Saint Benedict Medal: History, Exorcisms & Vatican Rite

The Medal of Saint Benedict: From Bavarian Witches to Vatican Exorcisms

The Medal of Saint Benedict is one of the most popular and respected sacramentals in the Catholic Church. Worn by millions of the faithful worldwide as a sign of faith and protection against the forces of evil, this small piece of metal carries a fascinating history involving 17th-century witchcraft trials, striking cases of deliverance, and a rigorous blessing rite required by the Holy See.

1. The Historical Origin: The Bavaria Witchcraft Trial (1647)

The story behind the meaning of the Medal of Saint Benedict remained hidden until 1647 in the village of Natternberg, located in the region of Bavaria, Germany.

During the trial of a group of women accused of practicing black magic and witchcraft, local authorities interrogated the defendants about why their spells systematically failed whenever they tried to target the neighboring Benedictine Abbey of Metten.

In their testimony, the women confessed that the abbey was protected by the sign of the cross, which no evil force could oppose. Intrigued, the judges and religious officials inspected the monastery and found several crosses drawn and carved onto the walls, accompanied by a series of enigmatic capital letters whose meaning had been forgotten over the centuries.

The Discovery of the 1415 Manuscript

The answer emerged after a meticulous search through the monastery's library. The monks found an illuminated manuscript dated 1415, featuring an illustration of Saint Benedict holding a cross in one hand and a scroll in the other.

On it were the full Latin verses of an exorcism prayer whose initials matched those engraved on the abbey's walls exactly:

• C.S.P.B. – Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti ("The Cross of Our Holy Father Benedict")

• C.S.S.M.L. – Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux ("May the Holy Cross Be My Light")

• N.D.S.M.D. – Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux ("May the Dragon Never Be My Guide")

• V.R.S.N.S.M.V. – Vade Retro Satana, Numquam Suade Mihi Vana ("Begone, Satan! Never Tempt Me With Your Vanities!")

• S.M.Q.L.I.V.B. – Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas ("What You Offer Is Evil; Drink Your Own Poison!")

Following this revelation, the custom of casting the image of the saint, the cross, and these inscriptions onto a medal spread rapidly across Europe. Pope Benedict XIV formally approved the use of the sacramental and its proper rite in 1742.

2. The Litmus Test: The Case of the Illfurt Brothers (1865–1869)

The power of the Medal of Saint Benedict in spiritual warfare did not rest solely on oral tradition. The most well-documented historical case of deliverance involving the sacramental occurred in Alsace, France, with the Illfurt Brothers—Thiébaut (9) and Joseph Burner (7).

Between 1865 and 1869, both boys began displaying classic symptoms of demonic possession: levitation over their beds, unnatural physical strength, knowledge of hidden events, and sudden fluency in ancient languages they had never learned.

The Blind Tests with the Medal

To rule out any fraud or psychological disorder, priests and family members conducted secret tests using the Medal of Saint Benedict:

• The Mattress: Without the boy's knowledge, they sewed a Medal of Saint Benedict—blessed with the exorcism prayer—inside Thiébaut's mattress. Upon trying to lie down, the boy went into violent convulsions, screaming that the bed was "burning" him, only calming down once the object was hidden elsewhere.

• Clothing and Food: The same phenomenon occurred whenever the medal or holy water blessed through the Benedictine rite was covertly placed in their clothes or meals.

With proof of their reaction to the sacred, the Bishop of Strasbourg authorized formal rites of exorcism. Using a crucifix embedded with the Medal of Saint Benedict, Father Karl Brey and other Benedictine priests pressed the symbol against the children's chests while reciting the prayers inscribed upon it. Thiébaut was set free on October 3, 1869, and his brother Joseph a few weeks later, on October 27. Both resumed healthy, normal lives.

3. How the Vatican Requires the Medal to Be Blessed

Unlike other religious objects that receive a simple blessing of sanctification, the Catholic Church—through the Roman Ritual—mandates that the Medal of Saint Benedict undergo a specific rite including the exorcism of the metal itself.

The Official Three-Step Rite

• Exorcism of the Metal: The priest invokes God's power to purify the medal from any contamination or evil influence before its consecration:

"I exorcise you, medal, by God the Father Almighty, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. May all power of the enemy, all force of the devil, and all presence of Satan be eradicated and driven out from this medal..."

• Prayer of Consecration: Next, the priest recites the blessing asking God to grant spiritual graces and health of body and soul to whoever uses the object with faith.

• Sprinkling with Holy Water: The rite concludes with the sprinkling of holy water over the medal.

Church Guidelines for Proper Use

• Who Can Bless It? Formerly restricted to monks of the Order of Saint Benedict, today any Catholic priest or deacon holds the faculty to perform the blessing and exorcism rite prescribed in the Roman Ritual.

• Superstition vs. Faith: The Magisterium of the Church emphasizes that the medal does not function as a magic charm or fetish. Its efficacy lies not in the piece of metal itself, but in the Christian's faith, state of grace, and the merits of Christ's Passion invoked by the prayers engraved on the medal.

Conclusion

Far more than a simple ornament, the Medal of Saint Benedict is a concise synthesis of Catholic doctrine regarding the victory of Christ's Cross over evil. In wearing it daily, the believer is invited to pray constantly with their very life: "May the Holy Cross be my light!"

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