St. Benedict Medal and a Prayer
St. Benedict Medal and a Prayer
The medal is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, a prayer for strength in time of temptation, a prayer for peace among ourselves and among the nations of the world, a prayer that the Cross of Christ be our light and guide, a prayer of firm rejection of all that is evil, a prayer of petition that we may with Christian courage ‘walk in God’s ways, with the Gospel as our guide,’ as St. Benedict urges us.
— The Order of St. Benedict
July 11 is the feast of St. Benedict of Nursia. His patronage is vast, offering protection against poison, witchcraft, kidney disease, fevers, and temptations. He is patron saint of dying people, monks, people of religious orders, Europe, and spelunkers, to name a few.
So why wear a St. Benedict medal?
Half the battle with prayer is keeping it at the forefront of our easily distracted minds. Thankfully, this medal is a prayer itself.
The front is inspired by the Rule of St. Benedict: "walk in God's ways, with the Gospel as our guide." On the margin of the medal, encircling the figure of Benedict, are the Latin words: Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur! (May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death!).
On the back of the medal, the cross is dominant. On the arms of the cross are the initial letters of a rhythmic Latin prayer: Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Nunquam draco sit mihi dux! (May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide!).
On both the front and the back corners of the cross, the letters C S P B stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti (The cross of our holy father Benedict).
In a world that’s competing for our attention, we love the fact that a piece of jewelry around our necks can remind us that there’s more going on than what we see—it is a reminder of God’s constant presence in our daily lives.