Sr Anne O’Neill of the Daughters of Charity runs the office responsible for distributing these medals in Dublin and notes a significant increase in the distribution of medals during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, recalling the past when people turned to the medal for comfort and healing during cholera outbreaks in the 1800s.
“Each weekend, thousands of these medals are distributed from Dublin, Ireland, where they are assembled and blessed by dedicated volunteers, including retired sisters,” Sr Anne told The Irish Catholic.
Each week, volunteers led by the Legion of Mary hand out Miraculous Medals to those passing by, sharing the story and prayer associated with the medal.
The Miraculous Medal’s story began in 1830, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St Catherine Labouré, a novice of the Daughters of Charity, in Paris.
During the apparition, Mary instructed Catherine to create a medal promising grace and blessings.
Despite initial disbelief, the medal quickly gained a reputation for miraculous healings and protection, especially during the cholera epidemic that struck Paris in 1832, claiming over 20,000 lives.
The medal’s popularity increased as stories of its protective powers spread among the people of Paris.
Today, the Miraculous Medal continues to offer solace and hope to those seeking divine intervention.
The continued demand for Miraculous Medals shows a universal longing for faith and consolation during challenging times.
Read more about the Legion of Mary and their mission to distribute Miraculous Medals here –