St. Vincent de Paul Medals

St. Vincent de Paul medals honor the 17th-century French priest who became the undisputed apostle of charity — the patron saint of charitable organizations, volunteers, the poor, hospital workers, and prisoners. Born in 1581 in Pouy, Gascony, Vincent was ordained in 1601 and, after being captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery in Tunis, returned to France with a burning vocation to serve the marginalized. He founded the Congregation of the Mission (the Lazarists) to evangelize the rural poor, organized relief networks for galley slaves and war refugees, and co-founded the Daughters of Charity with Louise de Marillac — the first religious congregation of women to work outside convent walls. He died on September 27, 1660, and his feast day falls on that same date each year.

Catholics who dedicate their lives to serving others — SVdP chapter members, soup kitchen volunteers, social workers, hospital chaplains, and everyone who gives their time to the poor — wear a St. Vincent de Paul medal as a daily reminder of the charity they have chosen to embody. The medal makes an exceptionally meaningful gift for a volunteer appreciation event hosted by a Society of St. Vincent de Paul chapter, or for a social worker graduating and stepping into direct service. Friends, pastors, and chapter presidents searching for a recognition gift that goes deeper than a plaque will find that a St. Vincent medal carries the weight of a living tradition.

Every St. Vincent de Paul medal necklace in our collection is crafted in the USA by Bliss Manufacturing and backed by a lifetime guarantee. Choose from sterling silver, 14kt gold filled, and 14kt solid gold, with multiple sizes and chain lengths to suit every budget and style. Browse our full range of patron saint medals or explore our St. Teresa of Calcutta medals for another beloved servant of the poor. Free shipping on orders over $40.
Filter and sort (0)
Sort by
Availability
Price
The highest price is $3,173.30
$
$
Metal Option
More filters
Show more
Type
Size
Clear all
Hide filters
View as
Filter and sort
Clear all
Availability
Price
The highest price is $3,173.30
$
$
Metal Option
More filters
Show more
Type
Size
1-14 of 14 products

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is St. Vincent de Paul the patron saint of?

St. Vincent de Paul is the patron saint of charitable organizations, charity workers, volunteers, hospital workers, the poor, and prisoners. Pope Leo XIII officially declared him the heavenly patron of all charitable societies in 1885, recognizing the vast network of relief work he organized during his lifetime in 17th-century France. His patronage extends to anyone who serves the marginalized in a formal or informal capacity, which is why SVdP chapter members, social workers, and hospital volunteers all claim him as their special intercessor.

What is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide lay Catholic organization founded in Paris in 1833 by the university student Frédéric Ozanam, who named it in honor of Vincent de Paul as a model of charitable action. Members organize into local "conferences" attached to parishes, where they visit families in need, operate thrift stores, run food pantries, and provide direct financial assistance — always on a person-to-person basis rather than through bureaucratic channels. Today the Society operates in more than 150 countries and is one of the largest Catholic charitable organizations in the world, with millions of active volunteers carrying forward Vincent's original vision.

What did St. Vincent de Paul found during his lifetime?

St. Vincent de Paul founded two major religious institutions that continue to serve the Church today. In 1625 he established the Congregation of the Mission, commonly called the Lazarists or Vincentians, a society of priests dedicated to evangelizing the rural poor and training diocesan clergy. In 1633 he co-founded the Daughters of Charity with the widow Louise de Marillac — the first women's religious congregation to work outside convent walls, serving in hospitals, orphanages, and prisons. Beyond these formal institutions, Vincent also organized the Ladies of Charity, a confraternity of noblewomen who funded and staffed relief operations, creating one of the first structured volunteer networks in Catholic history.

When is St. Vincent de Paul's feast day?

St. Vincent de Paul's feast day is September 27, the date of his death in 1660. The feast is observed throughout the universal Catholic Church and is a particularly significant day for Society of St. Vincent de Paul conferences worldwide, many of which mark it with a special Mass, volunteer recognition ceremonies, or the presentation of medals to long-serving members. September 27 is one of the most meaningful dates to give a St. Vincent de Paul medal as a gift, whether to an SVdP chapter volunteer, a social worker, or anyone else who has dedicated themselves to serving the poor.

What makes a St. Vincent de Paul medal a good gift for a volunteer or charity worker?

A St. Vincent de Paul medal connects the recipient to a 400-year-old tradition of organized, faith-driven service — which gives it a depth that a generic appreciation plaque simply cannot match. For an SVdP chapter volunteer, wearing Vincent's image is an act of spiritual solidarity with every member of the Society worldwide and with the poor they serve together. For a social worker, hospital volunteer, or anyone else who gives their time to vulnerable people, the medal is a daily reminder that their work is a genuine vocation, not just a job. Our medals are made in the USA by Bliss Manufacturing and backed by a lifetime guarantee, so the gift will last as long as the vocation it honors.

Are your St. Vincent de Paul medals made in the USA?

Yes — every St. Vincent de Paul medal necklace we carry is crafted in the United States by Bliss Manufacturing, a trusted name in Catholic religious jewelry with a long track record of quality and consistency. Each medal is available in sterling silver, 14kt gold filled, and 14kt solid gold, and every piece is backed by our lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects. Buying USA-made means you are supporting domestic craftsmanship while receiving a medal finished to the precise detail and durability that a devotional piece meant to be worn every day deserves.

The Story of St. Vincent de Paul

Vincent de Paul was born on April 24, 1581, in the small village of Pouy in Gascony, France, the third of six children in a peasant farming family. Recognized early for his sharp intellect, he studied with the Franciscans at Acqs and went on to earn a theology degree at the University of Toulouse, where he was ordained a priest in 1601. His life took a dramatic turn in 1605 when, sailing from Marseilles to Narbonne, his ship was seized by Turkish pirates. Vincent was sold into slavery in Tunis, where he spent nearly two years laboring under successive masters before converting one of his captors and escaping back to France. That harrowing experience did not embitter him — it focused him. Back in Paris, he served as tutor to the powerful Gondi family and as chaplain to the royal court of Henry IV, positions that gave him access to wealth he immediately redirected toward those with nothing. In 1625 he founded the Congregation of the Mission, known as the Lazarists, to preach the Gospel to France's forgotten rural poor. Together with the widow Louise de Marillac, he established the Daughters of Charity in 1633 — the first women's religious congregation to work in hospitals, prisons, and the streets rather than behind cloister walls. Vincent died on September 27, 1660, was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737, and was declared patron of all charitable societies by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.

Why Catholics Wear a St. Vincent de Paul Medal

The spiritual tradition of wearing a St. Vincent de Paul medal is rooted in solidarity with the poor and the desire to carry one's charitable vocation close to the heart. The medal typically depicts Vincent in his black cassock, often shown reaching toward or sheltering a figure representing the poor, with his name and sometimes the phrase "Pray for Us" inscribed on the reverse. For members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — the worldwide lay organization founded in 1833 by Frédéric Ozanam in Vincent's honor — the medal is a badge of identity worn with quiet pride. It signals to fellow chapter members and to the people they serve that this person has taken up Vincent's mission of person-to-person charity. Hospital workers, prison chaplains, and social workers who draw spiritual inspiration from Vincent wear the medal as a reminder that every act of service, however small, participates in something larger. The medal is not merely decorative; it is a constant prompt to ask the question Vincent himself asked: "What must be done?" — and then to do it.

Our St. Vincent de Paul Medal Collection

Our St. Vincent de Paul medal necklaces are made in the USA by Bliss Manufacturing, a family-owned company with decades of experience producing Catholic medals to the highest standards of craftsmanship. Every medal comes with a lifetime guarantee — if it ever fails under normal wear, we make it right. The collection spans three metal options: sterling silver for an heirloom-quality everyday piece, 14kt gold filled for a richer look at an accessible price, and 14kt solid gold for a lasting investment piece. Medals are available in multiple sizes, and chains range from 18 to 24 inches to suit different necklines and preferences. Orders over $40 ship free. Whether you are outfitting an SVdP chapter volunteer, honoring a social worker, or purchasing a personal devotional piece, you will find the right combination here. For related devotional jewelry, explore our St. Elizabeth of Hungary medals — another patron of charitable service — or browse the full patron saint of social workers landing page for more options.

Giving a St. Vincent de Paul Medal as a Gift

The three most natural gift moments for a St. Vincent de Paul medal are a Society of St. Vincent de Paul chapter volunteer appreciation dinner, a social work school graduation, and the feast day of September 27. At a chapter appreciation event, a sterling silver or gold-filled Vincent medal given by a chapter president or pastor carries the full weight of the organization's charism — it tells the volunteer that their work is seen, valued, and spiritually grounded. For a social work graduation, the medal functions like a nursing pinning ceremony piece: a tangible symbol of a vocation being formally undertaken. On September 27, parishes that are home to active SVdP conferences often present medals to long-serving members as part of a feast day Mass, making it one of the most meaningful liturgical gift occasions in the charitable ministry calendar. A service award presentation is another ideal moment — pairing the medal with a card explaining Vincent's story transforms a routine recognition into something the recipient will keep for decades. All orders arrive in gift-ready packaging, and free shipping applies to orders over $40. Also consider pairing a Vincent medal with a St. Teresa of Calcutta medal for a dual-patron gift set honoring two of history's greatest servants of the poor.
Compare products (0/5)