It was on November 27, 1830, that the blessed Mother appeared to a young sister, St Catherine Laboure in Paris France. Mary asked the Vincentian sister to have a medal struck in honor of her Immaculate Conception, following the model she would show her: "Have the medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces. They should wear it around the neck." The medal was finally struck on June 30, 1832 with the permission of the Archbishop of Paris. The many miracles that resulted after this gave it the popular name of the "Miraculous Medal." On the front side of the medal may be seen the Blessed Mother standing on the globe of the earth and crushing the head of the evil serpent, Satan. From her extended hands, rays of light stream forth upon the world, symbolizing graces that the good Mother procures from her Divine Son for her children. Around the edge of this side of the medal are inscribed the words; "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." On the reverse side of the medal, the "M" of Mary is surmounted by the Cross of Christ, beneath which she stood and joined her sacrifice to the perfect sacrifice of her Son. Beneath this can be seen the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary - together in the virginal womb during His Gestation, together during life, together in Calvary and for eternity. Christ's Heart is surrounded by a crown of thorns and flames with a surmounted cross atop it, to represent the burning love of Jesus for humanity testified unto by the shedding of His blood at Calvary. Mary's heart is pierced by a sword, as Simeon the Prophet foretold (Lk 2:35), and surmounted by flames, her own burning love for humanity. This whole is surrounded by twelve stars around the edge of the medal, which refer to St. John's vision of the "woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (cf. Rv 12:1)