St. Benedict medal
Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti
- Known today as
- A medal of St. Benedict whose reverse bears a cross ringed by initials: Vade retro Satana, numquam suade mihi vana; sunt mala quae libas, ipse venena bibas, “Begone, Satan; never tempt me with vain things; what you offer is evil; drink your own poison.”
- Kind
- Sacramental, in 1 older authority
- Earliest authority here
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914)
Revised October 1, 2026: An authority added from a text read in full. Version 1, first published September 28, 2026.
St. Benedict medal: what was it used for?
Worn, buried in foundations, and fixed over doors against evil spirits, poison, storms, and temptation; the most favored medal of exorcists.
St. Benedict medal: what does modern science say?
Still among the most widely worn Catholic medals.
What Medicine Makes of It
- Amulets, Blessed Objects, and the Meaning ResponseWhy what cannot work sometimes works.
St. Benedict medal: what lore surrounds it?
The letters puzzled all until 1647, when a witchcraft trial at Natternberg in Bavaria led to a manuscript at nearby Metten Abbey that explained them. Benedict XIV approved the medal in 1742.
St. Benedict medal: what did the older authorities say?
- The Catholic Encyclopedia
- The Catholic Encyclopedia reads the letters: “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux” on the upright, “Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux” on the bar, and round the margin “Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana — Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas (Begone, Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities — evil are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison).” Its origin: “During a trial for witchcraft at Natternberg near the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria in the year 1647, the accused women testified that they had no power over Metten, which was under the protection of the cross,” and painted crosses with the letters were found on the abbey walls, “but their meaning had been forgotten,” until a manuscript of 1415 supplied the words. The medals “were first approved by Benedict XIV in his briefs of 23 December, 1741, and 12 March, 1742.”
Sources
- [21] Herbermann, C. G., et al. (eds.) (1907–1912). The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Online at newadvent.org. Articles: Agnus Dei (H. Thurston); Amulet (M. Hassett); Ash Wednesday (H. Thurston); Bells (H. Thurston); Holy Oils (H. Leclercq); Paschal Candle (H. Thurston); Scapular (J. Hilgers). Read in part · the text read
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914), “Benedict, Medal of.” newadvent.org/cathen/13338a.htm Standard reference work
Verification
- Checked
- October 1, 2026
- Passes
- Every dated or regulatory claim checked by category across the database
- Each quotation from the older authorities checked word for word against the text, read in full
- Sources
- 2 cited: 1 read in part, 1 standard reference work.
- Corrections
- None were needed.
What was checked, how, and what was found is set out on the Verification page. A checked source is one whose record was found; it does not make the entry medical advice.
Cite This Entry
Version 1 · first published September 28, 2026 · last revised October 1, 2026
- Chicago
“St. Benedict medal.” In Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1. The Thinking Press, 2026–. Last modified October 1, 2026. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-benedict-medal.
- MLA
“St. Benedict medal.” Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema, version 1, The Thinking Press, 1 Oct. 2026, thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-benedict-medal. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- APA
St. Benedict medal. (2026, October 1). In B. C. P. Statema (Ed.), Materia medica (Version 1). The Thinking Press. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-benedict-medal
Club members keep entries on a shelf with private notes, print the plates as cards, and receive an entry by email each week. Create a free account before January 1, 2027 and all of it is yours for good. About the Club
See Also
Also in The Catholic Encyclopedia
St. Blaise candles in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Agatha’s bread in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Christopher medal in The Catholic Encyclopedia · Scapular in The Catholic Encyclopedia · everything The Catholic Encyclopedia names →
Nearby in the alphabet
Squill · St. Hubert’s key (blessed at the shrine of St) · Spirit of wine (Distilled alcohol) · St. Ignatius water (Water blessed with a relic or medal of St) · Spikenard (a Himalayan valerian)
Historical description, not medical advice.