The Original Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
Pope Leo XIII Wrote a Beautiful and Powerful Intercessory Prayer
Feb 7, 2009
After Pope Leo XIII finished saying Mass on October 13, 1884, he collapsed into what is allegedly a mystical ecstasy. He witnessed a confrontation between Jesus and Satan, and saw evil demons being released from hell. To protect the Church and all families, he wrote a Leonine Exorcism which he mandated to be said after each Mass from that point forth.
In 1934, however, Pope Leo’s intercessory prayer was changed without explanation. It is believed that it was suppressed due to its startling content. It was replaced by an abbreviated Prayer to St. Michael, which still is powerful but not as compelling as the original.
The original prayer to St. Michael was a very powerful intercessory prayer. The Catholic Catechism lists five kinds of prayers for Christians: Prayers of Blessing, Petition, Thanksgiving, Praise, and Intercession. An intercessory prayer is when one prays to the Father for help, to bless, comfort, and especially to intervene on behalf of aid and assistance for special intentions.
The Original Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel
The original prayer to St. Michael was 594 words long. Here is a shortened version: “O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven....”
The New Prayer to St. Michael
The new prayer, which was written in 1934, is only 59 words long. It reads, “St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.”
In 1934, Pope Leo’s incredible prayer was changed without explanation. The Pope also saw to it that the Saint Michael prayer was recited after every low Mass throughout the world, and this (and even the new modified prayer to St. Michael) was discontinued in 1970 by Vatican II, again without explanation. This prayer is not said at Mass today, and there remains some controversy in the Catholic Church as to the events and reasons for these changes.
St. Michael
Saint Michael is an Archangel, a powerful angel who serves God, a warrior who often spars with the terrors of Hell, and an example of sanctity for the souls of man. Christian tradition names to him the following four charges: to fight against Satan; to rescue the souls of the faithful from the Devil, especially at the hour of death; to attend the dying and accompany them to judgment; and, to be the champion of God's people and the Patron Saint and Protector of the Church. Devotion to St. Michael has been present in the lives of the Catholic faithful from the earliest centuries of the Church.
In the vision of Pope Leo XIII, St. Michael appears at the last instant before Satan completes his plan of the total conquest of man, and he drives satan and his demons back into the pits of hell to be bound for all eternity. According to the Pope, the prayer of St. Michael is man’s invocation for that intercession.
References
The Mystical Ecstasy of Pope Leo XIII
The Original Prayer to St. Michael (in entirety)
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