The St. Benedict Medal - Everything You Need to Know

As one of the great early saints and the Father of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict of Nursia has left an indelible legacy on the Catholic Church. His intercession is often invoked through the use of the St. Benedict medal, one of the most popular Catholic sacramentals used today. Read on to learn more about St. Benedict and his medal!

Life of Saint Benedict of Nursia

St. Benedict was born into a wealthy family north of Rome in 480, but gave up his studies and life of comfort to purify his soul and live in conformity with God's will. As a young man of twenty and appalled by the degeneracy of his schoolmates, he became a hermit, hoping to root out vice within himself.

After living in a cave for three years, he went on to establish twelve small monasteries. However, his crowning achievement was his establishment of a monastery in Monte Cassino. Here, instead of small, loosely associated groups of hermits, men could live out their religious calling in true community. Binding them together was St. Benedict's Rule - standards and guidelines for daily life in the monastery.

The monastery at Monte Cassino and the Rule of St. Benedict began the Western Church's proud history of monasticism, and Benedict has rightly been titled the Father of Western Monasticism.

Read more about St. Benedict and his legacy.

The Jubilee Medal of Montecassino

The popular St. Benedict medal of today is more formally known as the Jubilee Medal of Montecassino. Though the different features of the medal (which are explained below) had been used in various medals honoring St. Benedict throughout the centuries, they were formally incorporated in one design in the Jubilee Medal of 1880, cast under the direction of the monks of Montecassino, Italy to commemorate the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedict. It is this St. Benedict medal that is so ubiquitous throughout the Catholic world today and is endowed with special protection against Satan through the intercession of St. Benedict.

Front of Medal

The front of the St. Benedict medal shows a figure of St. Benedict himself, holding a cross in his right hand and his monastic rule in in his left hand. The cross symbolizes not only Christ's triumph over death but also the Benedictines' tireless evangelization work, particularly in the sixth through tenth centuries. He is holding the cross over a goblet, representing the poisoned cup that some of Benedict's fellow monks offered him in an attempt to murder him; their attempt failed when Benedict did the sign of the cross over it. Similarly, the raven on his left side represents the raven who once disposed of a piece of poisoned bread meant for Benedict. 

Flanking St. Benedict are the Latin words Crux s. patris Benedicti, which means 'The Cross of our holy father Benedict.' Encircling the perimeter of the medal are the Latin words Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur, which means 'May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death.' Benedict reportedly died peacefully surrounded by his brother monks having just recently received Holy Communion and is therefore often invoked for intercession for a happy death.

Beneath St. Benedict reads ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX, meaning 'from holy Monte Cassino, 1880'. 

Back of Medal

The back of the St. Benedict medal shows many letters inscribed around the edge of the medal as well as on a cross in the center of the medal. The letters C S P B also appear, once again representing the Latin phrase for 'the Cross of our holy father Benedict.' The Latin word pax ('peace') adorns the top. 

Letters on cross

C S S M L - N D S M D

These letters stand for the Latin phrase Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, which means 'The Holy Cross be my light, let not the dragon be my guide.'

Letters around the perimeter

V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B

These letters stand for the Latin phrase Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana—Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas. This is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, meaning, 'Step back, Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities —evil are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison.'

How to use the Saint Benedict Medal

The St. Benedict medal can be attached to just about anything -  necklaces, bracelets, rosaries, crucifixes, even wind chimes (check out our St. Benedict page to see what we have in stock)! The medal is often put in the foundations of buildings and houses to protect it and its inhabitants. 

The St. Benedict medal has long been worn as an extra layer of protection against temptation and evil. As a sacramental, it should be used as a constant, visible reminder to us of God's love and protection and of St. Benedict's special intercession. The devil hates sacramentals, especially when blessed, and the St. Benedict medal in particular has been known to have a special protective power against him. However, we must be sure to not approach the medal superstitiously and assign it magical powers. Any protection it provides is a result of God's grace.

Frequently asked questions about the St. Benedict Medal

Where can I buy a blessed St. Benedict medal?

You can buy a St. Benedict medal from any Catholic gift store, including Amazing Grace Books and Gifts. However, they are likely to not be blessed.

The selling of blessed items is a nuanced matter in the Church. The general rule is that you cannot sell things that are blessed, as it could amount to simony. However, that would mean that a home that had been blessed could never be sold, or that you could never buy a blessed rosary from a garage sale. These situations are permitted; however, when sold, the item loses its blessing. Therefore, if you do buy a St. Benedict medal, new or used, you would have to get it blessed yourself. Most Catholic stores, like Amazing Grace Books and Gifts, do not sell previously blessed items. 

Who can bless St. Benedict medals?

A Catholic priest can bless your St. Benedict medal. The blessing for a St. Benedict medal is a more involved prayer than most sacramental blessings, as it is a special prayer of exorcism.

Do St. Benedict medals need to be blessed?

St. Benedict medals do not need to be blessed, but they absolutely should be! The blessing helps gives the medal its spiritual efficacy.

Why is the St. Benedict medal so powerful?

The St. Benedict medal has a long history of protection against evil, ultimately because it is a sign of the wearer's faith in God's dominion over Satan. When blessed with the special prayer, the medal, through the power of God and intercession of St. Benedict, bestows upon the wearer an extra layer of spiritual armor. Dom Gueranger, a Benedictine monk notable for reviving the Order after the French Revolution, considered the medal effective in:

1. asking for inner peace/spiritual healing;
2. asking peace between individuals or between nations of the world;
3. curing bodily afflictions especially as protection against contagious diseases;
4. destroying the effects of witchcraft and all other diabolical and haunting influences;
5. healing those who are suffering from wounds or illness;
6. obtaining the conversion of sinners, especially when they are in danger of death;
7. offering protection against storms and lightning;
8. protecting children from nightmares;
9. protecting a mother and her children during childbirth;
10. protecting animals infected with plague or other maladies;
11. protecting fields infested by harmful insects;
12. protecting or otherwise counter the effects of poison;
13. protecting those persons who are tempted, deluded or tormented by evil spirits.

What do the letters on the St. Benedict medal mean?

The letters on the cross on the back of the medal (C S S M L - N D S M D) stand for the Latin phrase Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, which means 'The Holy Cross be my light, let not the dragon be my guide.'

The letters around the perimeter of the back of the medal (V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B) stand for the Latin phrase Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana—Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas. This is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, meaning, 'Step back, Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities —evil are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison.'

The letters C S P B also appear on the back, representing the Latin phrase for 'the Cross of our holy father Benedict.'

How do I wear the St. Benedict medal?

You can wear the medal on a necklace chain or bracelet, or attach it to nearly anything, especially a rosary. The medal is also often affixed to a crucifix behind Jesus' head; this type of crucifix is called the 'Cross of a Happy Death', and a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, is given to the person who reverences the cross at the hour of his death.