St. Michael the Archangel

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Feast day: September 29  ·  The archangel of Scripture  ·  Patron of soldiers, police, and protection against evil

“Who is like God?” — that is what the name Michael means, and it is the cry of the archangel who cast the rebel angels out of heaven. St. Michael is the great protector of the Church against evil, invoked for centuries in the famous prayer of Pope Leo XIII. Here is who he is, his feast, and the prayer.

Who was St. Michael?

St. Michael is one of only three angels named in Scripture (with Gabriel and Raphael). He appears in the Book of Daniel as the “great prince” who guards God’s people, in the Letter of Jude disputing with the devil, and most famously in the Book of Revelation, where “Michael and his angels fought against the dragon” and cast Satan out of heaven (Revelation 12:7). The Church honors him as an archangel and as the leader of the heavenly host — the angelic armies arrayed against the powers of darkness.

Christian tradition assigns St. Michael four offices: to fight Satan, to rescue the souls of the faithful from the enemy at the hour of death, to champion God’s people, and to call souls from earth to their judgment. He has been venerated since the earliest centuries, with shrines such as Monte Sant’Angelo in Italy and Mont-Saint-Michel in France among the great pilgrimage sites of Europe.

Patron saint of soldiers, police, and protection against evil

St. Michael is the patron of soldiers, police officers, and all who do battle with evil — as well as the sick and the dying, whom he is asked to defend at the final hour. He is the protector of the Church herself. In 1886 Pope Leo XIII composed the prayer below and directed it to be said after Low Mass; many parishes have restored the custom, praying it for protection against the spiritual forces of evil.

The St. Michael Prayer

The prayer of Pope Leo XIII (1886), the most widely prayed invocation of the archangel:

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 host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Frequently asked

What is St. Michael the patron saint of?

St. Michael is the patron of soldiers, police officers, and all who contend with evil, as well as the sick and the dying. He is honored as the protector of the whole Church against the powers of darkness.

When is the feast of St. Michael (Michaelmas)?

September 29 — the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, traditionally called Michaelmas. St. Michael is also commemorated in some traditions on May 8.

What is the St. Michael Prayer?

A short prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 — 'Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…' — asking the archangel's protection against the devil. It was long prayed after Mass and is widely prayed again today.

Is St. Michael a saint or an angel?

Both, in the Church's usage: he is an archangel, a pure spirit created by God, and he is venerated as 'Saint' Michael. Angels are not human beings who became saints; Michael is honored as a holy angel and given the title of respect.

More saints: St. Jude · St. Patrick · all saints & prayers