Paris,
France, 1830
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The graces are won by Christ but distributed by His Mother. Not all the rings gave off light. indicating that many graces God wished to bestow through Mary went unclaimed. Around the figure of Our Lady, these words were inscribed: 'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.' This medal came to be called 'the Miraculous Medal,' because of the many miracles associated with its wearing. The back of this medal shows the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus together. This was the first occurrence in which the two hearts appeared together. Twenty-four years after the apparition, Pope Saint Pius X, on December 8, 1854, defined the doctrine of 'the Immaculate Conception.' This dogma states, 'the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the foreseen merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved from all stain of original sin.' "
--Thunder of Justice, pg. 22