Might it not come from the Latin initials inscribed on the St. Benedict Medal?
V.R.S. -- Vade Retro Satana
N.S.M.V. -- Numquam Suade Mihi Vana
S.M.Q.L. -- Sunt Mala Quae Libas
I.V.B. -- Ipse Venenum Bibas
(From St. Bendeict's Prayer Book, Ampleforth Abbey Press)
The origins of the Latin initials on the medal is another issue. I assume
it's
roots are medieval
Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski
>===== Original Message From Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
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>Dear Chris,
>
>I'd love to know more about where you encountered the practice of using a
>medal of St. Benedict to guard the entrances to a house. This reminded me
>irresistibly of a passage in Chaucer's "Miller's Tale" that I always
>thought was just poking fun at the superstitions of John the rich, ignorant
>carpenter (who is about to be cuckolded by the clever clerk who rents a
>room in his house). When John thinks Nicholas the clerk has been bewitched
>or possessed by an evil spirit, he makes the sign of the cross over him and
>then tries to protect the whole house by saying this "night-spell" on all
>four sides of it and also on the threshhold of the outer door:
>
> "Jhesu Crist and Seint Benedight,
> Blesse this hous from every wikked wight,
> For nyghtes verye [or nerye], the White Pater Noster.
> Where wentestow, Seint Petres soster?"
>
>Most editors have concluded that the last two lines degenerate into mere
>gibberish, but the first two--with the invocation of Benedict as
>protector--are quite clear. Is this just a coincidence, or are the
>beliefs of John the carpenter still with us in the 21st century? --And why
>St. Benedict in particular? Does anybody have a good theory about this?
>
>Sherry Reames (English Dept., U. Wisconsin, Madison)
>
>At 12:38 PM 12/27/2000 -0800, Chris Laning wrote:
>
>>Turning St. Anthony to face the wall sounds like an example of a
>>medieval practice that translates as "humiliating the saint" --
>>namely "punishing" the image or relics of the saint as a way of
>>"forcing" him/her to come to one's aid. There's an extended treatment
>>of this in Patrick J. Geary's _Living With the Dead in the Middle
>>Ages_ (ISBN 0-8014-2856-4). I believe burying the St. Joseph statue
>>is intended to have the same effect.
>>
>>Other such beliefs about religious artifacts are still alive and
>>kicking. The most recent one I've encountered is the practice of
>>putting a medal of (specifically) St. Benedict on windowsills and
>>above doors to keep away evil. I'm curious whether it is the
>>protective power of St. Benedict that's being called on, or the
>>protection of the cross that is usually on the reverse side of this
>>particular medal.
>
Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski
1216 Commonwealth Ave #11
Allston, MA 02134
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