What Is the Miraculous Medal Novena?
The Miraculous Medal Novena is a nine-day prayer seeking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. The medal, formally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, comes from the Marian apparitions received by Saint Catherine Labouré in Paris in 1830.
Catholics do not treat the medal as a charm or believe that the object possesses magical power. It is a sacramental: a visible reminder of faith in Christ and of Mary’s maternal intercession. The graces associated with it come from God.
The Miraculous Medal bears the image associated with the apparitions received by St. Catherine Labouré in 1830.
History of the Miraculous Medal
Catherine Labouré entered the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and lived at their motherhouse on the Rue du Bac in Paris. According to the official Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, she received three Marian apparitions between July and December 1830.
On the night of July 18–19, 1830—the eve of the feast of St. Vincent de Paul as it was then celebrated—Catherine was awakened by a child who led her to the chapel. There she encountered the Blessed Virgin Mary and learned that God was entrusting a mission to her.
On November 27, 1830, Catherine saw Mary standing upon a globe, with rays of light extending from rings on her fingers. Around the image appeared the invocation, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Catherine understood that a medal was to be struck according to the design shown to her.
Catherine reported the apparitions to her spiritual director, Father Jean-Marie Aladel. With the approval of the Archbishop of Paris, the first medals were produced in 1832. Devotion spread rapidly as people reported conversions, healings, and other graces. In 1836, a canonical inquiry in Paris concluded that the medal was of supernatural origin and recognized the reported wonders associated with it, according to the Association of the Miraculous Medal.
Catherine’s identity as the visionary remained largely hidden from the public during her lifetime. She was beatified in 1933 and canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947. When her tomb was opened in 1933, her body was found intact and was transferred to the chapel on the Rue du Bac, where it rests beneath the altar of Our Lady of the Globe.
What the Miraculous Medal Means
The front shows Mary standing upon a globe and crushing a serpent beneath her foot. The image alludes to Genesis 3:15 and Mary’s participation, entirely through Christ, in God’s victory over sin and evil. Rays stream from her hands as signs of the graces God gives through her intercession. The surrounding invocation honors her Immaculate Conception.
The reverse bears an “M” joined to a cross. Beneath it appear the Sacred Heart of Jesus, crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by a sword. Twelve stars surround the design, recalling the woman crowned with twelve stars in Revelation 12:1 and the people of God.
The medal should direct the wearer toward Jesus, prayer, conversion, and works of charity. Its purpose is not superstition but a more faithful Christian life. This Marian trust is also explored in Mary, Our Model of Faith.
How to Pray the Miraculous Medal Novena
Pray the novena on nine consecutive days for a particular intention. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, pause to place your intention before God, read the meditation for the day, and then pray the Traditional Novena Prayer below.
Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer
The following prayer has been used in the Miraculous Medal devotion since the early twentieth century and is included in the Perpetual Novena of the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.
O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother, filled with confidence in your powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena, if they are for the good of our souls and those for whom we pray.
Pause and form your petition.
Obtain for us a deep hatred of sin and purity of heart, so that our thoughts, words, and deeds may give greater glory to God. Obtain for us a spirit of prayer and self-denial, that we may recover through repentance what we have lost through sin and at last attain the blessed dwelling where you are Queen of angels and saints. Amen.
Day 1: Faith in God’s Grace
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, help me believe that every grace comes from God and that no difficulty lies beyond his providence. Teach me to approach Jesus with confidence and to receive his grace with humility.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 2: Freedom from Sin
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary Immaculate, obtain for me a sincere hatred of sin and the courage to turn away from whatever separates me from your Son. Lead me toward repentance, confession, and a renewed life in Christ.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 3: Trust During Illness
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, Health of the Sick, intercede for those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit. Ask Jesus to grant healing according to his will, strength in suffering, and compassionate care from others.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 4: Peace in Families
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, Mother of the Church, bring the peace of Christ into families burdened by conflict, distance, or grief. Help us forgive, listen patiently, and seek reconciliation grounded in truth and charity.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 5: Guidance in Decisions
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, Seat of Wisdom, intercede for me in the decisions I face. Quiet fear and confusion, purify my intentions, and help me recognize the path that most faithfully follows God’s will.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 6: Help for the Poor and Forgotten
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, remember before your Son those who lack food, shelter, companionship, medical care, or hope. Make me attentive to their dignity and willing to serve Christ in those most in need.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 7: Perseverance in Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, teach me to pray faithfully when answers seem delayed or hidden. Obtain for me patience, perseverance, and confidence that God hears every prayer and works for our true good.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 8: Purity of Heart
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary Immaculate, ask Jesus to purify my thoughts, words, and actions. Help me love God above all things and treat every person with reverence, honesty, and charity.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
Day 9: Gratitude and Consecration
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause and name your intention.
Mary, I thank God for the graces received during this novena, including those I cannot yet recognize. Lead me closer to Jesus and help me place my life, my work, and my intentions completely in his hands.
Pray the Traditional Miraculous Medal Novena Prayer above.
The Miraculous Medal Invocation
The short prayer inscribed upon the medal may be prayed throughout the day:
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
Prayer to St. Catherine Labouré
Saint Catherine Labouré, faithful servant of Christ and humble witness to the Blessed Virgin Mary, pray that we may welcome God’s grace with simplicity and courage. Help us use the Miraculous Medal as a reminder to turn away from sin, trust in Mary’s intercession, and draw closer to Jesus. Intercede for our intentions and teach us to serve those in need with quiet charity. Amen.
Continue in Prayer
Those seeking Mary’s intercession in a difficult situation may also wish to pray the Surrender Novena or the St. Peregrine Novena.