The St. Benedict Cross: Meaning, Symbols, and How Catholics Use It
The St. Benedict Cross is one of the most symbolically dense objects in Catholic tradition. It combines the central symbol of the Christian faith with the ancient prayers associated with Saint Benedict of Nursia, the sixth-century monk whose Rule shaped Western monasticism and whose intercession Catholics have sought for protection against evil for over fourteen centuries.
The cross appears on the reverse of the Saint Benedict Medal, where it occupies the central position surrounded by Latin abbreviations of prayers against the devil. It also appears on its own as a standalone devotional object: a crucifix worn as a necklace, hung on a wall, or placed in the home. Whether on a medal, a necklace, or a wall cross, the St. Benedict Cross carries the same meaning and prayers.
The Cross of Saint Benedict on the Medal
To understand the St. Benedict Cross, it helps to understand where it appears most prominently: on the reverse of the Saint Benedict Medal.
The reverse of the medal is organized around a large cross. This cross is the Cross of Saint Benedict, and the letters and words surrounding it are not decoration but prayer. Every element has a specific meaning rooted in centuries of Catholic practice.
At the center of the cross are the letters C S P B: Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti, the Cross of our Holy Father Benedict. This phrase names the cross explicitly, identifying it as belonging to the Benedictine tradition and invoking the intercession of Saint Benedict through his most characteristic symbol.
On the arms of the cross are the initials of the famous exorcism prayer:
On the vertical beam: V R S, standing for Vade Retro Satana, Begone, Satan. Below that: N S M V, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana, Never tempt me with your vanities. On the horizontal beam: S M Q L, Sunt Mala Quae Libas, What you offer is evil. And: I V B, Ipse Venena Bibas, Drink the poison yourself.
Around the cross, on the outer ring of the medal's reverse, are the letters C S S M L and N D S M D, standing for Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux (May the Holy Cross be my light) and Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux (Let not the dragon be my guide).
Above the cross appears the word PAX, peace, the motto of the Benedictine Order. It is the first and last word of the Benedictine tradition: a life organized around prayer and work produces peace, and peace is the fruit the tradition offers to the world.
The St. Benedict Crucifix as a Standalone Object
The St. Benedict Cross also appears as a standalone crucifix: a cross bearing the corpus of Christ, with the medallic elements of the Saint Benedict tradition incorporated into its design. These crucifixes are worn as necklaces, carried as devotional objects, or hung in homes, offices, and vehicles.
A St. Benedict crucifix necklace combines the two most powerful symbols in Catholic devotional life: the Cross of Christ, which is the instrument of salvation, and the prayers of Saint Benedict, which invoke that salvation in the face of spiritual evil. Wearing it around the neck keeps both close to the heart throughout the day.
Wall crosses bearing the St. Benedict imagery serve a different purpose: they mark a space as one under God's protection and Saint Benedict's intercession. Many Catholic families hang a St. Benedict cross near the entrance of their home, a visible sign that the household is placed under the protection of the Cross and the prayers that surround it.
What the Cross Protects Against
The prayers inscribed on the St. Benedict Cross are directed specifically against spiritual evil: temptation, the devil's influence, and the dangers that come from following the wrong guide in life. Vade Retro Satana is not a formula for casting out demons; it is a prayer of rejection, a firm refusal addressed to the enemy, a declaration of allegiance to God.
These are prayers that any Catholic can pray. They do not require special authority or training. They are the kind of prayers the Church calls prayers of deliverance: petitions addressed to God, asking for His protection and invoking His power over evil through the Cross of His Son.
The Church encourages priests to bless sacramentals such as the St. Benedict Cross. The blessing does not add magical power to the object; it invokes the Church's prayer upon it, adding the intercession of the entire Body of Christ to the personal prayer of the one who uses it. A blessed St. Benedict Cross carries both dimensions: the individual's faith and the Church's prayer united in a single object.
How to Use the St. Benedict Cross
Catholics use the St. Benedict Cross in several ways, each suited to different expressions of devotion.
Wearing it as a necklace or bracelet keeps the cross and its prayers present throughout the day. When temptation arises, touching the cross and recalling its words, "May the Holy Cross be my light; let not the dragon be my guide," is a simple and effective act of prayer that interrupts the movement toward sin and redirects the heart toward God.
Displaying it in the home places the space under the protection of the Cross and the intercession of Saint Benedict. A cross near the front door, in the kitchen where the family gathers, or above a child's bed is a visible sign of the household's faith and a daily reminder of the protection being sought.
Giving it as a gift at moments of spiritual transition, Confirmation, Baptism, RCIA, a new home, a time of illness or difficulty, expresses not only love but the specific assurance of prayer. A St. Benedict Cross given at Confirmation tells the recipient: you are entering the spiritual combat of adult faith, and I am placing you under the protection of this cross and these prayers.
Saint Benedict and the Cross
Saint Benedict's entire life was organized around the Cross. His Rule begins with the word "listen," an act of obedience to God's word, and ends with the hope of reaching the kingdom of heaven. Between those two poles, he placed the Cross: the daily dying to self that monastic life demands and that every Christian is called to in their own vocation.
The cross on his medal is not an afterthought or a decorative element. It is the center of everything he taught: that victory over evil comes through the Cross of Christ, that peace comes from following Christ rather than the enemy, and that the Christian life is a daily choice between the two guides named in the prayer, the light of the Cross or the dragon.
To carry the St. Benedict Cross is to make that choice visible.
Shop St. Benedict Crucifix Necklaces
Shop Saint Benedict Medal Collection
The Saint Benedict Medal: Meaning, Symbols, and Protection
Sources and Further Reading
- Catholic Encyclopedia: "Saint Benedict of Nursia" — newadvent.org/cathen
- EWTN: "The Saint Benedict Medal" — ewtn.com
- Vatican: "Rule of Saint Benedict" — vatican.va
- Franciscan Media: "Saint Benedict" — franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-benedict
- Pope Gregory the Great, Dialogues, Book II — the primary biographical source on Saint Benedict's life and miracles
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