Composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.

The Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel was composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, following a vision he reportedly received of a coming battle between Satan and the Church. It was formerly said after every Low Mass and remains one of the most powerful Catholic prayers for spiritual protection.

The Prayer

Saint 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.

About This Prayer

St. Michael is one of the three archangels named in Sacred Scripture (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael) and is mentioned in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation. He is the protector of the Church, the angel who defeats Satan in the heavenly battle of Revelation 12, and the patron of soldiers, police officers, and the dying.