Deliverance Prayer to St Michael

Deliverance Prayer to St Michael

to the Deliverance Prayer to St. Michael by Pope Leo XIII

The Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel, often referred to as a deliverance prayer due to its invocation for protection and liberation from evil forces, has deep roots in Catholic tradition. It was composed by Pope Leo XIII in the late 19th century amid a period of spiritual and ecclesiastical turmoil. This prayer draws on the biblical depiction of St. Michael as the leader of the heavenly armies, as described in the Revelation 12:7-9, where he defeats Satan and his followers. It serves as a powerful supplication for defense against spiritual warfare, making it a staple in Catholic devotions for deliverance from demonic influences

The prayer’s origin is tied to a profound mystical experience reportedly had by Pope Leo XIII on October 13, 1884, shortly after celebrating Mass in his private chapel. According to various accounts, the Pope entered a trance-like state and witnessed a terrifying vision: a dialogue between God and Satan, in which Satan boasted that he could destroy the Church if given 75 to 100 years and greater power over those who would serve him. In the vision, evil spirits were seen assaulting the Church, but St. Michael appeared to cast them into hell.

Overwhelmed by this sight, Pope Leo XIII composed the prayer as a response, emphasizing the archangel’s role as a protector. In 1886, the Pope incorporated a shorter version* of the prayer into the Leonine Prayers, a set of supplications recited after Low Mass (a form of the Tridentine Mass) for the defense of the Church’s independence and against spiritual threats. This practice continued universally until 1965, following the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, when it was discontinued as a mandatory post-Mass recitation. However, it regained prominence in recent years; for instance, Pope St. John Paul II encouraged its voluntary use in 1994, and Pope Francis urged its recitation amid contemporary Church scandals in 2018.

Hence, the prayer exists in two primary forms: a shorter, more commonly recited version and a longer, more detailed one often associated with exorcism or deliverance rites (though not intended for formal exorcisms, which require ecclesiastical permission).

The longer version, sometimes called the “original” or “exorcism prayer,” was approved by Pope Leo XIII around 1888-1890 and included in the Roman Ritual for use by clergy and laity in spiritual combat. It expands on themes of binding Satan and invoking divine mercy, making it particularly suited for deliverance contexts.

*The Short Version

This is the familiar form added to the Leonine Prayers and still widely used today:

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection 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.“

Close the Introduction

SYMBOLS

[℣] Leader  [℟] Response  [Ⱥ] All together

SIGN OF THE CROSS

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Most glorious Prince of the Heavenly Armies, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in our battle against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places. 1 Come to the assistance of man whom God has created to His likeness and whom He has redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil.

Holy Church venerates you as her guardian and protector; to you, the Lord has entrusted the souls of the redeemed to be led into heaven. Pray therefore the God of Peace to crush Satan beneath our feet, that he may no longer retain man captive and do injury to the Church. Offer our prayers to the Most High, that without delay they may draw His mercy down upon us; take hold of the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, bind him and cast him into the bottomless pit so that he may no longer seduce the nations. 2

In the Name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, we confidently undertake to repulse the attacks and deceits of the devil.

Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so the wicked perish at the presence of God. 3

[℣] Behold the Cross of the Lord, flee bands of enemies. [℟] He has conquered, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the offspring of David.

[℣] May Thy mercy, Lord, descend upon us. [℟] As great as our hope in Thee.

At the + make the sign of the Cross

We drive you from us, whoever you may be, every unclean spirit, all satanic powers, all infernal invaders, all wicked legions, assemblies and sects; in the Name and by the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, + may you be snatched away and driven from the Church of God and from the souls made to the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb. + Most cunning serpent, you shall no more dare to deceive humans, persecute the Church, torment God’s chosen and sift them as wheat. + The Most High God commands you. + He with whom, in your great rudeness, you still claim to be equal, He who wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 4

God the Father commands you. + God the Son commands you. + God the Holy Spirit commands you. + Christ, God’s Word made flesh, commands you. + He who to save our race outdone by your envy, humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death” 5

He who has built His Church on the firm rock and declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her, 6 because He will dwell with Her every day even to the end of the world. 7  The sacred Sign of the Cross commands you, + as does also the power of the mysteries of the Christian Faith. + The glorious Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you. + She who by her humility and from the first moment of her immaculate Conception, crushed your proud head. The faith of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of the other Apostles commands you. + The blood of the Martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints command you. +

Thus, cursed dragon, and you, diabolical legions, we adjure you by the Living God, + by the True God, + by the Holy God, + by the God who so loved the world that He gave up His only Son, that every soul believing in Him might not perish but have life everlasting, 8 stop deceiving human creatures and pouring out to them the poison of eternal damnation; stop harming the Church and hindering her liberty. Begone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man’s salvation. Give place to Christ in whom you have found none of your works; give place to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acquired by Christ at the price of His Blood. Stoop beneath the all-powerful Hand of God; tremble and flee when we invoke the Holy and formidable Name of Jesus, this Name which causes hell to tremble, this Name to which the Virtues, Powers and Dominations of Heaven are humbly submissive, this Name which the Cherubim and Seraphim praise unceasingly repeating: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, 9 the God of Armies.

[℣] O Lord, hear my prayer. [℟] And let my cry come unto Thee.

[℣] May the Lord be with thee. [℟] And with thy spirit

Let us pray.

God of Heaven, God of earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of Patriarchs, God of Prophets, God of Apostles, God of Martyrs, God of Confessors, God of Virgins, God who has power to give life after death and rest after work, because there is no other God than You and there can be no other, for You are the Creator of all things, visible and invisible, of whose reign there shall be no end, we humbly prostrate ourselves before Your glorious Majesty and we beseech You to deliver us by Your power from all the tyranny of the infernal spirits, from their snares, their lies and their furious wickedness; deign, O Lord, to grant us Your powerful protection and to keep us safe and sound. We beseech You through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

[℣] From the snares of the devil, [℟] deliver us, O Lord.

[℣] That Your Church may serve You in peace and liberty, [℟] we beseech You to hear us.

[℣] That You may crush down all enemies of Your Church, [℟] we beseech You to hear us.

Sprinkle Holy Water around the place while saying the following prayers

LORD’S PRAYER

[℣] Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your WILL be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. [℟] Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL MARY (3x)

[℣] Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. [℟] Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.

GLORIA

[℣] Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. [℟] As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

— CONTINUE WITH —
Litany of the Saints
— OR END WITH —

[℣] May the divine assistance remain always with us, [℟] and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. [Ⱥ] Amen.

SIGN OF THE CROSS

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. ↑  —  Ephesians 6:12 [For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.]
  2. ↑  —  Revelation 20:2-3 [He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.]
  3. ↑  —  Psalm 68:1-2 [May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. May you blow them away like smoke—as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.]
  4. ↑  — 1 Timothy 2:4 [… who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.]
  5. ↑  —  Philippians 2:8 [And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!]
  6. ↑  —  Matthew 16:18 [And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.]
  7. ↑  —  Matthew 28:20 [And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.]
  8. ↑  —  John 3:16 [For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.]
  9. ↑  —  Revelation 4:8 [‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’]

The Bible speaks extensively about deliverance, emphasizing that it is the act of being rescued from bondage, oppression, or evil forces.

Deliverance is portrayed as God’s ultimate power to save and protect His people from harm. It encompasses rescue from danger, liberation from oppression, and freedom from sin. Overall, deliverance in the Bible signifies God’s commitment to rescuing His people from various forms of distress and bondage.

Psalm 34:17

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Isaiah 61:1
Matthew 6:131

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”

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