The Miraculous Medal prayer is the short invocation written around the image on the medal: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." Catholics pray it as a simple plea for Mary's intercession. Many also pray the Miraculous Medal Novena, a nine-day devotion to Our Lady. Here is the prayer, where it comes from, what it means, and how to pray it every day.
The Miraculous Medal prayer: the short invocation
The prayer most closely tied to the medal is a single line, written in a circle around the figure of Mary on the front:
> O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
It is short enough to pray in a moment and deep enough to pray for a lifetime. You can say it once, or repeat it three times, or return to it through the day as a small act of trust. It asks nothing complicated. It simply turns to Mary and asks her to pray for us.
If you want the full story of the medal itself, its history and what each symbol means, read our pillar guide, What Is the Miraculous Medal?
Where the prayer comes from
The words did not come from a prayer book. According to the account of the apparitions, they came from Mary herself.
In 1830, in the chapel on the Rue du Bac in Paris, a young Daughter of Charity named St. Catherine Labouré reported a series of visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In one of them, Catherine saw Mary standing within an oval frame, with rays of light streaming from her hands. Around the frame, in golden letters, were the words:
> O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Mary asked that a medal be struck in this image, and promised that those who wore it would receive great graces. The first medals were made in 1832. As reports of graces and conversions spread, people began to call it "the Miraculous Medal." So the invocation and the medal were given together. The prayer is not an addition to the medal; it is part of it.
What the prayer means
Every phrase carries weight.
"Conceived without sin" refers to the Immaculate Conception, the belief that Mary, from the very first moment of her existence, was preserved free from original sin by the grace of God. When you pray these words, you honor that truth. It is worth noting that the medal carried this inscription in 1832, more than twenty years before the Church solemnly defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854.
"Pray for us" is a request for intercession. Catholics do not worship Mary. They ask her to pray to her Son on their behalf, the same way you might ask a friend or family member to pray for you, only she is the Mother of the Lord and closest to Him.
"Who have recourse to thee" simply means "who turn to you." To have recourse to Mary is to bring her our needs, our fears and our hopes, trusting that she carries them to God.
The Miraculous Medal Novena
A novena is nine days of prayer for a particular intention. The word comes from the Latin for "nine," echoing the nine days the apostles and Mary spent in prayer between the Ascension and Pentecost.
The traditional Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal centers on this prayer:
> O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother, penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, we your loving and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena, if they be beneficial to our immortal souls, and the souls for whom we pray. > > (Here privately form your petition.) > > You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone, so that our every thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial, that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin, and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the Queen of angels and of men. Amen.
The novena often includes the Memorare, an ancient prayer of confidence in Mary's help:
> Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Most people close each day of the novena by repeating the short invocation three times: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
The Perpetual Novena and the Monday tradition
Many Catholics associate the Miraculous Medal Novena with Mondays, and there is a real history behind that.
In 1930, at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia, Father Joseph Skelly, C.M., of the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians) began what became known as the Perpetual Novena. Since December 8, 1930, the novena prayers have been offered there every Monday without interruption. The devotion spread from that shrine to parishes around the world, which is why so many churches still hold Miraculous Medal novena prayers on Mondays. For those who cannot attend in person, the Philadelphia shrine offers the Monday novena by livestream.
You do not have to travel to Philadelphia to take part. You can pray the novena at home, join a parish that prays it on Mondays, or follow along online.
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The novena is for set intentions and set seasons. The medal is for every day. Here is a simple way to make the prayer part of daily life:
- Wear the medal. Many Catholics wear the Miraculous Medal as a necklace, close to the heart, as a constant reminder to turn to Mary.
- Pray the invocation morning and night. As you put the medal on, or before you sleep, say: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."
- Return to it during the day. In a hard moment, at work or waiting in traffic, hold the medal and pray the one line. It takes seconds.
- Bring your intentions. When you have a specific need, add a Memorare or begin the nine-day novena.
- Keep it as a sacramental. The medal is a sacred sign that stirs devotion and opens the heart to grace. It is not a lucky charm. The power is in God's grace and Mary's intercession, not in the metal.
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Shop the bracelet · $55Frequently asked questions
What is the Miraculous Medal prayer? It is the short invocation written around the image of Mary on the front of the medal: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." According to the account of the 1830 apparitions to St. Catherine Labouré, these are the words Mary showed her around the medal's design.
How do you pray the Miraculous Medal Novena? A novena is nine days of prayer for an intention. You pray the Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (the prayer beginning "O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother"), form your own petition, and typically close with the Memorare and the short invocation repeated three times. Many parishes pray it on Mondays.
Why is the Miraculous Medal Novena prayed on Mondays? Because of the Perpetual Novena begun in 1930 at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia by Father Joseph Skelly, C.M. Those Monday novena prayers have continued without interruption since December 8, 1930, and the practice spread to parishes worldwide.
Do you have to wear the medal to pray the prayer? No. The prayer can be prayed by anyone, anytime. Wearing the medal is simply a way to keep the prayer close and to remember to pray it, as a sign of faith and devotion to Our Lady.
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