Medal Information

We offer many unique, recast vintage medals on our website. We take great pride in the variety and quality of our medals. Catholics wear these as reminders to remain close to God. Medals of the saints help recall the importance of emulating the holy lives of these men and women. Many Catholic medals are rich with meaning and symbolism. Below is information on some of the more popular images found at On This Day Designs and used in our jewelry.

Miraculous Medal 

The story of the miraculous medal begins in 1830 when Mary appeared three times to Sister Catherine Laboure of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. She was told by Our Lady: 'My child the Good God wishes to charge you with a mission.

After the third vision the Blessed Virgin Mary's hands swept open and rays of light steamed forth from her hands. An oval outlined frame formed around the Blessed Virgin and these words were written: "O, Mary, conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee." The vision then rotated to show the image to be placed on the back of the medal. Mary then spoke and said, "Have this medal made and all who wear it will receive great graces."

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego, a humble Native American, in the winter of 1531. She identified herself as the ever virgin Holy Mary, Mother of theTrue God for whom we live. She sent roses in December for Juan to collect and present to the local Bishop. She also gifted Juan and all of us an image of herself imprinted miraculously on Juan's tilma. A church was built on the site of the apparition. Many many miracles are attributed to her. Every year 20 million pilgrims visit the Basilica of Guadalupe. It is the most visited Catholic Shrine in the world. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Americas and the Patroness of the unborn.

Sacred Heart

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a special devotion to Jesus and is a symbol of God’s incredible love for us. This devotion is to remind us to make Christ’s heart our own and to be Christ-like in all we do. We are to strive to always have the love and compassion of Jesus within ourselves. The heart symbolizes Jesus in His entirety. The crown of thorns over the heart reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice, while the heart aflamed is Jesus’ burning love for us.Devotion of Jesus’ heart has long been a part of the Church’s tradition. A specific devotion to His Sacred Heart was popularized in the late 1600’s, after Jesus appeared to Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun, and she was told to honor His Sacred Heart. It became, and still is, one of the more popular devotions among the Catholic faithful.

 

Our Lady of the Snows

Our Lady of the Snows is one of the oldest devotions to Mary. Legend has it that in 352 A. D.the Blessed Mother indicated in a dream to a wealthy Roman couple that she wanted a church built in her honor. The couple would know the site for this church because it would be covered with snow. On a hot, sultry August 5th morning, Esquiline Hill in Rome was covered with snow. All Rome proclaimed the summer snow a miracle, and a church to honorOur Blessed Mother was built on the hill in 358 A.D. Restored and refurbished many times, this church, now the magnificent Basilica of St. Mary Major, still stands today as the seat of devotion to Our Lady of the Snows.

St. Therese

There are a few names for St. Therese: St. Therese the Little Flower, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face and St. Therese of Lisieux.

Therese was born the fifth child into the loving family of Louis and Zelie Martin. Her given name was: Marie Francoise Therese Martin. As Therese grew in age, her Sundays were very important to her: "I longed," she explained. "for the everlasting repose of heaven- that never ending Sunday of the fatherland...." Therese dreamed of joining the Carmelites as soon as her young age would allow. With the blessing of Pope Leo XIII, Therese entered the Lisieux Carmel at age 15 years, 3 months.

In her autobiography Therese explains her spirituality in this way:

Jesus set before me the book of nature. I understand how all the flowers God has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understand that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wild flowers. So it is in the world of souls, Jesus' garden. He has created smaller ones and those must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God's glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.

St. Therese said, "After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints. My mission is to make God loved." Other words St. Therese spoke were: "I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth."

Her little way teaches us to do the ordinary things in life with extraordinary love.

St. Francis and St. Clare

St. Francis and St. Clare are two saints who lives were intertwined with their good works and devotion to God.

When St. Clare (Santa Chiara) was eighteen years old, she heard St. Francis speak and she was so inspired by his words she begged him to help her live "after the manner of the holy Gospel." Clare, and later her sister Agnes, became nuns and with the aid of St. Francis founded the Poor Clares.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

 

St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel led the battle of the good angels in heaven against Satan and his followers. St. Michael has been honored and invoked as the patron and protector of the Catholic Church. St. Michael is given four offices according to Christian tradition. (1) To fight against Satan. (2) To rescue the souls of the faithful from the power of the enemy especially at the hour of death. (3) To be the champion of God's people. (4) To call away from earth and bring men's souls to judgement.

St. Peregrine

Peregrinus Laziosi was born in Italy in 1260. He became a priest in the Order of the Servites. When Peregrinus was afflicted with terrible pain in his legs, amputation was recommended, which in those days meant sure death. Peregrinus poured his soul out in prayer and was cured. Today, many Catholics suffering from cancer are devoted followers of St. Peregrine.

 

 

Our Sorrowful Mother

When we pray to the Sorrowful Mother we can offer her comfort...she who has given us so much consolation. Mary is known in this devotion as Sorrowful Mother or Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows. Mary endured many trials and tribulations for our salvation.

There are seven prayers, one for each of these traditionally known Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They are prayed together in succession with the Hail Mary in between each one. These seven prayers presented in this format were approved by Pope Pius VII in 1815.

 

 

Here are the seven sorrows:

  1. The Prophecy of Simeon
  2. The Flight Into Egypt
  3. The Loss of the Child Jesus
  4. Mary Meets Jesus On The Way To Calvary
  5. Jesus Dies On The Cross
  6. Mary Receives the Body of Jesus In Her Arms
  7. Jesus Is Placed in The Tomb

The Church calls Mary the Queen of Martyrs “because her martyrdom surpassed that of all others. Although her body was not bruised by torturers, her heart was pierced by the sword of compassion for her Divine Son.” The feast day for our Lady of Sorrows is September 15.