Miraculous Medal, Religious medallion in Rue du Bac, France
The Miraculous Medal is an oval Catholic devotional object made of metal, originating from visions in a Paris chapel. Its front side shows a female figure on a globe with rays of light and Latin inscription around the edge.
The nun Catherine Labouré reported nighttime apparitions in 1830 at the chapel on Rue du Bac. A Paris goldsmith struck the first pieces two years later according to her account.
The design Sister Catherine Labouré described shows Mary standing on Earth with outstretched hands. The reverse side carries an intertwined M with a cross and two hearts, surrounded by twelve stars from the Book of Revelation.
The chapel on Rue du Bac opens daily for visitors and offers blessed examples to take home. Regular services take place in French, with occasional multilingual masses.
Distribution reached more than one billion copies worldwide within four decades. Many wearers report healings and conversions, which is how the nickname came about.
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