Saint Benedict Medal: Meaning of Its Symbols and Letters

Pick up a Saint Benedict medal and turn it over, and you find something unusual: a cross crowded with capital letters, a ring of more letters around the edge, and the single word PAX at the top. To a newcomer it can look like a code. In a sense it is one, a compact Latin prayer that Catholics have carried in pockets, sewn into clothing, and set into the foundations of houses for centuries.

The Saint Benedict medal is one of the oldest and best loved sacramentals in the Church. This guide walks through who Benedict was, how the medal came to be, what every letter on it means, and how to wear it in a way that matches what the Church actually teaches about sacramentals.

Who Was Saint Benedict of Nursia?

Benedict was born around the year 480 in Nursia (today's Norcia), a hill town in Umbria. As a young man he was sent to Rome to study, but the moral climate of the city troubled him, and he withdrew to live as a hermit in a cave at Subiaco, in the hills east of Rome. Disciples gathered, and he founded a dozen small monasteries nearby.

Around 529 he moved south and built the monastery of Monte Cassino on a mountain between Rome and Naples. There he wrote his Rule, a short guide to community life built around prayer, work, study, and hospitality. "Ora et labora" (pray and work) became the shorthand for the Benedictine way, and the Rule shaped European monastic life for fifteen centuries. Benedict died at Monte Cassino around 547, traditionally on March 21.

Most of what we know about his life comes from Pope Saint Gregory the Great, who devoted the second book of his Dialogues to Benedict. Gregory records two episodes that explain the medal's imagery: monks who resented his discipline offered him a cup of poisoned wine, and when Benedict made the sign of the cross over it, the cup shattered. Later a jealous priest sent him poisoned bread, which Benedict ordered a raven to carry away. That is why the medal often shows a broken cup and a raven at the saint's feet.

In 1964 Pope Saint Paul VI named Benedict patron of Europe. His feast is celebrated on July 11 in the current Roman calendar.

How the Medal Came to Be

Crosses dedicated to Saint Benedict were venerated long before anyone struck a medal. The letters on the back come into clear focus in 1647, in Bavaria. During a trial at nearby Natternberg, testimony led to the discovery of painted crosses bearing a series of mysterious initials on the walls of the Benedictine Abbey of Metten. No one could read them until a manuscript in the abbey library, dated 1415, was found to contain an illustration of Saint Benedict with the full Latin verses those initials stood for.

Medals bearing the cross and letters spread quickly through German lands and then across Europe. On March 12, 1742, Pope Benedict XIV formally approved the medal. The design most people know today, often called the Jubilee Medal, was struck in 1880 at Monte Cassino to mark the 1,400th anniversary of Benedict's birth.

What Every Letter on the Medal Means

On the front, Saint Benedict holds a cross in his right hand and the book of his Rule in his left. Beside him are the words Crux sancti patris Benedicti (the cross of our holy father Benedict). Around the edge runs a prayer for a holy death: Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur, "May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death." Benedict is a patron of a happy death, since Gregory tells us he died standing in the chapel, supported by his monks, just after receiving Communion.

The back carries the prayer in initials:

• C S P B, in the four corners of the cross: Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti, "The cross of our holy father Benedict."
• C S S M L, down the vertical beam: Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, "May the holy cross be my light."
• N D S M D, across the horizontal beam: Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, "Let not the dragon be my guide."
• V R S N S M V, around the right side: Vade Retro Satana, Numquam Suade Mihi Vana, "Begone, Satan, never tempt me with your vanities."
• S M Q L I V B, continuing around: Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas, "What you offer me is evil; drink the poison yourself."
• PAX, at the top: "Peace," the motto of the Benedictine order. Some older medals carry the monogram IHS instead.

Read together, the back of the medal is a short act of faith in the cross and a firm refusal of temptation, echoing the poisoned cup that broke under Benedict's blessing.

Wearing the Medal the Way the Church Intends

The Catechism describes sacramentals as sacred signs that "prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it" (CCC 1670). A medal is not a charm, and it does not work automatically. Its value lies in what it points to: the cross of Christ, the intercession of a saint, and the prayer of the Church that is spoken over it when a priest blesses it.

In practice, that means the medal is best treated as a reminder to pray. Many Catholics wear it on a chain, clip it to a rosary, or keep it in a car or near the front door. Some families place one in the foundation or doorway of a new home as a sign that the household belongs to Christ. When you notice it, say the words it carries. "May the holy cross be my light" takes three seconds and can steady an anxious morning.

If you are new to the medal, ask a priest to bless it, then pray the full Latin or English verses once slowly so the letters become familiar. You can find Saint Benedict medals and other saint medals in our medals collection, and many rosaries include a Benedict medal or crucifix as well; browse them in our rosaries collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can anyone wear a Saint Benedict medal?

Yes. There is no enrollment or special ceremony required. Any Catholic may wear the medal, and it is a thoughtful gift for a baptism, confirmation, or a friend going through a hard season. What matters is the faith and prayer behind it.

Does the medal need to be blessed?

A medal becomes a sacramental when it is blessed. Any priest can bless a Saint Benedict medal, and many Catholics simply bring theirs to the sacristy after Mass. If you are giving one as a gift, it is a lovely gesture to have it blessed first.

When is the feast of Saint Benedict?

The Roman calendar celebrates Saint Benedict on July 11. Benedictine monasteries also keep March 21, the traditional day of his death, often called his "Transitus," or passing to heaven.

Fifteen centuries after Benedict climbed Monte Cassino, the little medal bearing his name still carries his simple wisdom: keep the cross before you, refuse what poisons the soul, and seek peace. If you would like one of your own or for someone you love, take a look at our full collection of Catholic gifts.