Antique and Beautiful large monastery devotional box with Agnus Dei Wax.

Antique and Beautiful large monastery devotional box with Agnus Dei Wax.

France early 1900.

Size: 4.2 cm diameter x 2 cm H

The Paschal Blessing of the "Agnus Dei" (Bendición del Agnus Dei el Miércoles de Pascua)

A forgotten sacramental of the Catholic Church is the rite and use of sacred waxes known as the "Agnus Dei." The Agnus Dei was a round, oval wax disk that was blessed by the pope on the Wednesday after Easter.  The blessing ceremony was considered so solemn it was called a "consecration."  This the popes did traditionally only during their first Easter as pope and thereafter once every seven years.  The ceremony was held generally in the audience hall room behind the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. 

It was said the wax medallions would protect those who would wear or possess them from all perils, including pestilence, epidemics and infectious diseases.  Miraculous effects have been attributed to the use of these wax "relics;" for example, the protection of soldiers in combat or the calming of winds, the dissipating of hurricanes, the calming of tornadoes, and in general keeping tempests at bay.  Sacramentals, when used properly with pious dispositions, can have special efficacy because the Church has blessed them with prayer.  The reason the Agnus Dei wax was so powerful in putting the devil to flight was because its blessing did not ask evil spirits to flee by way of impetration, but instead by way of command.  This command was besought by the pope in the prayers and exorcisms recited in the consecration and blessing of the sacramental.