Saint Benedict Medal
The Benediktussegen is a blessing formula, which serves as a protection and remedy since the 17th century. The St. Benedict's is usually in the form of a Benediktusmedaille, also called Benediktuspfennig, formed.
Legend
Saint Benedict of Nursia is said to have brought in Vicovaro by the sign of the cross the cup of poison which was handed to him to drink it shatter.
Shaping
The Benediktussegen was written on slips of paper, cast in lead, tin, brass alloys, gold and silver or embossed horn. He can be found on various amulet crosses such as the Ulrich cross, but could also be of the same coin, the Benediktuspfennig, also called Benediktusmedaille be redesigned. The central element of Benediktuspfennigs is the blessing Cross or St. Benedict, on which are depicted the word means to the same cross-shaped letters of the actual blessing text, a double award:
For the outer perimeter of the coin is often the Zacharias blessing, a blessing similar to popular inscription, imprinted. Also possible was the following sentence:
In the four corners of the cross can be found:
Above the cross is sometimes at PAX ( "Peace ").
Shown the cross is ancient as Tatzenkreuz, later trained mostly as ballenendiges anchor cross in the type of lily cross.
Since the 18th century, most Benediktuspfennige also show an image of St. Benedict with a cross bar and cup of poison; the latter alludes to a miracle attributed to the saints. Later, Marie representations were added.
In the vineyard, monastery, a variant of Benedict medal is embossed and consecrated, which is next to the St. Benedict Cross and also there revered Holy Blood relic.
Use
The Benediktuspfennig could be worn around the neck, the rosary, at the Fraisenkette or in the purse ( here against counterfeit money or fraud). It was also recommended immure him in building foundations to bury along with the Antlassei to flood or avalanche- prone areas to put under house thresholds or the children in the cradle to bury in the manger in the stable, to throw into the fountain, pasture cows at to sew the bells belts, and even to hang on use vessels such as the rotary churn or to solder to the milking pail.
The protective effect of Benediktussegens included the patronage of St. Benedict. In his essay meaning, origin and privileges of the Medal of St. Benedict Abbot Prosper Guéranger counted on the magical powers in detail. Accordingly, the Benediktussegen served as protection against everyday hazards, lightning, hail, poisoning, fever, plague, stone disease, epilepsy, evil spirits, witches, the devil, as well as births and in the hour of death. Decisive for the magic effect was the incomprehensibility of the letters; in ignorance of the contents of the blessing came the magic letters spell out more clearly.
History
The Benediktussegen goes back to the worship of the popular folk saints and Nothelfers Benedict of Nursia in the Lower Bavarian Metten Abbey. The Mettener Code of 1414 shows a miniature of a saint figure whose cross bar is labeled with the Benediktussegen. This saint is valid since the 17th century as St. Benedict.
According to another tradition, the blessing comes from very ancient times, but only reached wide circulation after the Alsatian clergy Bruno, who later became Pope Leo IX. (1002-1054), cured of a serious illness had ..
In connection with the Straubinger witch trials of 1647 the Benediktusamulett reached great popularity since the six accused witches testified that they had no power over Metten Abbey because of there hidden Benediktuskreuzes.
The Benediktuspfennig was extremely popular with the people. Since we also used it as a charm, he was repeatedly banned by some bishops. In the 17th century it was placed on the Index. By a brief of March 12, 1742 but reached the Prague Abbot Benno Löbl that Pope Benedict XIV those who wore the medal with him, often bestowed indulgences. The Benedictine other hand, spread the blessings and made him in Metten in large numbers. His sale was a major source of income for the monastery dar.