The Terrifying Vision That Led Pope Leo XIII To Write The Saint Michael Prayer
Saint Michael is the most powerful of God’s angels, the leader of all angels and of the army of God. In the Bible, when Satan declared war on God, it is Saint Michael who defeated Satan and expelled him from Heaven. He is a powerful protector against spiritual attacks, and as such, when Pope Leo XIII had a vision of Satan threatening the Church, he wrote the famous “Prayer to Saint Michael”.
On October 13, 1884, exactly 33 years to the day before the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima, Pope Leo XIII had a terrifying vision of the future of the Church. With a handful of cardinals and Vatican staff members in attendance, Pope Leo XIII had finished celebrating Mass in the Vatican Chapel. He suddenly stopped at the foot of the altar, his face having turned ashen white, and remained there standing for about ten minutes in a trance-like state.
Later, when asked what had happened, Pope Leo XIII said that as he was about to leave the altar he heard two voices. One voice was of a kind and gentle nature, while the other voice was guttural and grating. He listened to the voices, which seemed to emanate from the tabernacle, and overheard the following conversation:
The voice of Satan in his pride, boasted to our Lord: “I can destroy your Church.”
The gentle voice of our Lord: “You can? Then go ahead and do so.”
Satan: “To do so, I need more time and more power.”
Our Lord: “How much time? How much power?
Satan: “75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service.”
Our Lord: “You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will.”
After having the vision, Pope Leo immediately went from the Vatican Chapel to his private office and wrote the “Prayer to Saint Michael”, giving with it the instructions that it be prayed after all Low Masses.
The practice of reciting this powerful prayer after Mass continue for decades, until it was officially suppressed after Vatican II. Removing the obligation to recite this prayer (along with the three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen, and the prayer for the Church) after Low Mass did not mean forbidding its use either privately or publicly, and Pope Saint John Paul II recommended its use, saying:
“Although this prayer is no longer recited at the end of Mass, I ask everyone not to forget it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against the forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world.”
Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!
So that you may invoke the protection of the mighty Archangel Michael from evil forces, we encourage you get this FREE Saint Michael prayer card, and pray it often!