BOOK PICK: Do we know why an Orthodox cross looks a bit different, or what the St. Peter, St. Benedict and St. Brigid crosses are? Clockwise from upper right: anointing of the sick crucifix ...

If you’ve seen the back of a St. Benedict medal, you may have noticed a series of letters. The first set is arranged in and around the shape of the cross: C S P B C S S M L N D S M D.

This coming week, Christian believers will celebrate the feast day of Saint Benedict of Norcia. The early sixth century saint still shines as one of Western culture’s brightest lights.