Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Location: Rue du Bac, Paris, France 
Date: 1830

Summary:
St. Catherine Laboure began seeing visions of St. Vincent de Paul and Jesus.  Shortly after, she awoke on the night of July 18, 1830, to a glowing child telling her she needed to go to the chapel. When she arrived there, Our Blessed Mother was waiting, and spoke to her for hours about the difficult tasks ahead.  On November 27, 1830, Mary appeared in the same chapel in the form of a picture with two sides.  The picture was that which Mary wanted struck into a medallion.  Mary gave a detailed account of what all the symbols meant and said that all who wore the medal with confidence would receive great graces.  In June 1832, the medals began to be produced.  By July 1836 the Archbishop of Paris approved the apparition as being authentic.  St. Catherine was able to keep her identity a secret, speaking only to her confessor about them.  In 1876, St. Catherine broke her secrecy in an attempt to encourage the  construction of the Virgin of the Globe statue.  St. Catherine died on December 31, 1876; her incorrupt body is still visible in the chapel at the Rue du Bac and many miracles have been reported there.

Interesting Facts:
-St. Catherine described Mary as being of medium height, clothed in white. Our Lady's dress was a specific style with a high neck and plain sleeves.  She wore a white veil which ran to her feet.  The veil was pulled back to reveal Our Lady's stunningly beautiful face.
-The “Miraculous Medal” gained considerable popularity after the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne during the apparition of Our Lady of Zion.
-St. Catherine Laboure was declared venerable by Pope Pius XI in 1931, then beatified in 1933.  She was canonized by Pius XII in 1947.

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