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The Medal of the Immaculate Conception, popularly known as the Miraculous Medal, is unique among all medals.
It was designed by the Blessed Mother herself! No wonder, then, that it wins such extraordinary graces for those who
wear it and pray for Mary's intercession and help. Our Lady manifested the medal to Sister (now Saint) Catherine Laboure
on November 27, 1830 at the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. Catherine saw Our
Lady standing on a globe, with dazzling rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands. Framing the figure was an inscription:
O, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Then Mary spoke to Catherine:
"Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck."
The vision then seemed to turn to show the reverse of the Medal: the letter "M" surmounted by the cross
with a bar at its base; below this monogram, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart
of Mary pierced with a sword.
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With approval of the Church, the first medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris. Almost immediately the
blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her Medal, and soon all of France was
clamoring for what the people referred to as the "Miraculous Medal." Within a few years, millions of the medals had been
distributed throughout France. Use of the Medal spread from country to country and now blankets the world. Everywhere
the Medal is still drawing down from God golden blessings for body and soul!
-Text thanks to the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal
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