The tradition petitions Saint Michael, 'Prince of the heavenly host,' to rebuke and by the power of God thrust into Hell Satan and other evil spirits; the prayer is understood to secure heavenly defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil and to protect souls from spiritual ruin.
The Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel is a concise Roman Catholic devotional invocation used in private and communal contexts to request Michael's protection against demonic activity and temptation. The English text commonly cited asks Saint Michael to 'defend us in battle' and to 'thrust into Hell Satan and all of the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.' Historically, this short prayer was recited after Low Mass in Catholic churches from 1886 until 1964, though it is not part of the Mass rubrics. Related but distinct devotions—such as a Novena to St. Michael and the Chaplet of St. Michael—exist as separate devotional formats and may involve additional prayers or prayer aids; these are optional and are not required to perform the short Prayer to Saint Michael. The prayer is classified among prayers of spiritual warfare in Catholic devotional practice.
- 01Stand or kneel in a posture appropriate for prayer (private or communal); the prayer may be recited individually or aloud by a group.
- 02Address Saint Michael by name and office and recite the standard English text in full: 'Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.'
- 03Continue the same recitation: 'May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:'
- 04Conclude the petition with the final clause: 'and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into Hell Satan and all of the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.'
- 05End the prayer with 'Amen.'
- 06Optional: When used in a novena format (separate devotion), follow the specific novena leaflet or schedule for nine consecutive days of prayers; when used as the Chaplet of St. Michael (a distinct devotion), use the chaplet sequence and beads as provided by that devotion (specific sequences and wordings for these distinct devotions are separate from the short prayer and are not specified here).
- ⚠This short devotional prayer is not a substitute for the Church's formal rite of exorcism and should not be presented as a canonical exorcism (formal exorcisms require an appointed priest and the Church's authorized rites).
Community Record
- [1]Prayer to Saint Michael (Wikipedia). Wikipedia, 'Prayer to Saint Michael' (entry summarizing the English prayer, its text, and historical usage after Low Mass 1886–1964).wiki
- [2]Prayer To St Michael For Personal Protection HD. Archive.org video/audio of the prayer in English (popular devotional presentation).other
- [3]Prière à Saint Michel Archange (musical rendition). Archive.org entry for a musical rendition referencing the prayer and noting the label 'petit exorcisme' in a musical/recording context.other
- [4]Novena to St Michael, the Archangel. Catholic Doors, 'Novena to St Michael' (describes existence of a distinct nine-day novena devotion to St. Michael).other
- [5]The Chaplet of St. Michael the Archangel. Mgr Foundation, 'The Chaplet of St. Michael' (describes the separate chaplet devotion associated with St. Michael).other
- [6]Rosary Workshop: Prayer - St Michael the Archangel. Rosary Workshop page reproducing the common English text and devotional commentary on use.other