According to tradition some monks sought out Benedict, who had been living as a hermit in a cave near Naples for three years. They wanted him to lead them, but he warned he would push them towards greater piety.
Not all monks were happy with this. Some conspired to POISON his bread and wine. But when Benedict, made the Sign of the Cross over the food, the wine cup shattered, and he commanded the crows that always accompanied him to carry off the poisoned bread.
The medal, originally in the form of a cross, gained popularity after Pope Leo IX attributed his recovery from a snake bite to the Benedictine cross. Later, as pope, he redesigned it into the medal we know today, attributing blessings and indulgences to it.
The St. Benedict Medal is known for:
🙏 Conversion: Bringing those who have fallen back to God
🦠 Disease: Protection against diseases
✝️ Assistance at death: Guidance on our final journey
👶Safe Childbirth Delivery
☮ Inner Peace: Asking for spiritual healing
🕊️ Peace Among People and Nations.
🏥Healing: Curing bodily afflictions
🚫Warding Off Evil: Destroying the effects of witchcraft and diabolical influences
🌩️ Protection from storms, lightning, and nightmares.
❤️ Conversion of Sinners
🌾 Protection for Animals and Crops: Against plagues and harmful insects
On the front, it shows St. Benedict with a cross and his rule, with a poisoned cup and a raven. The inscription around him reads: “May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death.”
On the back, the cross is inscribed with:
“May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my overlord!”
And the prayer:
“Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!”
This medal is a powerful sacramental, used to ward off evil, ask for spiritual and physical healing, and seek inner peace. While it’s not a magic charm, it reminds us of God’s power and our faith in Him. When used with faith, the St. Benedict Medal can bring us closer to God and offer protection and blessings.
