Obverse

In August, 2004, the Polish State Mint in Warsaw cast a commemorative medal honoring the 150th anniversary of Pope Pius IX proclaiming the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The dogma was proclaimed on Dec. 8, 1854.

The primary medal is cast in bronze, with an additional small number of medals made in silver. The Obverse of the medal, which measures six centimeters in diameter, displays the image of the Immaculate Mother of God with a lily in her right hand and surrounded by rays. This image depicts the 18th-century seal of the Marian Order.

The latin inscription along the rim reads: “Immaculata Virginis mariae Conceptio sit nobis salus et protectio” (“The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary be our health and protection“), and the dates 1854-2004.

Verso

The Verso of the medal shows the bust of Bl. Stanislaus Papczyński holding a crucifix. The Latin inscription along the rim reads: “Stanislaus a Iesu Maria Papczyński Marianorum ab Immac. Conceptione B.V.M. Fundator (“Stanislaus of Jesus [and] Mary Papczyński, Founder of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception of the B.V.M.“), and the date 1673.

In this way, the authors of this project wished to connect the jubilee of the proclamation of the dogma with the fact that almost 200 years earlier the first male community under the title of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in the Church.

The author of the design, as well as the coordinator of the project, is Br. Andrew R. Maczynski, MIC, Superior of the Stockbridge, MA, House in the United States, and General Promoter of the Association of Marian Helpers, with the active participation of Ms. Ewa Lodkowska, Executive Director of the AMH in Poland. Ms. Anna Watrobska-Wdowiarska, a renowned Warsaw artist specializing in medal engraving, made the medal. The St. Stanislaus Kostka Province of the Marian congregation in the U.S. sponsored the project.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary, by the decision of the Superior General, these Marian medals were handed to the guests traditionally invited to Via Corsica to celebrate with the Marians, the Congregation’s patronal feast day, December 8. Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, Director of the Association of Marian Helpers, Stockbridge, MA, in the United States, presented the medal to the Holy Father and his private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, in Rome on the eve of Dec 8.