The St Michael prayer: words, meaning and history

The St Michael prayer is a short prayer asking Saint Michael the Archangel to defend us against the devil. Pope Leo XIII wrote it, and from 1886 Catholics prayed it on their knees after every Low Mass. It's no longer part of the Mass, but many Catholics still pray it every day, especially in the morning and in moments of temptation. Here is the full text, what it means, and when to pray it.

The St Michael prayer

This is the short form most Catholics know:

You'll find small differences in some prayer books, such as "be our defense" in place of "be our protection," or "cast into hell" in place of "thrust into hell." They're translations of the same Latin prayer, and any of them is fine to pray.

The St Michael prayer in Latin

Leo XIII wrote it in Latin, and some parishes and families pray it this way:

Who is St Michael the Archangel?

Michael is one of the three angels the Bible names, with Gabriel and Raphael. His name is a question in Hebrew: "Who is like God?" It's a fitting name for the angel who stands against the one who wanted to be like God.

He appears in a handful of places. In the Book of Daniel he is "the great prince" who protects God's people (Daniel 12:1). In the Letter of Jude he disputes with the devil and says only, "The Lord rebuke you" (Jude 9). In the Book of Revelation, "Michael and his angels" fight against the dragon and cast him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9).

The Church celebrates his feast on September 29, together with Gabriel and Raphael. In England that day was long called Michaelmas.

Where did the St Michael prayer come from?

Pope Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903, asked in 1884 that certain prayers be said kneeling after every Low Mass: three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen and a prayer for the Church. In 1886 he added the prayer to St Michael. These became known as the Leonine Prayers, and for about eighty years Catholics around the world heard the St Michael prayer at the end of nearly every Low Mass.

The prayers after Low Mass were dropped in the liturgical reforms of the 1960s. The prayer itself didn't go anywhere. In 1994, St John Paul II asked Catholics not to forget it, even though it was no longer said at the end of Mass, and to pray it for help in the battle against the forces of darkness. In October 2018, Pope Francis asked Catholics to pray the Rosary every day that month and to end it with the St Michael prayer and the ancient Marian prayer Sub tuum praesidium ("We fly to thy patronage"), for the protection of the Church. Some parishes now pray it again after Mass.

You may also hear a story about how Leo XIII came to write it: that after celebrating Mass one day he had a frightening vision of the devil's attacks on the Church, and went straight to his office to write the prayer. It's a story that has been retold many times, in different versions. The Church has never taught it as fact, and the prayer doesn't need it. It stands on its own words.

What do the words mean?

"Defend us in battle." The battle is the spiritual one every Christian is in. It rarely looks dramatic. Mostly it's the daily struggle against sin and toward God. Our page on spiritual warfare explains what the Church means by it.

"The wickedness and snares of the devil." A snare is a trap you don't see until you're in it. Temptation often works that way: small steps that don't look like much on their own.

"May God rebuke him, we humbly pray." These echo the words of Jude 9. Even Michael doesn't rebuke the devil on his own authority. He leaves it to God. The prayer does the same: we ask, humbly, and God acts.

"By the power of God." Michael is strong, but not by himself. Every victory over evil is God's, won once for all on the cross.

"Who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls." An echo of 1 Peter 5:8: "Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour." The same verse begins, "Be sober, be watchful." The prayer is a way of keeping watch.

When should you pray the St Michael prayer?

• In the morning. Many Catholics pray it right after their morning prayers, asking protection for the day ahead.
• When temptation hits. It's short enough to pray from memory in the moment. Our page on prayer against temptation has more prayers for that moment.
• At the end of the Rosary. As Pope Francis asked in 2018, many people close their Rosary with it.
• After Mass. Where the parish prays it together, join in. Where it doesn't, you can pray it quietly in the pew.
• For your family. Pray it over your children at bedtime, or together at the table.
• On September 29. Pray it with special attention on the feast of the archangels.

Can anyone pray the St Michael prayer?

Yes. It's a prayer for everyone: children, adults, anyone who wants God's protection. It isn't an exorcism, and you don't need a priest's permission or any special preparation to pray it.

A formal exorcism is something different. The Church reserves it to a priest who has the local bishop's express permission (Code of Canon Law, can. 1172). If you're worried about something you think may be more than ordinary temptation, talk to a priest. He'll listen, and he'll know what to do.

You also don't need to be afraid when you pray it. The devil is real, but he is a creature, and his power is limited (CCC 395). God is not his equal opponent. He is his Creator. The prayer asks for help from someone far stronger than anything it names.

Making it a habit

The easiest way to start is to attach it to something you already do: your morning coffee, the drive to work, turning off the light at night. Within a few weeks you'll know it by heart, and then it will be there when you need it most. For practical help with the temptations themselves, see how to resist temptation.