Prayer to Saint Michael

The Prayer to Saint Michael usually refers to one Catholic prayer to Michael the Archangel, among the various prayers in existence that are addressed to him. This prayer was incorporated into the rubrics of the Low Mass of the Catholic Church from 1886 to its suppression in 1964.

Other prayers to Saint Michael have also been officially approved and printed on prayer cards.

In 1886, Pope Leo XIII added a Prayer to Saint Michael to the Leonine Prayers, which he had directed to be prayed after Low Mass two years earlier.

Sancte Michael Archangele,
defende nos in proelio;
contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium.
Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur:
tuque, Princeps militiae Caelestis,
satanam aliosque spiritus malignos,
qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo,
divina virtute in infernum detrude.
Amen.

Saint Michael 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, cast into hell
Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Variant English translations have "Holy Michael", "Saint Michael", "malice and snares", "may God rebuke him", "cast into Hell", "all evil spirits", "prowl through the world seeking the ruin", and other differences. The English translation that was used in Ireland is quoted in James Joyce's novel Ulysses.

The prayer's opening words are similar to the Alleluia verse for Saint Michael’s feasts on 8 May and 29 September in the Roman Missal of the time, which ran:

Sancte Michael, defende nos in proelio ut non pereamus in tremendo iudicio.

Saint Michael, defend us in battle that we might not perish at the dreadful judgment.

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