Pics of some new Papal Medals
Iosephus
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Pictures of some new medals I've gotten over the past couple of months and finally got a chance to image. I've also included some background information for each medal to share here with you all.
Clement XII - Undated Medal, 37 mm Ø, Bronze
Charity Seated with Children
The reverse shows a personification of charity (love?) seated with two children. The inscription "NON QVÆRIT QVÆ SVA SVNT" ("Seeketh not her own"), combined with the seated figure, seems to be taken from parts of 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, "Caritas patiens est, ..., non quaerit, quae sua sunt, ..." ("Love is patient, ..., it does not seek its own interests, ..."). In addition to being good words to live by, this could be a reference to Clement's attempts to clean up corruption that occurred under the reign of his predecessor, Benedict XIII. For example, ministers in charge of finances under Benedict took advantage of their positions for their own gain; they were made to pay restitutions and some were imprisoned under Clement.
Pius IX - Year XI (1856) Annual Medal, 43 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
In his encyclical "Ineffabilis Deus", issued on December 8, 1854, Pius IX officially pronounced and defined as dogma the concept of the Immaculate Conception. The feast of the Immaculate Conception had been celebrated since 1476. The definition arrived at in the encyclical is as follows:
"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."
The reverse of this medal shows Pius promulgating the dogma to the collected cardinals and bishops inside St. Peter's Basilica (two columns of Bernini's canopy can be seen to the left).
Pius XI - Year V (1926) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology
Pius XI issued the Motu Proprio "I Primitivi Cemeteri" ("The Primitive Cemeteries") on December 11, 1925. In it, he enlarged and strengthened the Commission of Sacred Archaeology so that ancient monuments of the Chuirch would be preserved for future faithful. The document also established the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, which would be a university that would teach and promote scientific research in archaeology.
Pius XI - Year VII (1928) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Founding of the Pontifical Russian College
The Pontifical Russian College (also called "Russicum") was established in 1927 to teach Catholic priests who were going to work in Russia. Pius XI placed it under the protection of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who is considered to be the patron saint of Russia.
Pius XII - Year VI (1944) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Bronze
Commemorates Pius XII as Defender of the City of Rome
In 1943, Pius XII lobbied for the city of Rome to be declared an open city, corresponding with President Roosevelt in May of 1943 on this topic. Rome was declared to be an open city on August 14, 1943. Due to the pontiff's actions, he became known as "defensor civitatis" ("defender of the city"). The date of March 12, 1944 on the bottom of the medal's reverse refers to the day that Pius gave the speech "Nella desolazione" ("In the devastation"). This speech was delivered in the St. Peter's square to over 75,000 war refugees and citizens of Rome.
Clement XII - Undated Medal, 37 mm Ø, Bronze
Charity Seated with Children
The reverse shows a personification of charity (love?) seated with two children. The inscription "NON QVÆRIT QVÆ SVA SVNT" ("Seeketh not her own"), combined with the seated figure, seems to be taken from parts of 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, "Caritas patiens est, ..., non quaerit, quae sua sunt, ..." ("Love is patient, ..., it does not seek its own interests, ..."). In addition to being good words to live by, this could be a reference to Clement's attempts to clean up corruption that occurred under the reign of his predecessor, Benedict XIII. For example, ministers in charge of finances under Benedict took advantage of their positions for their own gain; they were made to pay restitutions and some were imprisoned under Clement.
Pius IX - Year XI (1856) Annual Medal, 43 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception
In his encyclical "Ineffabilis Deus", issued on December 8, 1854, Pius IX officially pronounced and defined as dogma the concept of the Immaculate Conception. The feast of the Immaculate Conception had been celebrated since 1476. The definition arrived at in the encyclical is as follows:
"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."
The reverse of this medal shows Pius promulgating the dogma to the collected cardinals and bishops inside St. Peter's Basilica (two columns of Bernini's canopy can be seen to the left).
Pius XI - Year V (1926) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology
Pius XI issued the Motu Proprio "I Primitivi Cemeteri" ("The Primitive Cemeteries") on December 11, 1925. In it, he enlarged and strengthened the Commission of Sacred Archaeology so that ancient monuments of the Chuirch would be preserved for future faithful. The document also established the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, which would be a university that would teach and promote scientific research in archaeology.
Pius XI - Year VII (1928) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Silver
Commemorates the Founding of the Pontifical Russian College
The Pontifical Russian College (also called "Russicum") was established in 1927 to teach Catholic priests who were going to work in Russia. Pius XI placed it under the protection of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who is considered to be the patron saint of Russia.
Pius XII - Year VI (1944) Annual Medal, 44 mm Ø, Bronze
Commemorates Pius XII as Defender of the City of Rome
In 1943, Pius XII lobbied for the city of Rome to be declared an open city, corresponding with President Roosevelt in May of 1943 on this topic. Rome was declared to be an open city on August 14, 1943. Due to the pontiff's actions, he became known as "defensor civitatis" ("defender of the city"). The date of March 12, 1944 on the bottom of the medal's reverse refers to the day that Pius gave the speech "Nella desolazione" ("In the devastation"). This speech was delivered in the St. Peter's square to over 75,000 war refugees and citizens of Rome.
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Do you know if the Defensor Civitas reverse was used on other (non-papal) medals? I seem to recall seeing one terribly similar before but can't remember...
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<< <i>Do you know if the Defensor Civitas reverse was used on other (non-papal) medals? I seem to recall seeing one terribly similar before but can't remember... >>
Not that I know of, sorry, though there might be something out there somewhere (I have very little knowledge of other medals).
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