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St Benedict Prayer for Spiritual Protection

In this post, we will discuss the St Benedict prayer in Latin, the crux Sancti Patris Benedicti prayer in English, and crux sacra sit mihi lux prayer. Patriarch of Western monks, Father of the Benedictines, St. Benedict of Nursia is a very special saint. Christians are called to pray to St. Benedict to ask for his protection against evil. He himself led a battle against evil influences, and he was proclaimed the patron saint of exorcisms. There is even is a Christian Sacramental dedicated to him: the Medal of St. Benedict. The Medal is recognized by the Church as a powerful symbol of protection and liberation against curses and evil influences. 

St. Benedict is depicted on the front of the Medal, holding a cross in one hand, and his Rule in the other. Discover St. Benedict’s Medal Prayer, and other prayers to St. Benedict for protection against evil. 

St Benedict Prayer for Spiritual Protection

Father of the Benedictines and patriarch of Western monks, St. Benedict of Nursia is a really unique saint. It is the duty of Christians to pray to St. Benedict in order to request his defense against evil. He was declared the patron saint of exorcisms after leading a campaign against demonic influences. The Medal of St. Benedict is a Christian sacramental that is even dedicated to him. The Church acknowledges the Medal as a potent representation of freedom and defense against curses and negative energies.

Lord, please have pity on us. Christ, have pity on us (bis). (bis) God, the heavenly father, please have pity on us. (bis) God the Son, the world’s redeemer, please have pity on us. God, the Holy Spirit, please have pity on us (bis).God, the Holy Trinity, be merciful to us. (bis)

Mary, please pray for us (state each after a line).
Mother of God, Holy Mary, Holy Virgin of the Virgins,

Saint Benedict, the Holy Father,


Man of great fortitude, man of venerable life, man of the most holy discourse, father most revered, father most renowned, father most sympathetic,
Real God-servant, devotional light, prayerful light, thoughtful light,
The world’s star, the best austere life master, the commander of holy war, the head of the monks, the master of those who die for the world, and the defender of those who call out to you
Amazing performer of miracles, discloser of the inner workings of the human heart,
Spiritual discipline master, patriarchal companion, prophetic equal, apostle-follower, martyr-teacher, father of numerous popes, abbot’s gem, confessor’s glory, imitator of anchorites, associate of virgins, and comrade of all saints

Lord, spare us; we are the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Lord, kindly hear us. You are the Lamb of God, Who took away the sins of the world.
Have pity on us, Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world.

V. Holy Father Saint Benedict, intercede on our behalf so that we can be deemed worthy of Christ’s promises.

Let us pray: O God, Who has redeemed us from the world’s vanities and inspired us to pursue a heavenly vocation with the help of Saint Benedict, our founder and holy patriarch, inspire and cleanse our souls and pour out Your grace upon us so that we can persist in You. via Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

St Benedict exorcism prayer

These prayers can be recited at any moment by the devout to guard off evil. In addition, a lot of individuals attach the blessed medals to other sacramentals (such rosaries), display them in their homes, and bury them in building foundations. Additionally, wearing the Benedictine medal is customary.

The Benedictine medal has Latin guidance and exorcism prayers engraved on its reverse side.

The C. S. S. M. L. (Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux) guidance prayer is, “The Holy Cross be my light.”

Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, or N. D. S. M. D., wishes that the dragon never serves as his guide.

The Latin Rituals of Exorcism:
When monks attempted to assassinate Saint Benedict, he spoke these things. When he discovered his drink had been tainted, he remarked this:

“Get behind me, Satan!” cries V. R. S. (Vade Retro Satan).
Not Suade Mihi Vana, or N. S. M. V.: “Never tempt me with your vanities!”
Sunt Mala Quae Libas, or S. M. Q. L.: “What you offer me is evil.”
I. V. B., or Ipse Venena Bibas: “Consume the poison on your own.”

The following letters, which are an acronym for a potent protection prayer, are featured on the Medal of St. Benedict. Everybody ought to wear a St. Benedict medal!

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux, or C. S. S. M. L.,
Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux, or N. D. S. M. D.
N. S. M. V. (Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana) V. R. S. (Vade Retro Satana)
(Sunt Mala Quae Libas) S. M. Q. L.
I. V. B. (Amen, Ipse Venena Biba!)

Translation: May I be illuminated by the Holy Cross.
Don’t let the dragon lead the way.
Start at the beginning Never, Satan, tempt me with your avarice.
You release nothing except evil.
Consume your own poison. Indeed.

Father, in Your kindness, give me the mind to understand You, the sight to recognize You, and the heart to value You.
Please be so kind as to give me the perseverance to seek You, the discernment to find You, and the courage to capture You.
Give me a heart to think about You, ears to hear You, eyes to see You, and a tongue to talk about You in Your kindness.
Please have the kindness to grant me a dialogue that pleases You, the endurance to yearn for You, and the patience to wait for You.
Give me Your heavenly presence, that perfect ending. In the name of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, I make this request. Indeed.
-Saint Benedict

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti Prayer English

“Lord, have mercy on us. (bis)
Christ, have mercy on us. (bis)
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. (bis)
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. (bis)
God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us. (bis)

Holy Mary, Pray for us (repeat after each line).
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins, 

Holy Father, Saint Benedict,
Father most reverend,
Father most renowned,
Father most compassionate,
Man of great fortitude,
Man of venerable life,
Man of the most holy conversation,
True servant of God,
Light of devotion,
Light of prayer,
Light of contemplation,
Star of the world,
Best master of an austere life,
Leader of the holy warfare,
Leader and chief of monks,
Master of those who die to the world,
Protector of those who cry to thee,
Wonderful worker of miracles,
Revealer of the secrets of the human heart,
Master of spiritual discipline,
Companion of the patriarchs,
Equal of the prophets,
Follower of the Apostles,
Teacher of Martyrs,
Father of many pontiffs,
Gem of abbots,
Glory of Confessors,
Imitator of anchorites,
Associate of virgins,
Colleague of all the Saints, 

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

V. Intercede for us, O holy father Saint Benedict,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us Pray: 
O God, Who called us from the vanity of the world, and Who incites us to the reward of a heavenly vocation under the guidance of our holy patriarch and founder, Saint Benedict, inspire and purify our hearts and pour forth on us Your grace, that we may persevere in You. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. 

Amen.”

St. Benedict’s Medal Prayer 

“The Holy Cross be my light,

May the dragon never be my guide.

Get away, Satan!”

Never tempt me with your vanities!

What you offer me is evil,

Drink the poison yourself!”

Prayer to St. Benedict to Ward Off Evil Spirits

“In the name of God the Father Almighty, through the intercession of St. Benedict,

Keep away from me and my loved ones, evil spirits;

Good spirits, shield us against them!

Malign spirits, you inspire wrong thoughts to men, 

Malicious spirits, liars, you lead them into deception. 

Mocking spirits, you play with human’s credulity. 

I reject you with all the power of my soul, and I close my ears to your suggestions. 

I call upon me the Mercy of God;

Good spirits, I implore you, assist me in this battle. 

Give us the strength to resist evil influences;

Shine your light on the snares of evil spirits,

Keep us from pride and arrogance; 

Good spirits, do not let jealousy, hatred, malevolence, or any feeling other than love grow in our hearts, for these feelings open the doors to the Spirit of Evil. 

Amen.”

St Benedict exorcism prayer

Hozana is a social network dedicated to helping you grow in faith every day, by offering you to join hundreds of spiritual propositions: you can pray for protection on Hozana with a novena to St. Michael Archangel, the commander of God’s celestial militia. Say a novena to Our Lady Untier of Knots, and free yourself from the obstacles in your life. 

Medals, crosses, rosaries, statues, paintings, and other religious articles have long been used as a means of fostering and expressing our religious devotion to God and the saints. Icons, or painted images of Christ and the saints, are especially popular among Eastern Christians as an aid to Christian piety and devotion.

The use of any religious article is therefore intended as a means of reminding us of God and of stirring up in us a ready willingness and desire to serve God and our neighbor. With this understanding we reject any use of religious articles as if they were mere charms or had some magic power to bring us good luck or better health. Such is not the Christian attitude.

St Benedict Medal Prayer Latin

An image of St. Benedict holding a cross in one hand and his Rule in the other can be seen on the front of the medal. Find out how to say the Medal Prayer and other prayers to St. Benedict to have protection from evil.

The cross was a beloved emblem and badge of the early Christians’ faith in Christ. We know that St. Benedict had a strong trust in the cross and performed miracles using it thanks to the writings of St. Gregory the Great (540–604). The Benedictines carried their religion and particular devotion to the Cross on to their successors.

The creation of medals featuring the image of St. Benedict raising a cross in his right hand and his Rule for Monasteries in his left was another result of devotion to the Cross of Christ. As a result, the Cross and the Medal of St. Benedict—also known as the Medal-Cross of St. Benedict—have always been closely related.

Over time, more additions were made, such as the Latin prayer around the medal’s edge, which asks to be strengthened in our hour of death by the presence of St. Benedict, as will be revealed later.

The exact year that the first St. Benedict medal was created is unknown. The huge image of the cross on the reverse side of the medal was once surrounded by a string of capital letters. The letters’ significance was long unclear, but in 1647, a manuscript from 1415 that was discovered at the Abbey of Metten in Bavaria provided an explanation. As will be shown later, these are the first letters of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan.

The Jubilee Medal of Montecassino

The above features were finally incorporated in a newly designed medal struck in 1880 under the supervision of the monks of Montecassino, Italy, to mark the 1400th anniversary of the birth of St. Benedict. The design of this medal was produced at St. Martin’s Archabbey, Beuron, Germany, at the request of the prior of Montecassino, Very Rev. Boniface Krug OSB (1838-1909). Prior Boniface was a native of Baltimore and originally a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, until he was chosen to become prior and latter archabbot of Montecassino.

Since that time, the Jubilee Medal of 1880 has proven to be more popular throughout the Christian world than any other medal ever struck to honor St. Benedict.

Description of the Jubilee Medal

Because the Jubilee Medal of 1880 has all the important features ever associated with the Medal of St. Benedict, the following description of this medal can serve to make clear the nature and intent of any medal of St. Benedict, no matter what shape or design it may legitimately have.

The Cross of Eternal Salvation


On the face of the medal is the image of Saint Benedict. In his right hand he holds the cross, the Christian’s symbol of salvation. The cross reminds us of the zealous work of evangelizing and civilizing England and Europe carried out mainly by the Benedictine monks and nuns, especially for the sixth to the ninth/tenth centuries.

Rule and Raven

In St. Benedict’s left hand is his Rule for Monasteries that could well be summed up in the words of the Prolog exhorting us to “walk in God’s ways, with the Gospel as our guide.”

On a pedestal to the right of St. Benedict is the poisoned cup, shattered when he made the sign of the cross over it. On a pedestal to the left is a raven about to carry away a loaf of poisoned bread that a jealous enemy had sent to St. Benedict.

C. S. P. B.

Above the cup and the raven are the Latin words: Crux s. patris Benedicti (The Cross of our holy father Benedict). On the margin of the medal, encircling the figure of Benedict, are the Latin words: Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur! (May we be strengthened by his presence in the hour of our death!). Benedictines have always regarded St. Benedict as a special patron of a happy death. He himself died in the chapel at Montecassino while standing with his arms raised up to heaven, supported by the brothers of the monastery, shortly after St. Benedict had received Holy Communion.

Monte Cassino

Below Benedict we read: ex SM Casino MDCCCLXXX (from holy Monte Cassino, 1880). This is the medal struck to commemorate the 1400th anniversary of the birth of Saint Benedict.

Reverse Side of the Medal

Crux mihi lux

On the back of the medal, the cross is dominant. On the arms of the cross are the initial letters of a rhythmic Latin prayer: Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Nunquam draco sit mihi dux! (May the holy cross be my light! May the dragon never be my guide!).

In the angles of the cross, the letters C S P B stand for Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti (The cross of our holy father Benedict).

Peace

Above the cross is the word pax (peace), that has been a Benedictine motto for centuries. Around the margin of the back of the medal, the letters V R S N S M V – S M Q L I V B are the initial letters, as mentioned above, of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan: Vade retro Satana! Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas! (Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!)

Use of the Medal

There is no special way prescribed for carrying or wearing the Medal of St. Benedict. It can be worn on a chain around the neck, attached to one’s rosary, kept in one’s pocket or purse, or placed in one’s car or home. The medal is often put into the foundations of houses and building, on the walls of barns and sheds, or in one’s place of business.

The purpose of using the medal in any of the above ways is to call down God’s blessing and protection upon us, wherever we are, and upon our homes and possessions, especially through the intercession of St. Benedict. By the conscious and devout use of the medal, it becomes, as it were, a constant silent prayer and reminder to us of our dignity as followers of Christ.

The medal is a prayer of exorcism against Satan, a prayer for strength in time of temptation, a prayer for peace among ourselves and among the nations of the world, a prayer that the Cross of Christ be our light and guide, a prayer of firm rejection of all that is evil, a prayer of petition that we may with Christian courage “walk in God’s ways, with the Gospel as our guide,” as St. Benedict urges us.

A profitable spiritual experience can be ours if we but take the time to study the array of inscriptions and representations found on the two sides of the medal. The lessons found there can be pondered over and over to bring true peace of mind and heart into our lives as we struggle to overcome the weaknesses of our human nature and realize that our human condition is not perfect, but that with the help of God and the intercession of the saints our condition can become better.

The Medal of St. Benedict can serve as a constant reminder of the need for us to take up our cross daily and “follow the true King, Christ our Lord,” and thus learn “to share in his heavenly kingdom,” as St. Benedict urges us in the Prolog of his Rule.

Two Special Uses of the Medal

By a rescript of the Sacred Congregation of Religious (4 May 1965) lay Oblates of St. Benedict are permitted to wear the Medal of St. Benedict instead of the small black cloth scapular formerly worn.

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites (6 March 1959), the Blessing of St. Maur over the sick is permitted to be given with a Medal of St. Benedict instead of with a relic of the True Cross, since the latter is difficult to obtain.

Approved Blessing of the Medal of St. Benedict

Medals of Saint Benedict are sacramentals that may be blessed legitimately by any priest or deacon — not necessarily a Benedictine (Instr., 26 Sept. 1964; Can. 1168). The following English form may be used.


V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

In the name of God the Father + almighty, who made heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them, I exorcise these medals against the power and attacks of the evil one. May all who use these medals devoutly be blessed with health of soul and body. In the name of the Father + almighty, of the Son + Jesus Christ our Lord, and of the Holy + Spirit the Paraclete, and in the love of the same Lord Jesus Christ who will come on the last day to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire.
Amen.

Let us pray. Almighty God, the boundless source of all good things, we humbly ask that, through the intercession of Saint Benedict, you pour out your blessings + upon these medals. May those who use them devoutly and earnestly strive to perform good works be blessed by you with health of soul and body, the grace of a holy life, and remission of the temporal punishment due to sin.

St Benedict Prayer In Latin

Iesu, nostras deprecationes quaesumus, ut quos dedisti sanctos in hoc mundo, per intercessionem eorum, tuos servos a malis liberes.

Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum super bonitatem tuam; neque elati sunt oculi mei super iniquitatem meam.

Aperiens aurem suam intendit mihi: et exaudivit preces meas.

Exaudi domine fletum meum; et clamor meus ad te veniat.

Quoniam adhuc vivunt inimici mei: et potentes adversum me conspirant.

In labore requiescant ossa eorum; et qui odio habuerunt animam meam, ipsi sibi conculcent corda sua:

Convertantur retrorsum, et confundantur qui oderunt me; propter quod dilatasti cor tuum, ut redimeres animas servorum tuorum ab inimicis eorum.

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