PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL BY LEO XIII

 

O glorious Prince of the heavenly host,
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the battle
and in the fearful warfare
that we are waging against
the principalities and powers,
against the rulers of this world of darkness,
 against the evil spirits.

Come thou to the assistance of men,
whom Almighty God created immortal,
making them in His own image
and likeness and redeeming them
at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

Fight this day the battle of the Lord
with the legions of holy Angels,
even as of old thou didst fight against Lucifer,
 the leader of the proud spirits
and all his rebel angels,
who were powerless to stand against thee,
neither was their place found any more in heaven.


And that apostate angel,
transformed into an angel of darkness
who still creeps about the earth
to encompass our ruin,
was cast headlong into the abyss
together with his followers.

But behold, that first enemy of mankind,
and a murderer from the beginning,
has regained his confidence.

Changing himself into an angel of light,
he goes about with the whole multitude
of the wicked spirits to invade the earth
and blot out the Name of God and of His Christ,
to plunder, to slay and to consign
to eternal damnation the souls
that have been destined
for a crown of everlasting life.

This wicked serpent,
like an unclean torrent,
pours into men of depraved minds
and corrupt hearts the poison of his malice,
the spirit of lying,
impiety and blasphemy,
and the deadly breath of impurity
and every form of vice and iniquity.

These crafty enemies of mankind
have filled to overflowing with gall
and wormwood the Church,
is the Bride of the Lamb without spot;
they have laid profane hands
upon her most sacred treasures.

Make haste, therefore,
O invincible Prince,
to help the people of God
against the inroads of the lost spirits
and grant us the victory.

Amen.

(indulg. By Leo XIII, 25 Sep. 1888)