Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel: The Complete Guide, Leo XIII prayer, novena, PDF, chaplet & prayers

No name in the celestial hierarchy is spoken with more urgency than Michael's. His name itself, drawn from Hebrew, asks a question meant to silence pride: "Who is like God?" Scripture shows him standing at the front line of the battle between good and evil, and for over a thousand years, Catholics have turned to him in exactly the moments when they most need a defender, illness, temptation, danger, or simply the ordinary spiritual battle of an ordinary day.

This guide brings together everything you need for a complete devotion to Saint Michael: his story in Scripture, the traditional short prayer known to Catholics around the world, the original, longer prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII after his own vision, prayers for personal and family protection, the historic Chaplet of Saint Michael built around the nine choirs of angels, a full nine-day novena, the Latin text of the prayer, and honest guidance on what an exorcism prayer actually is and is not. Whether you carry a holy card of him in your wallet or you are only now learning his name, everything here is written out in full.

Who Is Saint Michael the Archangel?

Michael appears by name in both the Old and New Testaments, always in the same role: the one who defends. In the Book of Daniel, he is called "the great prince who stands guard over the children of your people," a protector who fights on behalf of God's people during their darkest trials. In the Letter of Jude, he contends with the devil over the body of Moses, refusing even then to speak against him with anything but the authority of God. His most dramatic appearance comes in the Book of Revelation, where "war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels battling against the dragon," and Michael casts down "the huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan."

For centuries, this scriptural Michael was honored primarily by the Eastern Church and in scattered devotions across Europe. His place in everyday Catholic prayer changed dramatically in 1886, when Pope Leo XIII, after reportedly experiencing a disturbing vision of the trials the Church would face in the coming century, composed a prayer to Saint Michael and mandated that it be recited after every Low Mass throughout the Catholic world, a practice that continued until 1964. Though no longer required liturgically, this same prayer remains one of the most widely prayed Catholic devotions today.

The Traditional Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

This is the short, universally known prayer to St Michael the Archangel, the version most Catholics have memorized and pray at the end of Mass, before bed, or in any moment of spiritual struggle.

The Original Long Version of the St Michael Prayer by Pope Leo XIII

Fewer Catholics know that the short prayer above is actually a condensed version of a considerably longer prayer Pope Leo XIII composed himself. This fuller original prayer to St Michael the Archangel is worth learning, since it carries the full weight of the pope's own urgent intention when he first wrote it.

Prayer to St Michael for Personal Protection

This shorter, personal prayer to St Michael for protection is well suited for a difficult season, a moment of temptation, or simply as a daily armor prayed before facing the world.

Archangel Michael Protection Prayer for the Family

Because the safety of a home rests on more than locked doors, many families pray this Archangel Michael protection prayer together, often at night before the household settles for sleep.

The St Michael Miracle Prayer and the Prayer After Mass

Many older prayer books refer to a St Michael miracle prayer, a name that generally points back to the same Leo XIII prayer above, remembered by that title because of the countless personal accounts of protection and grace attributed to praying it faithfully. Its most well-documented history, though, is liturgical: from 1886 until the Second Vatican Council's reforms took full effect in 1964, priests and congregations across the entire Catholic world prayed this exact prayer aloud together immediately after every Low Mass.

Although no longer mandated, many parishes today have voluntarily reintroduced the recitation of the Leo XIII prayer after Mass, particularly during Lent or in response to specific local needs.

Consecration to Saint Michael the Archangel

A consecration is a deeper, more deliberate act than a single prayer, an ongoing entrustment of oneself to Michael's protection and example. This consecration to St Michael the Archangel can be renewed daily or prayed once as a lasting act of devotion.

Short Invocations to St Michael

For moments when a longer prayer is not possible, these brief invocations can be repeated throughout the day, almost like a quiet refrain.

The Novena to Saint Michael the Archangel

A novena to Saint Michael follows nine consecutive days of prayer, often prayed leading up to his feast on September 29, though many people begin it whenever a particular need for protection or courage arises. Each day pairs one of his scriptural roles with a specific intention.

A Novena to the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael

Because Michael shares his feast day with Gabriel and Raphael, many Catholics choose to pray a combined novena in the days leading up to September 29, asking for the particular strength of all three at once: Michael's defense, Gabriel's clarity, and Raphael's healing companionship.

The Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel

Unlike most chaplets, which are a modern shorthand for a devotion, the Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel has a documented origin: it was given, according to tradition, to a Portuguese Carmelite nun named Antonia d'Astonac in 1751, who reported a vision in which Michael himself requested this specific form of prayer, honoring the nine choirs of angels. Pope Pius IX later granted an indulgence for its recitation, and it remains one of the most theologically rich chaplets in Catholic devotion.

Unlike the standard Hail Mary, each of the nine salutations below is followed by one Our Father and three Hail Marys, honoring a specific choir of angels and asking their particular intercession.

For each of the nine choirs above, pray: one Our Father and three Hail Marys, asking that choir's specific intercession, then continue to the next.

Praying the Rosary with a St Michael Intention

Some Catholics choose to pray the traditional Holy Rosary while dedicating each decade to a moment of Michael's role in Scripture, a practice sometimes called simply the rosary to St Michael. This is not a separate set of prayers, but the standard Rosary prayed with a specific dedication in mind.

Decade	Intention	Prayers
First	Thanksgiving for Michael's protection over the whole Church	1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be
Second	Strength against a specific temptation or trial we are facing	1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be
Third	Protection for our family and home	1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be
Fourth	Deliverance from fear and discouragement	1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be
Fifth	A peaceful death, guided safely into God's presence	1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be

Pray this exactly as a standard Rosary, one Our Father and ten Hail Marys per decade followed by the Glory Be, pausing before each decade to recall its intention above, and close with the short St Michael prayer given earlier in this guide.

The St Michael Prayer in Latin

For those who wish to pray in the Church's traditional liturgical language, this is the original Latin text of the short prayer, known by its opening words, Sancte Michael Archangele.

The St Michael Exorcism Prayer: What It Actually Means

Many people search for a St Michael exorcism prayer, so it is worth being clear about what this term actually refers to. A solemn or major exorcism, the formal rite used to free a person from demonic possession, can only be performed by an ordained priest with the explicit permission of his bishop, following a strict process of discernment that first rules out medical or psychological causes. No prayer available to a layperson online replaces or substitutes for that sacramental rite, and no article, including this one, provides that ritual.

What the Church does encourage for ordinary use by the faithful is what is sometimes called a prayer of simple deliverance, and the Leo XIII prayer given earlier in this guide is, in fact, exactly that kind of prayer. Praying it with faith is a legitimate and traditional way to ask God's protection against the influence of evil in daily life, without claiming the authority of a formal exorcism.

If someone genuinely suspects demonic activity affecting themselves or a loved one, the appropriate and necessary step is to contact a parish priest or diocese directly, rather than relying on prayers found online.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel (FAQ)

Below, we answer common questions about this devotion, its history, and the different prayers associated with Saint Michael.

1. Who is Saint Michael the Archangel in the Bible?

Saint Michael the Archangel appears in the Book of Daniel as the guardian of God's people, in the Letter of Jude as the one who contends with the devil, and most dramatically in the Book of Revelation, where he leads the heavenly host in casting Satan and the fallen angels out of heaven.

2. Who wrote the original St Michael prayer?

The prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886, reportedly after a vision of the trials the Church would face in the coming century. He mandated its recitation after every Low Mass, a practice that continued until 1964.

3. What is the difference between the short prayer and the long version?

The short prayer most Catholics know today is a condensed form of the fuller, original prayer written by Pope Leo XIII, which is considerably longer and explicitly addresses the Church's need for protection from spiritual attack. Both versions are legitimate and widely prayed.

4. What is the Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel?

The Chaplet of Saint Michael is a devotion honoring the nine choirs of angels, said to have been given in a vision to a Portuguese Carmelite nun in 1751. It consists of nine sets of one Our Father and three Hail Marys, each honoring a different choir, followed by four additional Our Fathers.

5. Is there a real St Michael exorcism prayer for personal use?

A formal exorcism can only be performed by an ordained priest with his bishop's permission. What laypeople can pray is a prayer of simple deliverance, such as the Leo XIII prayer, asking God's protection from evil, but this is not the same as, or a substitute for, the Church's solemn rite of exorcism.

6. When is the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel?

His feast is celebrated on September 29, alongside the archangels Gabriel and Raphael. Many Catholics begin a novena to Saint Michael nine days beforehand, on September 21, to conclude precisely on the feast.

7. What is Saint Michael the patron of?

Saint Michael is honored as the patron of soldiers, police officers, paramedics, and all who place themselves at risk to protect others, as well as the patron of the Church itself and of those approaching death, whom tradition holds he guides safely into God's presence.

8. Why do Catholics pray the St Michael prayer after Mass?

From 1886 until 1964, Pope Leo XIII's prayer was recited aloud after every Low Mass throughout the Catholic world. Though no longer required, many parishes today have voluntarily reintroduced this practice, particularly during Lent or in response to specific needs within their community.

9. Is San Miguel Arcángel the same figure as Saint Michael the Archangel?

Yes. San Miguel Arcángel is simply the Spanish name for Saint Michael the Archangel, venerated with the same devotion, prayers, and feast day across Spanish-speaking Catholic communities worldwide.

10. Can I pray to St Michael for protection over my whole family?

Yes. A prayer to St Michael for family protection is a common and traditional devotion, often prayed together at night, asking his defense over the home, each family member individually, and the household as a whole against every form of spiritual and physical harm.

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