The Saint Benedict medal meaning fits in one line: it's a prayer cast in metal, asking the cross of Christ to keep evil away, through the prayers of St. Benedict. Nearly every letter on it is the first letter of a Latin phrase. Here's what each one means, front and back, plus where the medal came from and how to wear it well.
✦ In this guide
The front of the Saint Benedict medal, explained
The design most people own today is the Jubilee Medal of 1880, so that's the one we'll walk through. Older and simpler versions exist, but the symbols are the same.
St. Benedict stands in the center. In his right hand he holds a cross, the sign he trusted above everything. In his left is a book: his Rule, the short guide to monastic life he wrote in the 500s, which Benedictine monks and sisters still live by.
The cup and the raven come from his life story as told by Pope St. Gregory the Great. On one side sits a broken cup. Monks who resented his strict leadership once handed him poisoned wine, and when he made the sign of the cross over it, the cup shattered. On the other side, a raven is about to fly off with a loaf of bread that a jealous enemy had poisoned and sent to him.
Above the cup and raven you'll read Crux s. patris Benedicti: "The Cross of our holy father Benedict." Around the edge runs the line many people never notice:
- Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur! "May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death!"
- Below his feet, on the Jubilee design: ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX, "from holy Monte Cassino, 1880."
That edge prayer is why Benedictines have long honored him as a patron of a holy death. It's a quiet, grown-up line to carry around your neck.
Saint Benedict medal meaning: the back, letter by letter
Turn the medal over and the cross fills the space. This is where the letters live, and once you know them, the medal reads like a short prayer of exorcism you can say in about ten seconds.
| Letters | Latin | English | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| C S P B | Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti | The Cross of our holy father Benedict | The four angles of the cross |
| C S S M L | Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux | May the holy cross be my light | Vertical beam |
| N D S M D | Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux | Let not the dragon be my guide | Horizontal beam |
| PAX | Pax | Peace (some medals show IHS, the name of Jesus) | Above the cross |
| V R S | Vade Retro Satana | Begone, Satan! | Around the edge, from the top |
| N S M V | Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana | Never tempt me with your vanities! | Edge |
| S M Q L | Sunt Mala Quae Libas | What you offer me is evil. | Edge |
| I V B | Ipse Venena Bibas | Drink the poison yourself! | Edge |
A few things worth knowing as you read it. "Vade retro Satana" is borrowed from Jesus himself. In the Latin Bible, it's what He says to Peter in Mark 8:33, which the King James renders "Get thee behind me, Satan." The "dragon" is the Bible's old image for the devil, straight out of Revelation 12. And the poison in the last line ties back to the shattered cup on the front.
Read together, the back says something very simple. The cross is my light, evil doesn't get to lead me, and whatever temptation offers, I'm handing it back. Scripture puts the same idea in one sentence:
✝ "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
— James 4:7 (KJV)
Where the medal comes from
Benedict was born around 480 in Nursia, in central Italy, and died around 547 at Monte Cassino, the monastery he founded. Britannica calls him the father of Western monasticism, and in 1964 Pope Paul VI named him patron saint of Europe. His feast day is July 11.
Nobody knows when the first medal was struck. The clearest clue comes from Bavaria in 1647. During a witchcraft trial at Natternberg, the accused women said they had no power over nearby Metten Abbey because it was protected by the cross. Investigators found painted crosses on the abbey walls carrying a string of mysterious letters. Then a manuscript from 1415 turned up at the abbey, and it spelled out every phrase in full.
Medals with the cross and the letters spread across Europe from there. Pope Benedict XIV approved the medal in two briefs, dated December 23, 1741 and March 12, 1742. The Jubilee design came in 1880, for the 1,400th anniversary of Benedict's birth. It was designed at Beuron Abbey in Germany and struck for Monte Cassino, and it's the one you'll find almost everywhere today.
How to wear or use a Saint Benedict medal
There's no prescribed way to carry it. The monks of Saint John's Abbey in Minnesota, in their guide to the Medal of Saint Benedict, list the usual options: on a chain, attached to a rosary, in a pocket or purse, in the car, at home. A few practical notes from our side of the counter:
- Around the neck is the classic. The Saint Benedict Medal Necklace ($35) sits on a sturdy chain that's made for everyday wear, under a shirt or over it.
- On the wrist suits people who don't wear necklaces. The Saint Benedict Bracelet ($34.90) is one of our bestsellers, and easy to wear every day.
- In the house or car, a larger medal by the front door or on the dashboard works as a daily reminder to pray as you come and go. The Saint Benedict Medal for Home & Car ($54) is made for exactly that.
- On a cross or crucifix, the medal set at the center makes what's known as a "St. Benedict cross," a lovely pairing for a bedroom wall.
One more use, for Benedictine oblates: since 1965, lay oblates have been allowed to wear the medal in place of the small black cloth scapular.
✓ Quick checklist
- ✓ Learn what the letters say (the table above)
- ✓ Ask a priest or deacon to bless it
- ✓ Choose neck, wrist, pocket, car or door
- ✓ Pray the words, especially when tempted
The blessing, and why it isn't a charm
Any priest or deacon can bless a Saint Benedict medal. He doesn't need to be a Benedictine. Bring it to the sacristy after Mass and ask; it takes a minute. There's also a longer traditional blessing, with prayers of exorcism, and some priests are happy to use it if you ask.
Once blessed, the medal is a sacramental: a holy object that prepares us to receive God's grace and cooperate with it. It isn't magic, and it doesn't work like a lucky rabbit's foot. The monks who look after this tradition say so plainly: they reject any use of religious articles "as if they were mere charms." The protection comes from God, asked for in faith. The medal is the reminder to ask.
That's also why it makes a good gift. Not because it promises safety, but because it puts a short, clear prayer against evil within reach of the person you love. If they're new to it, tuck a note in the box that explains the letters, or point them to our guide on how to pray the Rosary to go with it.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Saint Benedict medal protect against?
Traditionally, it's worn to ask God's protection against evil and temptation, and for the grace of a holy death. The poison imagery led to an old belief that it guards against poisoning too. The protection always comes from God through prayer and faith. The medal itself has no power on its own, and the Church is clear on that.
Can a non-Catholic wear a Saint Benedict medal?
Yes. The words on the medal are a prayer to reject evil and hold on to the cross of Christ, which any Christian can pray with a clear conscience. If you're not Catholic and the idea of a blessed object is new to you, treat it as a wearable prayer and learn what the letters mean before you wear it.
Does a St. Benedict medal have to be blessed?
You can wear it unblessed, but Catholics ask for a blessing so it becomes a sacramental. Any priest or deacon can bless it, not only a Benedictine. Ask after Mass or call the parish office. If you're giving one as a gift, it's a kind gesture to have it blessed before you wrap it.
What does VRS NSMV SMQL IVB mean?
The letters around the back of the medal stand for "Vade retro Satana, nunquam suade mihi vana. Sunt mala quae libas, ipse venena bibas." In English: "Begone, Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!" It's a short prayer rejecting temptation, echoing Jesus' words to Peter.
Which side of the medal should face out?
There's no rule. Some wear St. Benedict facing out and the cross against the heart; others prefer the cross and its letters showing, since that side carries the prayer. Wear it the way that helps you pray. And if it flips over during the day, nothing is lost: the prayer is the same on both sides.
The medal is small, but it says a lot: the cross is my light, and evil doesn't get the last word. If you'd like one to wear or to give, ➜ browse our Christian jewelry and look for the Saint Benedict pieces.
