The Archangel Saint Michael is one
of our favorite characters in the Bible. He is one of the bible icons of
protection against evil. He was the archangel that God sent to defeat Satan. We
got the information of the 1890 Prayer to Saint Michael from Wikipedia and it
is on this date, May 18, 1890.
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The coat of arms of Arkhangelsk (Russia)
depicts archangel Michael fighting against Satan.
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On
May 18, 1890, twenty years after the Capture of Rome had deprived the Pope of
the last vestige of his temporal sovereignty, and the papal residence at the
Quirinal Palace had been converted into that of the King of Italy, a much
longer prayer to St. Michael, quite distinct from that in the Leonine Prayers,
was approved for use:
O glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host,
defend us in battle, and in the struggle which is ours against the
principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness,
against spirits of evil in high places (Eph 6:12). Come to the aid of men, whom God
created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great
price from the tyranny of the devil (Wis 2:23-24, 1 Cor 6:20).
Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy
angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer,
and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place
for them any longer in Heaven. But that cruel, that ancient serpent, who is
called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss
with all his angels (Rev 12:7-9).
Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of man has taken courage,
Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of
wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of
his Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined
for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure
flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the
spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of
impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.
These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and
bitterness the Church, the spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious
hands on her most sacred possessions (Lam 3:15).
In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most
holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised
the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when
the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.
Arise then, O invincible prince, bring help against the attacks of
the lost spirits to the people of God, and bring them the victory.
The Church venerates thee as protector and patron; in thee holy
Church glories as her defense against the malicious powers of this world and of
hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly
beatitude.
Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet,
so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm
the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may
quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the
ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in
the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations.
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Luca Giordano's painting of St. Michael the
Archangel and the Fallen Angels, Vienna, 1666
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This
prayer was replaced in 1902, a year and a half before the death of Pope Leo
XIII, by a much shortened prayer:
O glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host,
defend us in battle, and in the struggle which is ours against the
principalities and Powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness,
against spirits of evil in high places (Eph 6:12). Come to the aid of men, whom God
created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great
price from the tyranny of the devil (Wis 2:23-24, 1 Cor 6:20).
The Church venerates thee as protector and patron; to thee has God
entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude.
Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet,
so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and
harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they
may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon,
the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive
in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations.
In
1890, the longer form of this prayer was included as a sort of preface to a
series of prayers of exorcism that was included in the Roman Ritual.
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Guido Reni's Michael (in Santa Maria
della Concezione church, Rome, 1636) tramples Satan. A mosaic of the
same painting decorates St. Michael's Altar in St. Peter's
Basilica.
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