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The medal of St. Benedict is a very powerful sacramental with exorcizing
properties; the exorcism is written right on it.
First a little history: St. Benedict of Nursia, Italy (A.D. 480-543), the
twin brother of St. Scholastica, is considered to be the Father of Western
monasticism, and his "Rule of St. Benedict" came to be the basis of organization
for many religious orders (his own Order has its cradle at Monte Cassino,
Italy, about 80 miles South of Rome).
At any rate, in order to understand the symbology of the Medal, you must
know of this event in St. Benedict's life: he'd been living as a hermit in
a cave for three years, famous for his holiness, when a religious community
came to him after the death of their abbot and asked Benedict to take over.
Some of the "monks" didn't like this plan and attempted to kill him with
poisoned bread and wine. Just as St. John the Divine was miraculously saved
from being poisoned, when St. Benedict made the sign of the Cross over these
things, he came to know they were poisoned, so he toppled the cup and commanded
a raven to carry off the bread.
Now on to the Medal:
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
It is doubtful
when the Medal of St. Benedict originated. During a trial for witchcraft
at Natternberg near the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria in the year 1647, the
accused women testified that they had no power over Metten, which was under
the protection of the cross. Upon investigation, a number of painted crosses,
surrounded by the letters which are now found on Benedictine medals, were
found on the walls of the abbey, but their meaning had been forgotten. Finally,
in an old manuscript, written in 1415, was found a picture representing St.
Benedict holding in one hand a staff which ends in a cross, and a scroll
in the other. On the staff and scroll were written in full the words of which
the mysterious letters were the initials. Medals bearing the image of St.
Benedict, a cross, and these letters began now to be struck in Germany, and
soon spread over Europe. They were first approved by Benedict XIV in his
briefs of 23 December, 1741, and 12 March, 1742.
The Jubilee Medal
below was first struck in 1880 to commemorate the 14th centennary of St.
Benedict's birth.
The Front of the Medal
We see St. Benedict holding his Rule; next to him, on a pedestal, is the
cup that once held poison, shattered after he made the Sign of the Cross
over it. The other pedestal is topped by the raven, who is about to carry
away the poisoned bread. In very small print above these pedestals are the
words: Crux s. patris Benedicti (The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict).
Underneath St. Benedict are the words: ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX (from
holy Monte Cassino, 1880).
Surrounding the entire face of the medal are the words: Eius in obitu
nostro praesentia muniamur (May we at our death be fortified by his
presence.)
Back of the Medal
In the arms of
the Cross are the initials C S S M L - N D S M D, which stand for the rhyme:
Crux sacra sit
mihi lux!
Nunquam draco sit mihi dux!
English:
The Holy Cross be my light;
Let not the dragon be my guide.
In the corners
of the Cross are C S P D, which stand for the same words found on the front
over the pedestals: Crux s. patris Benedicti (The Cross of our Holy Father
Benedict).
Above the Cross is the word "Pax" (Peace), the Benedictine motto.
Surrounding the entire back of the medal are the initials to the words of
the exorcism: V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B, which stand for the rhyme:
Vade retro Satana!
Nunquam suade mihi vana!
Sunt mala quae libas.
Ipse venena bibas!
English:
Begone, Satan,
Do not suggest to me thy vanities!
Evil are the things thou profferest,
Drink thou thy own poison!
Wearing the Medal
First, note that
the above information pertains to the Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict. There
are, though, other St. Benedict Medals that are almost exactly like the above,
but lack "Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur (May we at our
death be fortified by his presence.)" and "ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX"
(from holy Monte Cassino, 1880). Either type, though, is indulgenced, and
they are used the same way.
The medal is sometimes combined with a Crucifix
-- a regular Crucifix, often inlaid and ornate, with the St. Benedict Medal
behind Christ's Head (examples below from
Catholic Shopper).
This Crucifix is known as "The Cross of a Happy Death" not only because of
the exorcizing properties of the Medal and the image of Christ's Body, but
because of St. Benedict's particular patronage based on his death. Pope St.
Gregory the Great (A.D. ca. 540-604) describes his passing in his
Dialogue:
Six days before
he left this world he gave orders to have his sepulchre opened, and forthwith
falling into an ague, he began with burning heat to wax faint; and when as
the sickness daily increased, upon the sixth day he commanded his monks to
carry him into the oratory, where he did arm himself receiving the Body and
Blood of our Saviour Christ; and having his weak body holden up betwixt the
hands of his disciples, he stood with his own hands lifted up to heaven;
and as he was in that manner praying, he gave up the ghost.
A plenary
indulgence is granted under the usual conditions
to one who, at the hour of his death, kisses, touches, or otherwise reverences
the Crucifix, and commends his soul to God.
 
Most people wear
the Medal around their necks; some bury it in the foundations of buildings
in order to bless them, hang them in their homes, or keep them in their car.
When used in specific circumstances for a specific effect, such as when placed
against a sick part of the body for healing, one should pray 6 Glorias, 6
Aves, and 6 Paters.
When you get your St. Benedict Medal (on a Crucifix or not), take it to a
priest to be blessed using the following words of the Roman Ritual. Any priest
may do this.
Blessing of the Medal of St. Benedict
Priest: |
Our help is
in the name of the Lord. |
| Response: |
Who made heaven
and earth. |
Priest: |
In the name
of God the Father + Almighty, Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all
that is in them, I exorcise these medals against the power and attacks of
the evil one. May all who use these medals devoutly be blessed with health
of soul and body. In the name of the Father + Almighty, of His Son + Jesus
Christ our Lord, and of the Holy + Spirit the Paraclete, and in the love
of the same Lord Jesus Christ Who will come on the last day to judge the
living and the dead. |
| Response: |
Amen. |
Priest: |
Let us pray.
Almighty God, the boundless Source of all good things, we humbly ask that,
through the intercession of St. Benedict, Thou pourest out Thy blessings
+ upon these medals. May those who use them devoutly and earnestly strive
to perform goods works be blessed by Thee with health of soul and body, the
grace of a holy death, and remission of temporal punishment due to sin. May
they also, with the help of Thy merciful love, resist the temptations of
the evil one and strive to exercise true charity and justice toward all,
so that one day they may appear sinless and holy in Thy sight. This we ask
through Christ our Lord. |
| Response: |
Amen. |
The medals are
then sprinkled with holy water. |
The Blessing
of St. Maurus
There is also a
formal, priestly blessing offered to the sick -- the Blessing of St. Maurus
-- that requires either a relic of the True Cross or the St. Benedict Medal.
St. Maurus was a disciple of St. Benedict, and his defender against those
who persecuted him. Pope St. Gregory the Great described him as a model of
religious virtue, especially obedience. The form of the blessing of the sick
is as follows:
| Before the blessing is imparted, the relic of the true Cross of our
Lord or the medal of St. Benedict is exposed, at least two candles having
been lit. Acts of contrition and firm confidence should then be excited in
the sick person, so that through the merits and intercession of St. Benedict
and St. Maurus, if it should please God, health may be obtained. Three Our
Fathers, Hail Marys and Glory be's are recited in honor of the Blessed Trinity.
Then a priest of the Order of St. Benedict, or any priest delegated, having
put on a red stole, and with his right hand holding up the relic of the Sacred
Cross or the medal of St. Benedict before the sick person, says the following
prayers: |
V. |
Benediction
and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to
our God forever and ever. |
R. |
Amen. |
V. |
My foot has
stood in the direct way. |
R. |
In the churches
I will bless You, O Lord. |
Invocation |
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Through the
invocation of the most holy name of the Lord may that faith, in which St.
Maurus, by employing the words that follow, healed the sick, and in which
I, though an unworthy sinner, utter the selfsame words, restore your health
as you desire:
In the name of the most holy and undivided Trinity and supported by the merits
of the most holy Father Benedict, I bid you, N., to rise, stand upon your
feet and be cured, in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the
Holy Spirit. |
R. |
Amen. |
| Antiphon: |
Surely He has
borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: by His bruises we are healed.
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V. |
He that forgives
the iniquities of his creatures. |
R. |
May He heal
your infirmities. |
V. |
O Lord, hear
my prayer. |
R. |
And let my
cry come to You. |
V. |
The Lord be
with you. |
R. |
And with your
spirit. |
V. |
Let us pray
O God, the Creator, of all things, You ordained that Your only Son should
take flesh of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit for the restoration
of your people and You deigned to heal the wounds and infirmities of our
souls by the redemption accomplished upon the sacred and glorious wood of
the life-giving Cross: do You also vouchsafe through this powerful sign to
restore health to Your servant N. Through the same Christ our Lord. |
R. |
Amen. |
V. |
Let us pray
Lord Jesus Christ, You conferred upon the master, blessed Benedict, the privilege
of obtaining from You whatsoever he might ask in Your name: vouchsafe, through
his intercession, to heal all the infirmities of this Your servant: in order
that, being restored to health, he (she) may give thanks to Your holy name.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and
ever. |
R. |
Amen. |
The
Blessing |
V. |
Through the
invocation of the Immaculate Mother of God and ever Virgin Mary, and the
intercession of Saints Benedict and Maurus, may the Power + of God the Father,
the Wisdom + of God the Son, and the Strength + of the Holy Spirit free you
from your infirmities. Amen.
May God's holy will be done, and may it be done to you as you wish and pray,
for the praise and honor of the most holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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The priest then
blesses the sick person with the relic of the Cross or the medal of St. Benedict
saying: |
V. |
May the blessing
of Almighty God, of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit descend
upon you and abide with you forever. |
R. |
Amen. |
The sick person
then kisses the relic or the medal of St. Benedict. |
This blessing, if need be, may be repeated three times; also three votive
Masses may be celebrated, namely in honor of the Passion, of St. Maurus,
Abbot, and for the Poor Souls; otherwise the fifteen decades of the Rosary
of the Blessed Virgin Mary are to be prayed according to the aforesaid intentions
by the sick person, or by others in the person's name.
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