Original Item. Only One Available. This is an excellent original U.S. WWII Catholic breast pocket prayer book fitted with a metal “Heart Shield” cover. Designed in a compact format suitable for carrying in a uniform shirt pocket, the front bears the reassuring inscription “May This Keep You From Harm.” This example remains in unissued condition without inscriptions or visible wear.

The prayer book measures approximately 4 ½” x 3”. The metal front cover is engraved:

May This Keep You From Harm

Small religious books with protective metal covers are commonly known among collectors as “Heart Shield Bibles.” They were compact enough to be carried over the chest in a military shirt or jacket pocket and were intended to provide servicemembers with spiritual comfort during wartime.

Despite the familiar collector name, this example is a Catholic prayer book rather than a standard pocket Bible or New Testament. It does not contain the printed message from President Franklin D. Roosevelt found in some wartime editions of the New Testament and Psalms.

Roosevelt’s message commended Bible reading to members of the United States Armed Forces and described scripture as a source of wisdom, counsel, and inspiration. Its absence from this Catholic prayer book reflects the variety of religious publications distributed or commercially produced for American military personnel during WWII.

Metal covered editions were sometimes promoted as providing a degree of physical protection when carried over the heart. The thin cover was not designed or rated as ballistic armor, although documented wartime accounts exist in which pocket religious books helped slow or deflect bullets.

One widely publicized example belonged to U.S. Army soldier John Phillips. During the Battle of the Bulge, Phillips was struck by gunfire and later found a bullet lodged in the pocket Bible carried over his chest. His survival contributed to the enduring association between these compact devotional books and the term “Heart Shield.”

This example remains in exceptional unissued condition. There are no personal inscriptions, ownership markings, or signs of extended pocket wear. No named provenance accompanies it.

The intact metal cover, clearly engraved “May This Keep You From Harm” message, and unissued condition distinguish this prayer book from the heavily handled and personalized examples more commonly associated with wartime service. It would be appropriate for a collection focused on U.S. WWII personal effects, Catholic devotional material, or the religious life of American servicemembers.