| The Miraculous Medal was revealed to Saint Catherine | | | | Catherine, she looked at a table in the room and saw |
| Laboure in Paris, France at the Motherhouse of the | | | | an image on it. This is where the back of the |
| Daughters of Charity. The Miraculous Medal is also | | | | Miraculous Medal comes from. There was a big, capital |
| called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, and | | | | M on the table with a cross and two hearts below it. |
| the year that it was shown to Saint Catherine was | | | | These two hearts have taken the meaning of the |
| 1830. Saint Catherine was taught about the Church | | | | hearts of Mary and her son Jesus. Jesus' heart is the |
| and Christianity by Saint Louise and Saint Vincent. | | | | one with a crown of thorns on it, while Mary's is the |
| Saint Catherine was always blessed with apparitions | | | | one being poked by a large sword. |
| from God of different saints. She sometimes even | | | | The front of the Miraculous Medal stands for the |
| reported having visions of Christ after receiving the | | | | always available helping hand that Mary lends to |
| Eucharist. However, for the very first time in 1830 she | | | | anybody who prays to her for support. The beams of |
| was given the privilege of seeing visions of the Virgin | | | | shining light that came from Mary's rings stand for the |
| Mary. | | | | awesome graces that Mary wished to share with all |
| Saint Catherine said that she saw Mary with her feet | | | | people who wear her Miraculous Medal. |
| placed on a white globe with rings made of precious | | | | Saint Catherine made sure that she did as Mary |
| stones giving off a brilliant, bright light. Mary then spoke | | | | wanted her to and had the medal made just as she |
| to Catherine and told her that the awesome lights she | | | | had described it. Catherine made sure that the medal |
| was seeing were graces that Mary allowed people to | | | | was distributed to all those who wished to purchase |
| have because they asked her for them. She also said | | | | one. The medal helped many people receive grace |
| that the stones not giving off light like the other ones | | | | from Mary and begin praying more often to her. |
| were graces that people had not remembered to ask | | | | Eventually the name of the medal would change from |
| her for. Then a bright, circle of light surrounded Mary | | | | the Medal of the Immaculate Conception to the more |
| and "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who | | | | common, present-day name of the Miraculous Medal. |
| have recourse to you", appeared around the edges of | | | | For her acts in helping the Miraculous Medal come into |
| the circle in bright golden writing. Mary told Saint | | | | existence, Catherine was canonized a saint on July 27, |
| Catherine that she should get a medal made after the | | | | 1947 by Pope Pius XII. We all owe Catherine for |
| vision that she had just seen, and that anybody who | | | | beginning the circulation of this medal and bringing all |
| wore it would be blessed by her. | | | | those who wear it that much closer to Mary. |
| After Mary had ceased to exist as a vision to | | | | |