The Virgin of the Miraculous Medal appeared for the first time on a day like today

The medal of the Immaculate Conception, the “Miraculous Medal”, celebrates a new anniversary. The origin of this object of piety is inspired by the revelations that the Blessed Virgin Mary made privately to Saint Catherine Labouré, a nun belonging to the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul.

The apparitions of the Mother of God took place in the city of Paris (France) when the first third of the 19th century was about to end.

A miracle on a silent summer night

On the night of July 18 to 19, 1830, a mysterious child appears in the room of Catherine Labouré, at that time a novice of the Daughters of Charity. The boy goes to the saint and asks her to go to the chapel.

Once in the chapel, surrounded by absolute silence, Catherine raises her gaze and comes face to face with the Virgin Mary. On her knees, she begins an intense conversation with the Mother of God.

The dialogue between the nun and the Virgin continues for hours, until the Immaculate Conception makes a gesture of saying goodbye. In that moment, Mary inspires in Catalina’s heart a special desire that she endorses with some sweet words: ‘My child, I am going to entrust you with a mission.'”

The thanks poured out

It was not until November 27 of the same year that the nun again had a vision of the Virgin. This time, Maria appears standing on what appears to be half of the globe, holding a small golden sphere in her hands and looking toward the sky.

In an instant, the Mother of God explains to Catherine that the sphere represents the world, and in particular France. Rays of light emerge from the Virgin’s fingers, adorned with jewels. These are, Mary continues, the graces that She obtains for those who ask for them; while some of the jewels do not shine and represent, the Virgin specifies, “the graces that are available, but that no one has asked for.”

“Mary, conceived without sin”

In a third apparition, the Virgin Mary shows Saint Catherine the inscription surrounding her heavenly figure: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who turn to You.”

Then, the Mother of God urges Catherine Labouré to mint a medal that reproduces what her eyes have seen and promises her that “those who wear (the medal) will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around their necks.” .

Maria, channel of all graces

Catalina Labouré tells her confessor about each of the apparitions, but it is not until shortly before dying that the seer reveals that the design of the medal of the Immaculate Conception had been revealed to her forty-seven years ago.

The first medals were minted in 1832, with due ecclesiastical approval. These were distributed throughout Paris. Devotion spreads quickly and thousands of favors and graces are granted through it. Thus, people begin to call it “the Miraculous Medal.”

Saint Catherine Labouré died in 1876 and Pope Pius XII declared her a saint in 1947. The festival of the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal is celebrated on November 27.

The Miraculous Medal

On the front of the Miraculous Medal appears the image of the Virgin Mary standing on the sphere of the world, as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Furthermore, she has the serpent that represents Satan under her foot. The Tempter has no power against Her.

On the back of the Medal there are twelve stars that symbolize the twelve Apostles and, therefore, the entire Church. The stars surround the letter “M”, which represents Mary, and from the letter a cross stands, which is Christ. Two hearts with flames of fire emerging from them appear side by side.

As already indicated, the history of the Miraculous Medal begins with the visions of Saint Catherine Labouré in 1830, when the Virgin shows her “the design” of what the Medal would be. It is a delicacy of God that the image to be minted was a direct reference to Mary conceived without sin: around two decades after these events the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary would be proclaimed in 1854.

In 1836, a canonical investigation into the visions of Saint Catherine Labouré took place with promising results. The Church declares that the apparitions of the Virgin are authentic.

Devotees and apostles

Not long ago, in 2020, Fr. Félix Álvarez CM (died in December of that same year), then national director of the Miraculous Medal Association, in statements to Alfa and Omegarecalled that the mission of the association is “above all, to promote the love of Mary through those most in need.”