What is a Benedictine Blessing Bracelet?

Each one of our Saint Benedict Blessing Bracelets is made with medals hand cast in Italy for My Saint My Hero by a family that dedicates their lives to creating sacred and holy medals to share with the world. The Benedictine Cross dates back over 1000 years and is the strongest symbol of protection known in the Christian world.

These medals are then handwoven using cording into bracelets in the small pilgrimage town of Medjugorje, where miracles are happening now. Your purchase enables us to employ artisans who support their family through a meaningful trade. The women pray as they tie each knot—each bracelets is made with love and prayer. 

"God gave us this opportunity to make money, but when we make the bracelets we feel a lot of love because this is such a blessing, and I am giving blessings to all the people who will wear these bracelets." –Marijana/MSMH Artisan

"First of all, I do this because I adore making the bracelets with my hands because I love crafting. Secondly, it helps financially and the third thing, most importantly I can help my neighbors, by giving them some bracelets to make so they can make some money too. That is the most important thing.⁣

To the people who will wear our bracelets, I send the message that there is a lot of love, there is a lot of prayers, there is a lot of sacrifice in those bracelets. So when you wear it, I hope that it is a reminder that a lot of love is in there and they should pray and be strong and wear it with love.⁣

Pray for me, for my family, for my kids, and for my husband, and all the families that are included in this project. We all need prayer and prayer is necessary for everyone.⁣

When I started making the bracelets it was my family and two other families. Now it is eleven families." – Snježana/MSMH Artisan⁣

The ten Saint Benedict Medals can be used as a decade Rosary. Each time you look at your blessing bracelet it is a gentle reminder that you are loved, that you are blessed, and that we are all woven together in God's love.

Wear your St. Benedict bracelet to remind yourself that God has given you a mission to make the world a better place and that you can choose to fulfill that mission by using your hands to do good.

What is the Meaning of the Benedictine Medal of Protection?

When I was on my very first pilgrimage to Medjugorje, my heart changed forever. Fr. John Bartunek gave me a bag of blessed Benedictine Medals and told me to carry one with me wherever I go. This medal offers protection so that I can keep my heart wide open to God’s divine love and light without having to worry about protecting myself from hurt, chaos or confusion. I have worn a medal from that day forward. I am incredibly grateful for the blessings in life.

— Amy D'Ambra/My Saint My Hero Founder and Owner

Who is Saint Benedict?

“And let them first pray together, that so they may associate in peace.” –St. Benedict

Benedict of Nursia was born into a wealthy family around 480 AD. After studying in Rome, unnerved by the worldly events of the time and watching his fellow students fritter their lives away, Benedict fled the city for life as a hermit. This, however, was not his calling. After years of prayer, Benedict’s holiness became well known and monks came to seek his guidance. Though he had warned the monks that he would be too strict, they attempted to poison him while under his tutelage. Benedict prayed over the cup of poison (now pictured on the front of the medal) and the cup shattered.

Before too long, Benedict of Nursia had more monks requesting to follow him and 12 monasteries were formed making St. Benedict the father of the Monastic Order. “The Rule” written by St. Benedict became a guide to a prescribed life of prayer, study, moderation and manual labor.  During the Middle Ages, monasteries in the west adopted the Rule of St. Benedict. (Fun Fact – His twin sister is also a saint called St. Scholastica!)

“Listen and attend with the ear of your heart.” –St. Benedict

The Benedictine Medal - What Does Saint Benedict Protect You From?

Each one of us has the chance to make our world a better place every single day. We do so by choosing to do what is right and good and choosing to avoid what is wrong. God has given us an internal sensor that helps us seek good and avoid evil; it’s called our conscience. He has also given us the Holy Spirit to keep our conscience strong and clear, but we still find it hard to say no to temptation and sin. This bracelet is an extra help in your battle to make the world a better place and follow the path to heaven. It’s like a secret weapon.

In Christian tradition, the Benedictine cross is one of the Church’s most powerful signs of divine protection. It was created in the mid 600’s as a symbol of the spiritual truths that enabled St. Benedict and his many followers to resist evil and do good. “The Holy Cross be my Light,” is written in Latin on the front of the cross, which is used all over the world to help spread Christ’s Kingdom of love and light. Wear this ancient symbol to help protect your soul, your loved ones and your home from anything contrary to God’s love. – Father John Bartunek, LC ThDRCSpirituality.org

The Powerful Prayers on the Back of the Medal 

On the back of the medal are two prayers that can be recited daily. The first prayer: Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Nunquam draco sit mihi dux! Translated, it means: The Holy Cross be my light; Let not the dragon be my guide.

The second prayer with which St. Benedict prayed over the cup of poison: 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 offerest, Drink thou thy own poison!

St. Benedict on the Front of the Medal

On the front of the medal, we see St. Benedict holding the Rule of St. Benedict in his left hand and the cross of St. Benedict. Behind him is the cup of poison

Wear your Benedictine Medal as a tangible reminder each day of the power of prayer, the power of faith, and the power of love!

St. Benedict Feast Day – July 11