Devotion to Mary help of Christians: the medal for protection and thanks

The medal of Mary Help of Christians was disseminated by Don Bosco as a direct and simple way of manifesting externally the feeling of the heart and the commitment to live Christianly. Don Bosco distributed it with full hands, in Italy and abroad.

Medals that on one side depicted Mary Help of Christians and on the other the Blessed Sacrament or the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to symbolize the "two columns" to which Don Bosco constantly referred. The saint advised to always carry this medal with him, to kiss it in temptations, to recommend himself to the Help of Christians in the dangers of all sorts. He used to say: "Put this medal around your neck and remember that Our Lady loves you very much and pray that she will help you from the heart" (MB III 46).

The medal of Mary Help of Christians, for Don Bosco, was not an amulet or custom, but a powerful means of remembering the power of Mary in the eyes and heart and to suggest a constant and filial confidence in her. To Don Cagliero he advised: "You you know how to remove all fear ... The usual antidote: medal of Mary Help of Christians with the statement: "Mary help of Christians, pray for us": frequent Communion; that's all!".

There would be many episodes in the life of the saint and not only that refer to the use of the medal of Mary Help of Christians. In particular, Mary proved to be a powerful weapon against sin and Mary and her effective intercession in great natural upheavals were particularly invoked: earthquakes, volcano eruption, epidemic diseases, storms, as if to testify that the victories over the elements of nature were a sign of more powerful and more effective victory than grace over sin. "