St Anne vs St Monica - Patron Saint of Mothers Smackdown!

So, I've been working a little in my online shop (Rosa Mystica Religious Medals) (shameless product placement!) and rearranging my medals and I'm wondering - who is thought of more as the patron saint of mothers:  St Monica or St Anne?  When it comes to antique religious medals, St Anne medals are much easier to find that St Monica medals.   In all my years of searching for medals, I've only found one antique St Monica, but quite a few St Annes. As for being patrons of mothers, I know that really they BOTH are patrons of moms, just for the sake of argument let take a look at both of them.

Here's the
Cliff Notes version of their lives:

St Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. Although they are not mentioned in the Bible, Catholic tradition states that Anne and her husband Joaquim had a difficult time conceiving a child. Like several old testament mothers, Anne was visited by an angel who told her that they would have a baby. She then promised to dedicate her child to God. In fulfillment of that vow, her daughter, Mary, was dedicated to the Lord in the temple in Jerusalem at age 3. Images of St Anne traditionally show her teaching Mary since there is a tradition that Mary was an educated young woman

St Monica was born in 330.  Although she was a Christian, she was married to Patricius, an older pagan man with a violent temper.  Their oldest child, Augustine, caused her a great deal of heartache with his wild living.  He joined a strange religious sect, lived with a wo
man out of wedlock, had a child with her, and led an immoral life.  Monica prayed for his conversion for 17 years, although she thought it was hopeless.  A priest eventually told her "It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish."  Augustine did convert and was baptized in 387.  Monica died later that year.  Augustine went on to become a great saint and doctor of the church.

Personally, I relate more to St Monica because after raising three teenagers, I know what it feels like to pray and pray and pray for a child and feel like the situation is hopeless.  Monica had to deal with a lot of problems that we still see in the modern world - her child making poor decisions that have serious consequences.

When I think of Anne, to be honest, I think "How hard could it have been to raise the Virgin Mary?" S
eriously! What I think was hard for Anne was the fact that she had to face the difficulty of not being able to get pregnant for years and then the heartache of giving her little girl over to the temple at age three.  She can relate to any mother who had trouble getting pregnant or who is separated from her child by death or distance.

So, being a mom definitely comes with heartache.  Monica had to deal with the heartache of presence - raising a child, setting an example, trying to do it all right only to see you child choose to do it all wrong.  Anne had to deal with the heartache of absence - giving her child over to God's plan and allowing Mary to live a life that was out of Anne's control.  But both must have had amazing trust in God in their difficulties.  And I'm sure both prayed for the best for their children - and ultimately that's what happened - the best thing that could have, which is always the fulfillment of God's plan in God's time.  (Now if I could just get past wanting my plan done in my own time....)

St Expedite - The Patron Saint of Procrastinators

April 19th is the feast day of St Expedite (or Expeditus), the patron saint of procrastinators.  No, I did not make that up!  There's a long tradition of praying to St Expedite for help in getting things done in a hurry simply because of his name.  Here's the definition from Websters: Expedite - To make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly.  He was a natural to be picked for those who "put off until tomorrow what can be done today."

It appears that his cult began in Europe, then spread to the US with the immigrant population.  Tradition says that he was a Roman centurion who was killed for his Christian faith, but the truth is hard to pin down and he may have been legendary. He's typically portrayed as a young Roman soldier holding a cross with the word "HODIE" (Latin for "today").  Beneath his foot is a crow calling out "CRAS" (Latin for "tomorrow".  Apparently Roman crows don't say "CAW".)  When St Expedite decided to convert to Christianity, the devil came to him in the form of a crow, calling out "Cras! Cras! Cras!" urging him to put off his conversion until tomorrow.  St Expedite crushed the crow under his foot and didn't delay his baptism.  It's easy to see how this story would make him popular for procrastinators!

An alternate beginning for St Expedite came from my mother-in-law in New Orleans who told me that a church there ordered several saint's statues and one crate holding a likeness of a Roman soldier was only marked "EXPEDITE" on the exterior of the box.  The priest at the church assumed this was the name of the saint and he was venerated accordingly.  Sort of like the movie "A Christmas Story" where Ralphie's dad gets a mysterious box labeled "FRAGILE".  Dad assumes the box is from Italy - it's marked "FRA-JEE-LAY"after all!  Ok, that's where the similarities end because a statue of St Expedite really isn't like a leg lamp, but I'm sure you get the picture.

If you're interested in a St Expedite medal to help you or your procrastinating friends out, please just click on this link to go to my Esty shop - Rosa Mystica - where I sell reproductions of antique religious medals.  

Don't put it off!  Do it now!

My Obsession with St Joan of Arc

I admit that I just can't get enough of St Joan of Arc.  She just seems to be such an awesome saint in so many ways!  The medal on the left is one of my favorites of her - but only one - I really every one that I've collected.

Here are just a few of the things that I think make her so cool:

• Heard heavenly voices from not just one saint, but three: St Michael the archangel, St Margaret of Antioch, and St Catherine of Alexandria.
• Picked the king of France, Charles VII, out of a crowd without ever having seen him before! (Nice try to trick our Saint, Charles, nice try....)
• Led an army at the age of 16.  (I was lucky to get my drivers license at 16.)
• Wore pants before it was allowed.  (Just because she could.)
• Had her own set of armor! (Useful for every girl who does battle.)
• Had her own battle flag. (Some days I need a battle flag.)
• Gave as good as she got from the judge at her trial in Rouen.  So good that they ultimately they could only sentenced her to death on the charge of wearing men's clothes instead of anything relating directly to heresy!  (Strange but true!)
• She totally rocked the pageboy haircut.

These are just a few of the reasons that I not only think of St Joan as the patron of France and soldiers, but of cool girls and strong women.  Please chime in with your comment if you agree!

The St Joan medal pictured above and two others are available in my Etsy shop.  Click here if you would like to take a look.  If you would like to learn more about St Joan of Arc, then click on this link to visit The History Channel.

The Miracle of the Blood of San Gennaro

I love miracles.  I mean I really LOVE them! I love learning about them, hearing about them, and on rare occasions, possibly witnessing one.
Today the congealed blood of San Gennaro (or St Januarius) liquified in response to the prayers of the faithful in the presence of Pope Francis.

San Gennaro was an early martyr of the church who was beheaded during the persecutions of the Emperor Diocletian around 350.  According to legend, a fellow Christian collected a bottle of his spilled blood, and it is this same blood that we see today in a sealed glass reliquary.  Every year on the first weekend of May, the blood is carried in procession to the cathedral of Naples and prayers are said for the intercession of St Gennaro.  In response his blood changes from a congealed black mass to to liquid red blood.  It typically happens every year and failure to do so is said to portend a misfortune for the city, for example,  the blood remained congealed in 1980

and an earthquake happened soon after, killing over 2000 people.

This antique medal is part of my personal collection and has a great detailed portrayal of St Gennaro.  I thought today was a perfect day to share it!

I enjoyed this article from The Vatican Insider about today's miracle, "The Blood of St Gennaro Liquifies in Francis' Presence" and thought this was an interesting article the The Catholic Herald about a priest's personal account of witnessing the miracle, The Day I Saw A Saint's Blood Become Liquid.

St Christopher - Patron Saint of Safe Driving

I purchased the original of the beautiful art nouveau St Christopher medal in from France.  So many people look to St Christopher for safety during travel - especially for teenagers and young adults!  And as mom to three young adults, I'm right there with you!

I like this medal because St Christopher is perched on the hood or a car, clearing the way of danger or trouble for the occupants.  Usually St Christopher is shown walking through water because in his legend, it was believed that he carried the Christ Child on his back across a deep river.  As he walked, the burden of the child grew heavier and heavier, it was only on reaching the far shore that Christopher discovered that his passenger was young Jesus himself and the weight he carried was the weight of our sins.

Is St Christopher really still a saint?  Absolutely!  His feast day was removed from the liturgical calendar because so little is known about him.  During early Christian times a saint might be made through popular acclamation rather than a formal canonization process, and that's how Christopher became a saint.  He is still the patron saint of travelers, lifeguards, and bachelors and many people celebrate his feast day today (July 24).

If you would like to see this medal in my shop, please click here:  Rosa Mystica Religious Medals

Happy Feast Day, St Blaise!

Today is the feast day of St Blaise.  I really love this feast day because it's when the priests perform "the blessing of the throats" at mass.

Why is St Blaise the patron of throat problems? It all goes back to an 8th century legend about the saint which describes how a mother brought her little son to St Blaise because he had a fish bone stuck in his throat and was about to die.  St Blaise blessed the boy's throat, the bone dislodged, and he was cured!

I relate to this story because I hate having a fish bone stuck in my throat.  It used to happen when I was little and my grandfather brought fish home for us to eat, but the last time it happened was in Brazil.  I was on a mission trip and on anight out I was chowing down on some Piranha soup.  (Yes the man-eating scary type of Piranha.) You might think it's not easy to choke on soup, but I did it - a fish bone from the Piranha lodged in my throat! Did I pray to St Blaise? I wish I could say that I did, but my first thought was - I need a piece of bread!  It finally dislodged and dinner went on, but I was done with the soup.

The way throats are blessed on the Feast of St Blaise works like this:  The priest might hold two candles in an open "X" formation (like a cross), or he might have a cool St Blaise candle made especially for this purpose.  (No, they are not lit, but that would inject an exciting element of danger to the whole proceeding.)
He puts the candles on either side of your neck and says

"Through the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness:  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

A St Thomas More Medal

I was just watching a history about Henry VIII, who is one of my favorite historical characters, (Well, favorite as in interesting - not admired!) and thought I would share this St Thomas More medal with you.

Thomas More was a lawyer, and one of Henry's closest advisers during his youth and the early days of his reign.  He ran afoul of the king when he refused to swear the Oath of Supremacy which recognize the king, not the pope, as the supreme head of the church in England.  Not only would he not swear to it, but being a rather smart guy, he wouldn't criticize it either!  He knew that if he agreed with the act, although he would save his life, he would go against his conscience and the teachings of the Catholic church.  If he spoke out against the act, he would lose his life, but guard his soul and conscience from harm.  Wanting to save both his body and his soul, he decided that the best route to take was silence.

Unfortunately for him, he was tricked into making a statement against the marriage (or perhaps perjury was committed about his words), but once his feeling were known, he didn't hold back on what he believed about the king's marriage, the supremacy of the pope and the Catholic church, and the importance of an individual's conscience.

Henry VIII had is old friend and advisor executed at the Tower of London on July 6, 1535.  His last words were "I die the king's good servant, but God's first."  He is the patron saint of lawyers.

This medal is available in my online shop:  Rosa Mystica

Feast of St Michael the Archangel

Since today is Sept. 29, the Feast Day of St Michael the Archangel, I wanted to share this beautiful medal with you.  It's a reproduction that I cast of a vintage medal in my collection.

The original dates from the World War II era and especially brings to mind the militaristic attributes of this warrior angel.  St Michael fought to cast Satan out of heaven, so he's not depicted as a wilting, delicate guy.  You would want this angel on your side in battle!  I love the strong bold lines used to depict him.

The symbolism on the medal also follows a military theme.  The star behind his head is not just any star, but the star that you would see on the shoulder of a general, and the wings are those of an air force pilot.

This medal is a great reminder that Jesus does not demand that we be passive and weak in acting out our love for him, but sometimes he demands that we act with strength to protect what is right and good.

You can see this medal along with other St Michael medals in my shop: Rosa Mystica Religious Medals

In the Mood for "Song of Bernadette"

 The title of this post says it all ~ I'm in the mood to watch one of my  favorite movies of all time: "The Song of Bernadette", so I'm showing a gorgeous medal from Lourdes, France.  It shows the Virgin Mary on the front, and Bernadette Soubirous kneeling before Mary on the back.  If you haven't seen the movie, it tells the story of St Bernadette Soubirous.  Here's the synopsis, and yes, the whole thing is a spoiler, but read it and watch the movie anyway.  It's awesome.

In 1858, in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young peasant girl who lived in complete poverty.

Bernadette always just referred to the beautiful vision as "aquero", meaning "that one" in her dialect.  When asked who she was, Mary said that she was the Immaculate Conception, Bernadette didn't even know what the words meant and had to repeat them to herself so she wouldn't forget before she told the priest!

Mary also asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to bathe and drink from a spring in the grotto. The problem was - there was no spring there!  Bernadette just dug at a muddy spot and rubbed mud on herself.  People thought she had gone nuts.  But after she left, a spring began to flow from the site.  Today that spring flows at a rate of 32,000 gallons a day!

The water from this spring has shown remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify, and people come from all over the world to bathe in it and pray at the there.  Lourdes has become the most famous modern shrine of Our Lady and is visited by over 6,000,000, not a typo - six million, people each year.

St Clare of Assisi ~ BFF of St Francis

Today is the feast day of that most awesome saint, Clare of Assisi, also known as Claire or Clair, and BFF (Best Friend Forever) of St Francis of Assisi. St Clare was called to the religious life at the age of 18 by St Francis himself after she heard him preach.  When St Francis began a woman's religious order that related to his own Franciscan order, he chose Clare to lead it.  This group became known as The Poor Clares  and St Clare was their abbess from 1215 to 1253 ~ almost 40 years.

This lovely little medal shows a miraculous event in the life of St Clare.  In 1243 the invading Saracen army of Emperor Frederick came to sack the town of Assisi.  St Clare's convent church of San Damiano was outside the walls of the town and made an excellent first target for the troops who hoped to carry off the riches of the church.

As the invaders approached the walls of the convent, St Clare, who was bedridden with illness, asked to be carried out to where she could be seen by the army.  She took a ciborium holding the blessed sacrament with her and held it in front of her while she prayed for the safety of the nuns.  In response she heard a small voice reply, "I will always have them in My care." The Saracens immediately stopped their attempts to enter the convent and fled the scene, leaving the sisters and the church compound untouched.

On the front of the medal you can see St Clare standing at the walls of the convent with the invaders climbing a ladder right in front of her.  She's holding the ciborium aloft while the sister behind her kneel in prayer.  The wall and towers of the town of Assisi can be seen in the background.  The motto around the edge is in French and translates as "St Clare Pray for Us".

This medal is only about 1/2 inch across.  It's amazing to me how much detail has been fit into such a tiny space!

St Clare was also known for spinning fine thread to be used in weaving articles needed by the church, making her the patron saint of needle workers, and could see the mass in progress projected on the wall of her cell while she was sick in bed, making her the patron saint of television.  

A Beautiful St Dominic Medal

Since yesterday was the feast day of St Dominic de Guzman, I wanted to feature one of his medals. This one, from France, is a little unusual because it shows the saint's portrait in profile.  St Dominic medals usually show him full body kneeling in prayer.

 He wears a beautiful detailed halo with a star on the top.  The Golden Legend (an ancient history of saints) states that at his baptism when his godmother held him over the font, she saw a star shining on his forehead that would illuminate the whole world.  Because of this, he is typically pictured with a star above him, and he has also become the patron saint of astronomers.

He wears the hooded robes of the Dominican order of monks, which he founded in 1215.  St Dominic is also frequently shown holding a rosary.  Legend states that the St Dominic was moved to create the rosary when he beheld a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Some scholars dispute this since the rosary did not become a popular devotion until the 15th century, but many believe that St Dominic definitely did encourage the use of some form of the rosary in his preaching and missionary work.

Around the edge the medal is inscribed "Saint Dominique P.P.N"  The name Dominic is given the French spelling, and the abbreviation "P.P.N" stands for "Priez Pour Nous" which means "Pray For Us".

Happy St Patrick's Day!

If I heard the homily correctly this morning, I understand that St Patrick was not Irish! I'm sure many people know that, but it still strikes me as funny.   Apparently he was was from Roman Britain, which today might be part of Scotland.

He was taken as a slave to Ireland when he was a teenager and while there turned to God and became a man of prayer.  After he escaped he went on to become a priest and then returned to Ireland to share the faith with his former captors.

I cast this St Patrick medal from an antique medal that came from France.  The original had been worn and rubbed so much that St Patrick's face had been worn smooth, and you can see that in this casting.  I love worn medals because it's like someone who owned the medal before you is showing you their faith.

Did St Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland?  Well, yes and no.  Ireland never had snakes of the reptilian kind, but symbolically  snakes represent evil and sin in the world.  So you might say that St Patrick drove the "snakes" of pagan worship and traditions out of Ireland and replaced them with the Catholic Christian faith.

I hope you have a Happy St Patrick's day!

St Mary Magdalen Medal

Today, July 22, is the feast day of St Mary Magdalene, that famous, and some would say infamous, woman of the new testament who was a follower of Jesus.  I've always been confused as to whom exactly Mary of Magdalene was - or more to the point - which Marys were the Magdalene.

We know clearly from the gospels that Jesus cast out seven demons from her (Lk 8:1-3), she stood at the foot of the cross (Mk 15:40, Mt 27:56 and Jn 19:25), and was present at Christ's burial and the first witness to the resurrection (Jn 20:1-18).  But was she also the penitent woman who poured precious oil on Christ's feet and then wiped them with her hair (Lk 7:36-50)? And was she also the sister of Martha and Lazarus who sat listening at Christ's feet while Martha prepared the meal (Lk 10:38-42)?  I found an interesting article written by Fr William Saunders of The Catholic Education Resource Center that makes an excellent case to prove that they were indeed the same person!  I love it when a mystery is cleared up for me!

But I digress, back to this beautiful medal.  It shows St Mary Magdalen gazing reverently upon a cross.  Frequently these medals will also show her looking at a skull or with a skull at her feet.  The cross and skull are "memento mori", objects that one would contemplate to reflect upon the fleeting aspect of life's pleasures, the ultimate end of life, repentance, and immortality.  But the skull and cross are only two of St Mary Magdalene's attributes in art.  She is also frequently shown holding a jar or covered chalice containing the oil she poured on Christ's feet.  She may also be recognized by her long flowing hair, reminding us of how she used it to wipe the oil from Christ's feet at the home of Simon the leper (Lk 7:36-50).

Many antique religious medals from France that feature St Mary Magdalen won't show the saint's name, but will have the words "Sainte Baume" written on them.  This refers to the medieval church of Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume that claims to have the remains of St Mary Magdalen in a reliquary there.  French tradition holds that Mary Magdalen fled to France to escape persecution along with two other followers of Christ named Mary and Joseph of Arimathea.  There's an entirely different medal made to commemorate that story that you can read about in one of my previous posts: The Holy Maries of the Sea.

You can learn more about this medal by looking at the marks on its ring.  On the left is a raised square mark signifying that the medal is plated in sterling silver.  The center mark is in the shape of a little crab.  This is a French "small guarantee" mark, or "petit poinçon", that was stamped all all small French silver items from 1838 until 1972.  It guarantees that the medal is at least .800 silver (80% silver).  The third mark is the maker's mark which looks like the letters A and C with a sword or cross between them set in a sideways diamond.  It represents the workshop of the artist who created the medal.

St Mary Magdalen is the patron saint of repentants sinners, Catholic converts, glove makers, pharmacists, perfume makers, and against sexual temptation.  She was NOT Jesus' wife or girlfriend, the mother of Jesus' child, or the mother of an ancient royal dynasty.  There's a reason the book "The DaVinci Code" can be found in the fiction section of your local library....

St Anthony Medal

I wanted to take a minute to share this gorgeous St Anthony medal.  I love gold depiction of St Anthony that's set in the silver framework.
I would date this piece to the 1920's or 1930's because of the use of marcasite in the decoration.  Marcasite was very popular during this time and was used to give an inexpensive sparkle to jewelry.  It was even called "the poor man's diamond"!
Among other things, St Anthony is well-know for his divine assistance in finding missing items.  I admit to using the rhyme
"Holy Tony come on down,
Something's lost and can't be found!"
on more than one occasion!
If you would like to see more views of this medal, please visit my shop, Rosa Mystica.

Happy Feast Day of St Joseph!

St Joseph's expression on this medal is wonderful - serious but loving, and the baby Jesus is held in his arms.  St Joseph holds his walking staff which has burst into bloom with lilies.  Legend says that his blooming staff was the sign that he was chosen by God to be the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The lilies also represent the virtue of chastity as represented by St Joseph.

The inscription is in Latin and reads "Sancte Joseph Ora Pro Nobis" or "St Joseph Pray for Us".  St Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, workers, carpenters, and a happy death.  Why happy death?  Because we assume that when he died he had Jesus on one side and Mary on the other - there couldn't be any better way to go!

St Barbara, Protect Us In Storms

I gave this vintage St Barbara medal to my daughter, who is a student at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, after she made it home after the devastating tornadoes there.  She went to the basement of the library, so she was fine, but my heart breaks today for the people of Joplin, MO and everyone who lost loved ones in Tuscaloosa.


Hence, here's St Barbara - patron of those who need protection in storms.  St Barbara was imprisoned in a tower by her father for her disobedience.  While in the tower, she was converted to Christianity.  When her father found out, he dragged her from the tower and killed her.  In a moment of divine retribution, he was immediately struck by a bolt of lightning and killed himself!  The avenging of her death by lightning led to her association with storms and protecting those who are endangered by them.

I'm back and I've brought Joan of Arc with me!

Hello world!


I am refreshed and renewed after a weekend retreat called Christ Renews His Parish. What a wonderful gift to my parish community! I met lots of great women there who I know to love and know better over the coming months. One of these great women was the never-met-a-stranger Sarah who writes the blog Catholic Drinkie - and no, she's not an alcoholic, just a girl who totally respects and enjoys a refreshing adult beverage on occasion and combines her faith with fun!


So, anyway, I was talking with her and she inspired me to re-start my little blog attempt over here. I won't be blogging every day ~ maybe every week if we're lucky! But I've decided that it's OK. I'll do it as much as the Lord allows and follow his lead in this endeavor.

The cool catholic collector item I want to share with you today is a vintage hair barette. That's right ~ a hair clip, like a ponytail holder, or almost. This beautiful clip has a medallion of St Joan of Arc set in the center of some lovely scrollwork. I'm sure it must have been silverplated at one time because you can still see traces of the silver on the front and all over the back. And the fact that the silver is missing tells me that this barette was used and loved for a long time. Maybe it was used for a child's first communion?


It came from France, and Joan of Arc is the patron saint of that nation and very popular with girls since she died at the young age of 19. I'm reading a great book about St Joan right now called Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint by Donald Spoto. I'm really enjoying it because I was looking for a book that told the real story of St Joan - not the hollywood version and not the romanticized version. The book is very well-researched and easy to read. It even shows Joan's letters and quotes from her trial. All I can say is - you go girl! St Joan was awesome and amazing and I love her that much more after learning more about her.

A Beautiful Lourdes Medal

I love this medal. It’s from Lourdes, France, where St Bernadette saw the Blessed Virgin Mary in a series of visions from February 11 to July 16, 1858.

St Bernadette was a poor peasant girl who lived with her family in a hovel that had formerly been the city jail until it was deemed too unhealthy for the prisoners. She was sickly, with asthma, and uneducated. On February 11, 1858, Bernadette went with her sister and a friend to collect firewood. Before crossing a stream, Bernadette paused beside a grotto known as “La Massabeille” (the old rock) to remover her stockings. Her attention was drawn to the grotto by a gust of wind. Here is what she saw, in Bernadette’s own words:

“ As I raised my head to look at the grotto, I saw a Lady dressed in white, wearing a white dress, a blue girdle and a yellow rose on each foot, the same color as the chain of her rosary; the beads of the rosary were white."

"The Lady made a sign for me to approach; but I was seized with fear, and I did not dare, thinking that I was faced with an illusion. I rubbed my eyes, but in vain. I looked again, and I could still see the same Lady. Then I put my hand into my pocket, and took my rosary. I wanted to make the sign of the cross, but in vain; I could not raise my hand to my forehead, it kept on dropping. Then a violent impression took hold of me more strongly, but I did not go."

"The Lady took the rosary that she held in her hands and she made the sign of the cross. Then I commenced not to be afraid. I took my rosary again; I was able to make the sign of the cross; from that moment I felt perfectly undisturbed in mind. I knelt down and said my rosary, seeing this Lady always before my eyes. The Vision slipped the beads of her rosary between her fingers, but she did not move her lips. When I had said my rosary the Lady made a sign for me to approach, but I did not dare. I stayed in the same place. Then, all of a sudden, she disappeared.”

The front of this medal depicts St Bernadette kneeling before the Madonna in the grotto. She’s holding a rosary and a candle because during one of the apparitions, she held her hand over the flame of a candle for at least 15 minutes without burning her skin. This was witnessed by many onlookers, including a doctor who examined her immediately afterwards. The Virgin Mary is depicted just a Bernadette described her. She’s standing in a niche above a rose bush with her hands clasped in prayer. She has a rose on each foot and a rosary hanging from her arm.

You’ll see this depiction of Bernadette and the Virgin Mary on the backs of many medals, usually with Mary on the front. The inscription at the top says “Souvenir of the 50th anniversary” and “1858 to 1908” beneath it. So, dating this medal is pretty easy. We know it was struck in 1908 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes.

What makes this medal really unique is what it says on the back – the words the Virgin Mary said to Bernadette during her apparitions! It's in French of course, but here’s what it says in English,

“Will you do me the kindness to come here every day for fifteen days?
I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next.
I would like for everyone to come to pray for sinners.
Penitence! Penitence! Penitence!
Go drink at the spring and wash there.
Kiss the ground for sinners.
Go to the priests and tell them to build a chapel here where people can come in procession.
The 25th of March the Virgin said: I am the Immaculate Conception”

That’s a lot to fit on a little pendant that only measures 1 1/8 x ¾ inches!

I could go on and on about Lourdes and the miraculous spring and Bernadette’s life, but I think I’ll save that for another medal - this post is quite long enough as it is. So...to be continued…

The Holy Maries of the Sea

This beautiful vintage religious medal is from France (like most of my medals) and shows two women floating in a little boat being rowed by angels.  The inscription is "Saintes Maries P.P.N" (Holy Maries Pray For Us).  This really unusual and pretty medal was struck to commemorate an ancient devotion to the "Holy Maries of the Sea".

According to legend, after the crucifixion of Jesus, Mary Salome, Mary Jacobe, and Mary Magdalene set sail (or were cast adrift) from Alexandria, Egypt with their uncle Joseph of Arimathea. Either way they arrived off the coast of what is now France, at location now known as Notre-Dame-de-Ratis (Our Lady of the Boat). The name was later changed to Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer, and then in 1838 to Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Holy Maries of the Sea).

The town is a pilgrimage destination for Roma (Gypsies), who gather yearly for a religious festival in honor of Saint Sarah. The French believed she was Mary Magdalene's daughter, and she was also known as Sara-la-Kali (Sara the black). Dark-skinned Saint Sara is said to have possibly been the Egyptian servant of the three Marys. (source: Wikipedia)

Some of these medals also show Saint Sarah on the back, but she usually gets the short end of the stick and is portrayed as a woman hidden by about 20 layers of ruffles, so she looks a little bit like a post.

Jan 5, Feast of St Simon Stylites

Saint Simon Stylites was a man who wanted to get away from it all....up, up, and away, actually. He lived as a monk at the end of the 4th century and engaged in penances so, um, disgusting, that the abbot of his monastery finally told him, "Man, why do you do these things!...Go somewhere else and die away from us!"

So Simon did just that. He went away into the desert and experimented with living in different uncomfortable situations until he finally decided to live alone on the top of a tower. The story goes that the tower was 60 feet high and his living area was a platform that was about 6 feet square.

His choosing to live in this manner was an extreme form of penance that could hardly be found today, but St Simon started a trend among hermits of that time who thought living on the top of a tower could literally bring them closer to God!

St Simon became famous for his preaching, skills at mediation, and gift of healing. He died in 459 and a monastery was built at the site of his tower. The foundation of the tower can still be seen in the monastery's ruins.

Source: http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~gbrandal/Illum_html/Simeon.html