This Vintage devotional medal is a classic Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic medal. It features a profile of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the front, with Saint Bernadette kneeling before the Virgin Mary in the grotto on the reverse side. This medal dates to the 1950s and is made of aluminum.
A cranberry (or deep red) and cream ribbon does not have a strict, universal meaning in Catholic tradition, but it typically holds specific liturgical or cultural significance. In antique French Catholic practice, these colors are highly symbolic:
Cranberry (Red): Represents the Precious Blood of Christ, divine love, and the Holy Spirit. It is also the liturgical color worn during feasts of the martyrs and Pentecost.
Cream (White/Ivory): Represents purity, innocence, the Virgin Mary, and the light of Christ. White is worn during Easter and Christmas, as well as for sacraments like Baptism and First Communion.
In France, vintage pilgrimage medals were frequently sold as brooches with intricately folded ribbons. A cranberry-and-cream combination often marks a medal purchased for a significant milestone.
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