St Benedict's story  

St. Benedict, the father of west monasticism and patron of Europe, was born in Norcia in 480. We owe him the foundation of a new European civilisation no longer influenced by classical myth but based on Christian truth.In order to found the monastery in Montecassino, he pulled down the pagan temple dedicated to Apollo and destroyed the idol symbolising that god.
He died on the Holy Thursday in 547, at the age of 67.

St.Benedict's Medal-Cross originates from the episodes of his life in which he fought against the demon as well as against evil influences that he, as first exorcist in history, used to drive out in the name of the cross. For this reason on each of St. Benedict's medal-crosses there is the motto PAX. The origin of St. Benedict's Medal-Cross goes back in very ancient times. The episode happened to Pope St. Leon IX when he was still a boy and his name was Brunone is well-known. He was sleeping when a poisonous toad attacked him and bit him leading him at death's door. A few months later, the young dying boy had a vision. A venerable old man was descending a bright staircase and leaning on a stick on which Christ's Cross was engraved. With that very stick the man touched the boy and miraculously healed him on the instant. As he got near, Brunone recognised the venerable old man was St. Benedict.St. Benedict's cross circulated in 1600 in Bavaria and from here in the whole Christendom. Pope XIV approved the devotion of St. Benedict's Medal-Cross in 1742.

 



The St. Benedict's Medal and its correct use
               

C.S.P.B.:
Holy Father Benedict's Cross

C.S.S.M.L:
Let the Cross be my Light

N.D.S.M.D.:
Let the demon be not my master

V.R.S.:
Get thee behind me Satan

N.S.M.V:
You will not induce me to evil

S.M.Q.L.:
What you propose is evil

I.V.B.:
Drink your poisons yourself

 EJUS IN OBITU NOSTRO PRESENTIA MUNIAMUR:
Be He there to protect us in the hour of death.
 

IMPORTANT ADVICE
ON THE SPIRITUAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CROSS

In order to be spiritually effective, as foreseen and approved by the Church, St. Benedict's Medal or Cross has to be conferred a particular priest's benediction, which is conferred by using the text approved by Pope Benedict XIV with the BREVE of 12th March 1742 starting with the words COELESTIBUS ECCLESIAE THESAURIS. Such text is enclosed in the Roman Ritual of blessings. The priest ends blessing also the image of Jesus and the cross.

Also remember that

In order to be blessed as described above, the medals the Cross is made up of are to be struck, with all their letters and not fused in a single piece together with the Cross.

St. Benedict's Medal and Medal-Cross can be worn round the neck or carried with you in any way but not touching the skin as well as hung on your house walls.
In case of infirmity it can be applied on the infirm part of the body.
Should there be sick animals, it can be put in the water they drink. Any time you use St. Benedict's Medal or Medal-Cross for these particular purposes, tradition invites to say 5 (five) Gloria Patri to Jesus Passion, 3 (three) Hail Mary to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Lord's Prayer to St. Benedict. In order to enter more deeply into the sprit of devotion, it is advisable to say these prayers every day