The History of the Miraculous Medal

A symbol that speaks to the heart

Today at Eredi Jovon we're talking to you about a simple and powerful symbol: the Miraculous Madonna Medal.

For some it is a memory to keep close to the heart.

For others it is a companion in the most difficult days.

For many it is a sign of trust, a small light that accompanies the journey and warms the silent steps of the day.

This little gem captures the idea of a maternal presence that supports, listens, and consoles. She doesn't demand words, she doesn't ask for explanations. It stays close, discreetly, like a caress that cannot be seen but can be felt. And this is precisely why many consider it a gesture of love to always carry with them: a fixed point, a promise of protection, a call to hope.

Where its history begins

Spirituality, signs and testimonies

Over the centuries, according to Catholic tradition, some people have experienced extraordinary encounters with Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or the Saints. These moments didn't just console those who experienced them, but often brought messages, guidance, and specific requests. Not grandiose announcements, but simple words, meant to guide and comfort an entire people.

The Catholic faith is profoundly interior. It lives in prayer, in silence, in the questions each of us carries within. Yet human beings, fragile and concrete, often feel the need for a tangible sign. Something they can touch, hold, carry close to their chest. Not to replace faith, but to support it. To remember that what cannot be seen can still be welcomed, protected, and supported.

This is why apparitions, over the centuries, have taken on a unique meaning. They are seen as moments in which divine love touches humanity, offering not just words, but gestures, images, and guidance. Moments that make visible what normally remains invisible and that change the lives of those who receive them.

The night that changed everything: Rue du Bac 1830

An encounter that has spanned the centuries. 

The history of the Miraculous Medal has its roots in Paris, on November 27, 1830. In the convent of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, at 140 Rue du Bac, a young novice of twenty-four, Catherine Labouré, was experiencing a silent and intense period of formation.

Catherine was reserved, devoted to prayer, and unwilling to be noticed. A humble girl, she sought the divine in the little things of life, never imagining that she would become the heart of one of the most widespread and comforting practices of the faith.

One autumn night, when all was quiet, a sudden flash illuminated her small space. Catherine saw a radiant child, who spoke to her naturally, as if he had known her forever. He was her guardian angel. He said to her: “The Holy Virgin awaits you.” And with a light step he led her through the dark corridors to the Chapel.

There, seated beside the altar, was the Virgin Mary. Catherine described her as a presence of indescribable sweetness, enveloped in a light unlike anything earthly. She approached her instinctively, kneeling and placing her hands on her knees. That moment remained for her the sweetest of her life. It was not a brief apparition, but a profound conversation, filled with affection and trust.

Saint Catherine Labouré and her mystical experiences

A calling that started as a child

Catherine Labouré didn't just experience this vision. She had already been touched by special experiences. At nine years old, she dreamed of Saint Vincent de Paul, who invited her to follow him into the Company of the Daughters of Charity. It was a dream that remained a seed in her heart until her vocational choice.

During her novitiate, she saw Jesus several times in the Eucharist, perceiving His presence beyond the appearance of the Bread. She also had a vision of Christ the King, crucified, without his royal ornaments, an image that deeply affected her.

Yet Catherine did not reveal these experiences during her life. She kept them a secret, like an intimate dialogue to be treasured. She shared them only before her death, with humility, as a testimony delivered to her confessor.

The second apparition: the birth of the Miraculous Medals

An image shown as a gift

The second apparition, which occurred on November 27th, 1830, is the one that defined the Miraculous Medal as we know it. The Virgin appeared to Catherine standing on a half-globe, symbolizing the earth. Beneath her feet was a serpent, an image of evil defeated. The Virgin's hands were adorned with rings set with precious stones, and rays of light emanated from each. Mary explained that these rays represented the graces that God bestows through her.

An oval frame appeared around the figure with the invocation:

“Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.”.

Catherine then saw the vision rotate: on the back appeared a large M intertwined with the Cross, resting on the letter I of Jesus. Below, the two Hearts: that of Jesus crowned with thorns and that of Mary pierced by a sword. Around it shone twelve stars, a reference to the universal Church and the biblical promises.

Mary asked Catherine to have a medal minted with this image and promised great graces to whoever would wear it with sincere trust.

The diffusion of the Medal

From the first testimonies to the whole world

Catherine initially encountered resistance. She was young, shy, and aware that her testimony might seem incredible. But eventually, she was listened to. The first 1,500 coins were minted in 1832. It was a year marked by a devastating cholera epidemic that struck Paris and caused over twenty thousand deaths.

The Daughters of Charity distributed the first medals to the sick and their families. Shortly thereafter, reports of sudden healings and profound conversions began to emerge. The population, amazed by these events, spontaneously began calling it "the miraculous medal".

The medal quickly became a widespread symbol. Millions of them were created, and devotion spread beyond France, reaching all of Europe and then the world. Even Popes like Gregory XVI and Pius IX brought it with them. Rue du Bac became a constant place of pilgrimage, still visited today.

Today, there are billions of reproductions of the Miraculous Medal in gold, silver, and simple metals. It remains one of the most widespread, beloved, and recognized Marian symbols.

The meanings of the Miraculous Medal

Miraculous, luminous, painful

Miraculous

The name was born from the first healings attributed to the medal during the cholera epidemic of 1832. Those testimonies, which quickly reached thousands of people, forever marked the history of devotion.

Luminous

The rays that descend from Mary's hands represent the graces she bestows on her children. It is the image of the Mother who intercedes, who guides, who supports, who brings light into the dark places of life.

Painful

On the back of the medal, the pierced hearts of Jesus and Mary tell the drama of love combined with sacrifice. Christ gives his life for humanity, and Mary shares his pain as a Mother who never abandons. It is a scene that speaks of compassion, fidelity, and redemption.

A Miraculous Medal to carry with you

A bond between devotion and Venetian craftsmanship

Those who wish to wear this symbol of light and protection can find on our website a medal made of 925 silver with 18-karat gold plating, the fruit of our Venetian artisan tradition. The figure of the Virgin with open arms recalls the protection that this devotion has brought with it since its inception. The invocation “Regina Sine Labe Originali Concepta O.P.N.” accompanies everyone who believes in her maternal presence.

It's a jewel designed to stay close to the heart, a silent companion in moments of joy and the most complex challenges. It combines spirituality, beauty, and Italian craftsmanship in a single symbol that spans generations.

A symbol that continues to speak

From the Chapel on Rue du Bac to the present day, the Miraculous Medal continues to be a sign of protection and hope. A small object born in silence, it still accompanies, consoles, and illuminates the path of those who wear it with trust.