Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

**Exterior**

If you've reached a building with an arched door and a statue in a round arch above it, you've found the right place. It's the very next building after the department store, so there's hardly any need to double-check. It feels a bit like the Chapelle Saint-Vincent-de-Paul you just saw: no decoration, nothing special, just plain. Without the statue above the door, it would be an ordinary building, and many people walk right past the entrance. Like the Chapelle Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, it's a chapel built inside a monastery complex, tucked in behind the street front, and shows an eclectic style.

The statue over the door is the Virgin holding the infant Jesus. Compare it with the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal inside the chapel.

**The Miraculous Medal**

Look to the left of the entrance, at the plaque. The two coins above the church's name are the Miraculous Medal. On the front, the Virgin Mary stands on the globe with a snake, a symbol of original sin, beneath her feet, and light radiates from her hands. The oval inscription reads: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

On the back, a cross, representing Jesus, is joined with an M, representing the Virgin Mary, signifying that Mary takes a special part in Jesus's work of salvation. Below are the Sacred Heart of Jesus, encircled by a crown of thorns, and the heart of Mary, pierced by a sword. The twelve stars around the oval stand for the twelve apostles and the Church.

**The courtyard**

Pass through the arched gate into the courtyard and the chapel stands ahead. The surrounding buildings house facilities connected with the charitable work founded by Saint Vincent de Paul. A statue stands on each side of the courtyard. The priest on the right is Saint Vincent de Paul, who has appeared repeatedly. The nun opposite is Saint Louise de Marillac, who founded and nurtured the Daughters of Charity with him.

The relief on the front shows the very moment when the Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré, then a novice, as she prayed, and entrusted her with the mission of making the medal. The medal spread widely when cholera struck Paris, and as cases of healing and conversion followed among those who carried it, it came to be called the Miraculous Medal. You'll see many pilgrims from around the world here. The gift shop on the right side of the courtyard is far busier than the chapel itself.

**The altar of the apparition**

It's a small space you can take in at a glance, but it's packed with things to see, so if you have time, we recommend going inside.

The altar in front stands on the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared. Unlike a typical altar with a cross, it features a statue of the apparition, with Mary's arms outstretched, the same figure as on the medal. Behind her, a golden arch and radiating halo are painted. As you'd expect from a church known for healing, the interior is bright and luminous. To the right of the altar lie the remains of Saint Catherine Labouré, the witness of the apparition. To the left is the altar of Saint Joseph, with a statue of him holding a child and lilies at its base.

**Remains of Saint Louise de Marillac and the Saint Vincent de Paul chapel**

On the wall to the left of the altar are the remains of Saint Louise de Marillac, who founded the Daughters of Charity with Vincent de Paul. She pioneered social welfare and led the order into social work. Without that order, the Miraculous Medal might not exist today.

On the opposite side, to the right of the altar, is the chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul. The statue with children is Vincent de Paul, and below it a glass reliquary holds his heart. Remember where his bones are? At the Chapelle Saint-Vincent-de-Paul you just visited.

Finally, look at the chair below the altar. Known as the chair of the apparition, it is said to be where the Virgin Mary sat for two hours when she appeared, with Saint Catherine Labouré kneeling at her feet to talk with her. We saw that scene in the relief at the front of the courtyard. The chair looks surprisingly intact and ordinary.

**Directions**

Next is the food hall of the neighboring Le Bon Marché. Turn to the right with your back to the chapel: it's the place you passed on the way here. Since Le Bon Marché has two buildings, it's easier to search for La Grande Épicerie de Paris in a map app.

It takes about 10 minutes to get from the department store to the Paris Foreign Missions Society chapel and on to Saint-Thomas-d'Aquin. If walking is hard, swap the order of the chapel and the department store and use the metro or bus. But it's said to be 10 minutes either way, and with waiting and going up and down to platforms, we recommend walking. For details, see the photos on screen and [Learn more] at the bottom of the script.