The Meaning of the Miraculous Medal

The two sides of the Miraculous Medal convey two messages. The front presents the person of Mary. It shows Mary in the glory of her Immaculate Conception. She stands upon the globe, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent, to proclaim that Satan and all his followers are helpless before her. It shows her as intercessor, the rays of light from her hands symbolizing the gifts coming through her intercession to all who ask for them. Etched about the rim is the invocation composed by Mary herself, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.” The reverse of the medal shows Mary in relationship to us, the Church. There are no words there because, as Mary said to Sister Catherine, “The M and the two hearts express enough.” For they tell us that Mary is not only Queen and Intercessor, but also our mother who knows our sorrows and mother of our redeemer. For the love of God’s children his heart wears a crown of thorns and hers is pierced with a sword. We find her with Jesus her Son at the foot of the cross, as shown in the cross intertwined with the letter M. The twelve stars are a double reminder. They can refer to the apostles, who represent the entire church as it surrounds Mary. They may also be reminders of the stars in the vision of Saint John, in which a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” In this we can see Mary’s part in our salvation. She brings her children through the sorrows of earth to the bliss of heaven, where in the crown of the Queen they will shine like stars for all eternity.-Association of the Miraculous Medal. Perryville, Missouri