.
In a friendly tone: Millions of people claim that the medal has saved their lives or provided them with healing from illness. These stories include but are not limited to:
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A woman who was able to run away from an abusive husband after a vision of the Virgin Mary told her where to go.
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A boy who was healed of cancer after praying for the intercession of St. Philomena, whose feast day falls on Feb. 11th (the same day as Our Lady's appearance in Rue du Bac).
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A girl who had been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer at age 8, but survived until age 24 before dying peacefully in her sleep one night without suffering any pain. She attributed this miracle directly to daily wearing of the Miraculous Medal by her mother during those years immediately following diagnosis and treatment; she never accepted morphine for pain because it was against church teaching and tradition (Catechism 2333). In addition, when doctors found cancerous tumors reappearing in 2010 when she went through another round of chemotherapy because they'd thought they'd eradicated whatever remained after prior surgeries and radiation treatments (she'd already gone through nine rounds), there was no trace left behind despite initial reports saying that there might be some activity left over—as if it had been “erased” somehow! This is not unlike what happened with St Catherine Labouré herself back during 1832 when she first received apparitions from Our Lady regarding creation of these medals―though these actions have been attributed more towards divine intervention rather than natural phenomena."
The Miraculous Medal is special to many people around the world.
The Miraculous Medal has been blessed by millions of people around the world. It has helped many people to overcome their hardships, and it is a sign that God is watching over us.
The medal shows Mary's love for her children, and it reminds us of her promise that she will always be with those who pray to her. The medal is also a symbol of hope because we know that no matter what happens, Mary will never abandon us.
Through prayer, we can show our love for God and his mother who are both so important in our lives!