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Saint Benedict, patron saint of Europe
Looking for your medal? Discover our Saint Benedict medals, designed by us and handmade in Spain.
The Saint Benedict medal is one of the oldest and most revered in the Catholic tradition. Many people wear it as a sign of protection, but few know the meaning of each of its symbols. We’ll tell you.
Khartes Medals
The Saint Benedict medal, handmade in Spain
Handmade in Spain · Gift-wrapped · Free shipping from €65
Saint Benedict of Nursia, Juan Rizi (Wikimedia Commons, public domain)
Who was Saint Benedict
Saint Benedict of Nursia (480–547) was an Italian monk, founder of the Benedictine Order and author of the Rule that summarizes monastic life in the motto ora et labora, “pray and work.” He is the patron saint of Europe, and his feast day is celebrated on July 11.
More Saint Benedict medals
With tiger’s eye
With dark turquoise
Natural pearl and navy blue enamel
Lapis lazuli and blue enamel
With topazes
Enamel fuchsia
The obverse: the image of the saint
The main side shows Saint Benedict holding a cross in one hand and the book of his Rule in the other. At his feet are usually two symbols that recall his life: a broken cup from which a serpent emerges, evoking the attempt to poison him, from which he emerged unharmed, and a raven with a piece of bread, which also alludes to an episode of poisoning.
The reverse: the cross and its initials
The reverse is what makes this medal unmistakable. It shows a large cross surrounded by letters, the initials of a Latin prayer:
- C.S.P.B.: Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti, “Cross of Saint Benedict the Father.”
- C.S.S.M.L. (on the vertical bar): Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, “May the Holy Cross be my light.”
- N.D.S.M.D. (on the horizontal bar): Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, “May the devil not be my guide.”
- V.R.S. N.S.M.V. S.M.Q.L. I.V.B. (around): Vade Retro Satana, Numquam Suade Mihi Vana; Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas, “Begone, Satan, do not tempt me with vain things; what you offer is evil, drink your poison yourself.”
- PAX: “peace,” the motto of the Benedictine Order.
The reverse of our Saint Benedict medal with natural pearl and coral enamel: the cross with its initials.
Why people wear the Saint Benedict medal
Because of its prayer of rejection of evil, which you can recite in full with our guide to the Saint Benedict prayer, the medal has traditionally been worn as a sign of spiritual protection: around the neck, at home, or in the car. It is also a very common gift for a birth, a move, a trip, or any new beginning; we tell you about it in what it means to give a Saint Benedict medal as a gift.
Facts you can check
- Pope Paul VI proclaimed him patron saint of Europe on October 24, 1964. That same day he consecrated the church of the abbey of Montecassino, rebuilt after it was destroyed by a bombing during World War II. Source
- Before founding monasteries, he lived alone for three years in a cave in Subiaco. Around 529 he moved to Montecassino, the monastery where he would spend the rest of his life. Source
- He died in Montecassino on March 21, 547, standing and with his arms raised in prayer, about six weeks after his holy sister Scholastica; the two were buried together. The feast day of July 11 commemorates the translation of his relics. Source
- The initials of the cross were deciphered in the 17th century at the abbey of Metten, in Bavaria, thanks to an ancient manuscript featuring the image of the saint. Pope Benedict XIV approved the use of the medal in March 1742. Source
Our Saint Benedict medals
At Khartes Madrid, we have reinterpreted this classic medal with natural stones, pearls, and colored enamels, preserving its symbolism. They are handmade in Spain and sold with a gold-plated chain. Discover our Saint Benedict medals.