In view of this anniversary[1], we offer a pastoral and devotional outline to prepare ourselves spiritually, rediscovering the meaning of that sign and committing ourselves to a journey of prayer and community charity. The tone is familiar and inspirational: Mary, our Mother, invites us once again to approach her Son with confidence, following in the footsteps of St Vincent de Paul and the Vincentian saints.
Historical notes: the apparition on Rue du Bac and the birth of the Medal
Representation of the Miraculous Medal (front and back) according to the model shown by Our Lady to Saint Catherine Labouré in 1830. The inscription reads: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee,” and summarises the Marian message.
The history of the Miraculous Medal begins on the night between 18 and 19 July 1830, in Paris. On that date, the young Catherine Labouré, a novice of the Daughters of Charity, unexpectedly received the grace of seeing the Virgin Mary in the chapel of Rue du Bac. It was the first of three apparitions that took place between July and December of that year[2][3]. During these encounters, Mary entrusted Catherine with an important mission: to spread a sign of her maternal love and God’s grace. In particular, on the evening of 27 November 1830 – the date that would later become the liturgical feast day – Catherine, during community meditation, had a vision of the Immaculate Virgin “standing on a globe, with her arms outstretched from which rays of light emanated”[4]. An oval halo formed around the figure with the famous invocation “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you”[5]. Immediately afterwards, the vision also showed the back of what appeared to be a medal: a cross intertwined with the letter M, the images of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and twelve stars around it[6]. Mary herself asks Catherine to “have a medal struck according to that model,” promising that “all who wear it with faith will receive great graces”[7][8]. This detail makes the Miraculous Medal unique: it is the only Marian medal designed and requested directly by the Virgin during an apparition[9].
Faithful to the instructions received, in the following two years Father Jean-Marie Aladel (Catherine’s spiritual director) had the first medals minted. In February 1832, a violent cholera epidemic broke out in Paris (over 20,000 victims); the Daughters of Charity began distributing 2,000 medals to the sick and poor, and immediately there were many miraculous healings, protections and unexpected conversions. The people of Paris, seeing these extraordinary benefits, began to call this small object the “Miraculous Medal“. Within a few years, devotion spread enormously: by the autumn of 1834, over 500,000 medals were in circulation; a few years later, there were millions throughout the world. Sister Catherine Labouré, who had humbly kept the secret of the apparitions throughout her life, saw the mission entrusted to her by Our Lady fulfilled. Only after her death (in 1876) was it known that she was the visionary of Rue du Bac; Catherine was proclaimed a saint by Pius XII in 1947[12]. Meanwhile, the Church officially recognised the validity of this Marian manifestation: in 1894, Pope Leo XIII extended the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to the Vincentian Family on 27 November, thus confirming the spiritual importance of what had happened in Rue du Bac[1].
The spiritual significance of the Medal in the Vincentian and Marian tradition
The small Miraculous Medal is not a simple optional devotion, but carries with it a profound spiritual message, in full harmony with the Marian tradition of the Church and with the Vincentian charism. In that sign chosen by Heaven, at least three central aspects of the faith can be grasped:
- Mary Immaculate and Mediatrix of Grace: The Virgin revealed the prayer engraved on the medal before the Church defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception (1854). With the words “O Mary conceived without sin…”, Mary proclaims her identity as “all pure” from the first moment of her life. From this privilege (due to the merits of Christ her Son) derives her power of intercession on our behalf. Mary’s open hands, from which rays of light descend in the vision, symbolise the graces she obtains from God for those who ask her for them[15]. However, some rays remain obscured: these are, Our Lady explained, the graces that no one asks for[15]. It is a strong invitation to approach Mary with confidence, invoking her maternal help in every need. How many times, in these two centuries, have the faithful throughout the world prayed with that ejaculation, experiencing comfort, protection and even miracles! Mary herself continues to obtain from God the graces symbolised by those rays of light; the only condition she asks of us is that we approach her with the simple and courageous trust of children[14]. She then leads us to Jesus: “Have a medal struck… graces will be abundant for all those who wear it with confidence,” she told Catherine[16]. Even today, through this sign, Our Lady repeats to us that nothing is impossible for God and that those who pray with faith will not be disappointed.
- Vocation to holiness and charity: The Medal shows on the reverse side the letter M intertwined with the Cross of Christ – a sign that Mary is indissolubly united to the redemptive sacrifice of her Son – and below it the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, one crowned with thorns and the other pierced by a sword. It is a powerful silent catechesis: Mary is intimately associated with the work of Redemption, her Immaculate Heart shares the sufferings of the Heart of Jesus for the salvation of the world[17]. Contemplating this truth, we are spurred on to unite our lives with that of Christ, offering sacrifices and works of love for the good of our neighbour. In the Vincentian tradition, love for Christ “by serving the poor” is fundamental: Saint Vincent de Paul taught that true devotion consists in doing God’s will in works, and Mary Most Holy is the perfect model of this active charity. It is no coincidence that Our Lady appeared to a humble and hard-working Daughter of Charity, as if to indicate that this gift is not only an individual spiritual help, but an impulse to serve others. From the very first apparition, Mary also entrusted Sister Catherine with a concrete task: to found a confraternity of young people, the Daughters of Mary, to form girls in the Christian spirit[18]. From that indication, the Vincentian Marian Youth was born, which is still present today in many countries. Thus, the Miraculous Medal is also directly linked to a fruit of community apostolate: under Mary’s gaze, young people learn to love God and the poor. Wearing the Medal therefore means accepting the message of the Gospel: remembering to pray and to act with love. As St John Paul II said during his visit to the Chapel of Rue du Bac, Mary obtains every grace from God for us, but “she demands that we approach her with the trust and simplicity of a child,“ living as true children of God, consistent in faith and charity.
- Mary, “Missionary Virgin” in the Vincentian Family: The Virgin of the Miraculous Medal possesses, so to speak, a very special missionary spirit. This was emphasised by Fr Tomaž Mavrič, current Superior General of the Vincentians, who called her the “Missionary Virgin”[19]. He observes that Jesus himself sends Mary on a universal mission: “Mary is sent by Jesus to humanity, to each one of us… a worldwide mission that will continue until the end of time. Mary is a missionary in every sense of the word!”[20]. Through the simple Medal, Our Lady reaches hearts that would otherwise be inaccessible: how many people far from the faith have opened themselves to God thanks to this sign! Mavrič notes that Mary received from Christ “the gift of opening the doors of hearts that are completely closed… Hearts wounded by inner or physical suffering… Hearts cold towards all that is spiritual”[21]. Even in the most difficult places and times, Our Lady of the Medal finds a way to console and convert. Already in the past, in times of persecution (such as during the Soviet regime in Russia), Vincentian missionaries witnessed the mysterious effectiveness of this sacramental in keeping the faith alive[22][23]. Giving the Medal to others, or wearing it visibly, means accepting that we ourselves are missionaries: it means becoming instruments through which Mary “visits” people, bringing help, support and evangelical light[24]. In this way, writes Fr Mavrič, “we help Our Lady to reach people’s hearts, opening doors to which only she has the keys”[25]. What a joy and responsibility it is to know that, as members of the Vincentian Family, we have Mary Immaculate as our first collaborator and support in our mission! “The members of the Vincentian Family are called to participate in the mission of Jesus because they have in the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal their principal collaborator, guide and missionary model”[26] – thus encourages us the Superior General. Let us therefore always wear the Holy Medal with faith and invoke Mary often with her ejaculation: let us trust in her maternal help, let us never separate ourselves from it!
Finally, it should be remembered that Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is venerated as Mother and Patroness within the great Vincentian Family. The Chapel of Rue du Bac is still a centre of living spirituality, a destination for continuous pilgrimages. The Company of the Daughters of Charity guards that holy place and keeps the lamp of this Marian devotion burning. The Popes have also shown special affection: St John Paul II visited the Chapel in 1980, and on 11 November 2020, Pope Francis blessed a travelling statue of the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal to begin an extraordinary Marian pilgrimage through Italy. This initiative, promoted for the 190th anniversary of the apparitions, was conceived as “a sign of the closeness of Mary, Mother of the Church, to the people wounded by the pandemic.” Once again, Mary went out to meet her suffering children to bring them hope. This confirms that the message of the Miraculous Medal is more relevant than ever: “I am with you, have confidence, God’s graces will not fail.” It is up to us to welcome and spread this message, with the same spirit of charity as St Catherine Labouré and St Vincent.
Towards the feast of 27th November: suggestions for spiritual preparation
How can we prepare ourselves, in practical terms, to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal? Here are some practical suggestions for the weeks and days leading up to 27 November, suitable for families, parishes, Vincentian groups or individual faithful who wish to draw on this spiritual wealth:
- Novena of prayer (18–26 November): A novena is the traditional way of preparing the mind and heart for a great feast. Fr Mavrič also reminds us that “nine days of preparation help us to focus our minds and hearts on Mary… We will be better prepared for the celebration on 27 November and will receive greater spiritual fruits”[30]. It is therefore recommended to recite the prayers of the Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (according to Vincentian tradition) for nine consecutive days until the eve of the feast. An authoritative example is the novena proposed by the Chapel of Rue du Bac itself, which begins with these words: “O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God and our Mother, with the most lively confidence in your powerful intercession, so often manifested through your Medal, we humbly beg you to obtain for us the graces we ask for with this novena…”[31]. We can recite this supplication every day, together with meditations on the messages of the apparitions and the Rosary. During the novena, it is also recommended to approach the sacraments: to attend daily Mass whenever possible and to go to confession, in order to prepare the heart worthily.[32] Many Vincentian parishes celebrate the novena as a community; if this is not possible, it can be prayed in the family or individually. The important thing is to do so “with the sentiments of St Catherine Labouré” – that is, with her same trusting love for Mary[33].
- Eucharistic adoration and silent prayer: Mary always leads us to Jesus. A beautiful way to honour her, therefore, is to pause in adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist during this period of preparation. A special hour of adoration in honour of Mary could be organised in the parish or community, meditating on her virtues (for example, her faith, her openness to God’s plan, her compassion at the foot of the Cross). We recall that in the first apparition, Our Lady invited Catherine to kneel at the foot of the altar and confide all her sorrows and requests to Jesus[34]. We too, in church before the Tabernacle, can do the same: Mary herself will be spiritually with us, praying to her Son for our intentions. Another suggested gesture is to light a candle before an image of the Miraculous Virgin, as a sign of our prayer burning with confidence.
- Meditated Holy Rosary: The Rosary has always been the Marian prayer par excellence, loved also by St Vincent. During the days leading up to 27th November, we can commit ourselves to reciting the Holy Rosary daily, perhaps meditating in particular on the mysteries of joy and light, which so closely reflect the Marian spirituality of the Medal (Mary Immaculate, Mother of Christ, visiting her cousin Elizabeth bringing joy, interceding at Cana, receiving the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room…). There are also special “Marian-Vincentian” meditations: for example, offering each decade of the rosary for a category of people in need (the sick, the poor, the lonely, children, missionaries, etc.), asking for the protection of Our Lady for all. The Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse in Paris suggests that pilgrims pray with these universal intentions, making the rosary a moment of spiritual charity. Each rosary can be concluded with the ejaculatory prayer of the Medal (repeated three times) and with the “Salve Regina”, entrusting every need to the Virgin.
- Charity work and service to the poor: Preparing for the feast by engaging in charity is perhaps the most pleasing way to Our Lady, because – as St Vincent liked to say – ‘Loving God and neighbour are two flames of the same fire‘. In concrete terms, we can choose a gesture of love towards our neighbour to perform during these days in honour of Mary: a visit to a sick or elderly person living alone, material help to a family in difficulty, a gesture of fraternal attention towards those who suffer near us. Involving young people in an act of solidarity (a food drive, a service to the homeless, etc.) could also be an excellent way to live the Vincentian charism in preparation for the feast. Mary herself, appearing in 1830, showed that she cared deeply about the fate of a people afflicted by wars, epidemics and poverty. Her message is always imbued with concrete charity: “Love one another, help your brothers and sisters.” There is no authentic devotion without love of neighbour: therefore, let us ask the Virgin for the grace of a compassionate heart and translate our prayer into small acts of daily mercy.
- Community celebrations and Marian devotions: In the period immediately preceding the feast, many communities offer celebrations that we can take advantage of. For example, a triduum of preparation (the three days from 24 to 26 November) can be organised in the church or chapel: every evening, the Rosary and Holy Mass are recited with a brief Marian reflection, perhaps led by a Vincentian priest or a Daughter of Charity. This is common practice in Vincentian houses: for example, in Cagliari, at the chapel of the Daughters of Charity, a triduum with Rosary and Mass is held annually in the days leading up to the feast, and on 27th November, a solemn Mass is celebrated with the entrustment to Our Lady and the presentation of the Miraculous Medal to the faithful[36]. Where possible, let us participate! It will be wonderful to join our spiritual family on the evening of the 27th to praise Mary. In some places, a Marian procession or a prayer vigil can also be organised on the eve, carrying an image of Our Lady of Miracles through the streets of the neighbourhood or inside the church with traditional Marian songs (such as the hymn ‘O Mary conceived without sin’). Another touching moment can be the rite of the Imposition of the Medal: Vincentian priests often bless and impose the medal on the necks of new members of the Association or on children and young people who wish to begin this devotion. Even those who already wear it can renew their act of consecration to Mary on that occasion. Finally, let us not forget the Solemn Supplication to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal: many communities recite it on 27th November at 5 p.m. (the hour of the apparition), joining spiritually with the Chapel of Rue du Bac. We can find the text of the Supplication from official sources (e.g., medagliamiracolosa.it or Vincentian publications) and recite it in union of purpose, asking for special graces for the Church and the world.
In conclusion, let us all approach this Marian feast with docile and open hearts. Mary is reaching out to us, eager to fill us with the rays of her graces. Let us approach her with the simplicity of children, confident that she will obtain from God the blessings we need for our journey. It will be a special opportunity to renew our filial devotion and to receive the “grace of the Miraculous Medal,” that is, the special graces that Our Lady wants to give us. Let us therefore prepare ourselves spiritually, in prayer and charity, so that on 27 November our communities – and our hearts – may be a celebration of light and gratitude. Like Saint Catherine Labouré, we too can experience the sweetness of Mary’s presence and cherish her words: “I will be with you, have confidence.” May Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal intercede for the entire Vincentian Family and obtain for us a renewed outpouring of God’s love, to be shared with every brother and sister we meet on our journey. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you!
Sources: Congregation of the Mission – Vincentians (vincentians.it, cmglobal.org); Vincentian Family – Famvin.org; Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Paris; Vatican (vaticannews.va); ACI Stampa; Writings of St Catherine Labouré. Vatican (vaticannews.va)[29]; ACI Stampa[28]; Writings of St Catherine Labouré[5][8].
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[17] Prayer corner | Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
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[19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [30] [40] [41] Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Missionary Virgin – FAMVIN NewsIT
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