Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Fifth window on the right side of the Church
The Blessed Virgin appeared three times in 1830 to Catherine Laboure, a twenty-four year old novice of the Daughters of Charity, in their Paris Motherhouse chapel. During those apparitions, Mary commissioned Catherine to spread devotion to her Immaculate Conception under the title of the "Miraculous Medal". In 1832, a medal was struck according to the medal revealed to Catherine. The scene of the apparition to Catherine is the bottom medallion of the window.
In the upper medallion, with the words "conceived without sin", we see in the window the signs on the Miraculous Medal proclaiming the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The words, "O Mary, conceived without sin" are on the front side of the medal surrounding the image of Our Lady. The back of the medal contains a "Cross" representing the sign of Redemption and the victory of Christ. The hearts of Jesus and Mary are both depicted and the "M" stands for Mary our Mother. The stars represent Mary as "Queen of the World".
The central image of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal reveals Mary as standing on a globe and holding in her hands another globe reflecting lights of great brilliance. Mary explained to St. Catherine that the globe represented the whole world and the rays of light every single person on whom she would bestow grace when asked for her help with the prayer "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us |
