Here a Guide for everybody who would want to know the meaning of the St. Benedict Cross. It is considered the symbol of the fight against the Evil.

Certainly the most important element of cult is the Cross of St. Benedict, especially in its medal's shape.

On one side it introduces, the image of the Saint Patriarch and on the other side there is a cross, around which are disposed the Latin initials, and recite the following prayer:

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti

Cross of the Saint Father Benedict

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux

Saint Cross be my light

Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux

My leader is not my Demon

Vade Retro Satana

Stand bach, Satan

Numquam Suade Mibi Vana

Don't let myself be tempted by the vanity

Sunt Mala Quae Libas

Evil is your drink

Ipse Venena Bibas

Drink yourself the poison 

The initials which are distribuited in the Cross, enclose an invocation to the Saint Cross in order to be a guide and support against the temptations of Satan, to whom it is ordered to go away, with the words of Jesus when he was tempted too. Therefore the medal represents a huge profession of faith and love for Christ and a repugnance for the Demon, too.

In the life of St. Benedict, the sign of the Cross represents the salvation and the protection against Evil, that incessantly attacked him as adversary of the good practise.

The Cross of St. Benedict has ancient origins, even it certainly they cannot be attribuited to the Saint.

Its diffusion dates back to 1647 when in Bavier, some women were tried for witchcraft. During the trial they declared to have been unable to damage the Benedictine abbey of Mitten, because it was protected by the sign of the Saint Cross. In the monastery were found paintings representing the Cross, with the same inscription of the initials that nowadays are in the medal. However, the initials were interpreted only later when a XIV manuscript was found in the library of the monastery of Mitten (1414) where an image of Saint Benedict with those words, was noticed. The medal receives the blessing from the monks priests of the Order of St. Benedict with a particular formula and according to the text written on medal is accompanied, they ask God, with the aid of His Mercy, to expel the power of the Devil in order to be immaculated and cleaned in front of Him.

The medal and the Cross of Saint Benedict can be worn in any way or it can be hung on the house walls. It is used also for particular aims as illness, applying the medal on the sick part of the body. The tradition invites to recite 5 Gloria to the Father to the Passion of Jesus, 3 Hail Mary to the Blessed Virgin Maria and 1 Father Ours to St. Benedict and advises ourselves to recite these prayers every day to enter better in the spirituality.

St. Benedict is the Patron of Europe and the festivity is celebrated on 21 th March, day of his death.

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