Saint Michael the Archangel, defender and protector

• What is the role of the archangel Saint Michael?
• The development of the cult of Saint Michael
• The three roles of the Archangel Michael
• The archangel Saint Michael, incarnation of the forces of good to protect us from evil
• The archangel Saint Michael who leads the dead
• The archangel Saint Michael performing the weighing of souls
• What is the power of Saint Michael?
• The archangel Saint Michael fights against evil
• The attributes of Saint Michael the archangel
• Who protects Saint Michael?
• Saint Michael as protector of the inhabitants of several places
• Professions with Saint Michael as their patron
• Why pray to the archangel Saint Michael?

In Jewish and Christian traditions, Michael is the greatest of the angels. His name comes from the Hebrew (mi-ka-El). It means "Who is like God". Saint Michael is at the top of the angelic hierarchy, the most powerful creature of God. The many mentions of the archangel St. Michael describe him as the leader of the heavenly forces, the prince of light versus the angel of darkness.

In the Christian book of Revelation, Michael is always the protector of the Israel of God.  For Christians, Israel represents the Church and no longer Judaism. In chapter XII of the Apocalypse the chief angel is shown fighting the dragon, i.e. Satan.

What is the role of the archangel Saint Michael?

The development of the cult of Saint Michael

In Europe, the cult of Saint Michael developed from the 5th and 6th centuries, first in Italy under the influence of the Lombard people, then in France, Germany and finally throughout the continent. Its places of worship are often located on high ground: this is the case at Mont Saint-Michel, where the archangel Saint Michael is a celestial saint.

The three roles of the archangel Saint Michael

In the Christian and Catholic traditions, Saint Michael has different roles:

- He is the embodiment of the forces of good against those of evil,

- he leads the dead,

- he intervenes in the weighing of souls to defend them against demons.

 If the first role of defender against the forces of evil appears especially in the apocalypse in chapter XII and then in chapter XX, the two other roles of Saint Michael appeared later in medieval iconography. These representations are essentially inspired by apocryphal biblical writings (which have not been retained by the canons of the Church). 

The archangel Saint Michael, incarnation of the forces of good to protect us from evil

The Archangel Michael symbolises the power of the forces of good against evil. The most representative image of Saint Michael can be found in the rich iconography of the medieval period. He is commonly depicted brandishing a sword or a spear, with a defeated dragon at his feet. According to the Apocalypse, the dragon is one of the names of Satan.

This role explains the numerous representations of the archangel Saint Michael in armour: he is the leader of the heavenly armies and the defender of Christianity.

The Archangel St. Michael who leads the dead

The role of the archangel Michael in the Last Judgement announced in the Apocalypse inspired his role with the dead. At the moment of death, the soul is threatened by the forces of evil: Saint Michael then uses his protective role to lead the soul towards its judgment.

The archangel Saint Michael weighing the souls

The oldest known representation in the West of Saint Michael weighing souls dates from the 9th century. It is located on a bas-relief carved in the underground sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo in Puglia, Italy. For several centuries already, this region has devoted an important cult to Saint Michael. Indeed, since the 5th century a sanctuary was built on Monte Gargano and pilgrimages were organised under the influence of the Lombards. It was in this context that the cult of Saint Michael weighing and protecting souls developed. This cult later spread throughout the West.

Once Saint Michael has escorted the soul to the place of judgment, it is time to weigh it: good and bad deeds tip the scales one way or the other. Once again, the soul is threatened by the demons who cling to the scales in order to take the soul with them. St. Michael intervenes here too as a defender of the soul by keeping the demons away.

These last two functions, which can be summed up as the protection of souls, are at the origin of numerous dedications to Saint Michael of cemeteries, funeral chapels or charitable brotherhoods in charge of the funerals of the faithful.

What is the power of Saint Michael?

Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, give great power to the archangel Saint Michael.

The archangel Michael fights against evil

In the Bible, Saint Michael is already mentioned as the chief of the archangels. He commands the entire hierarchy of angels to fight against the forces of darkness. The latter are most often embodied by Satan, the fallen angel personified by the Dragon in chapter XII of the Apocalypse.

This image of the struggle against evil gives Saint Michael a role of protector and guide. This has resulted in a rich iconography based on centuries of representations of the chief archangel.

The attributes of Saint Michael the Archangel

 Saint Michael is represented as an archangel with his wings clearly visible on his back. He is dressed as a knight with armour, a shield and a helmet. He is armed with a spear or a sword, the latter being used to decide between good and evil during the War of the Angels.

Saint Michael in armour slaying the dragon at his feet is the most common representation in Christian iconography. However, his shield is sometimes replaced by the scales of judgement which determine the salvation of souls who will go to heaven, purgatory or hell.

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Who protects Saint Michael?

Above all, Saint Michael is the patron saint of Catholics. However, the protective power attributed to him has made him the patron saint of many places and professions.

Saint Michael as protector of the inhabitants of many places

Saint Michael is the patron saint of many places and regions in Europe:

- he is one of the patron saints of France, together with the Virgin Mary,

- He is also one of the patron saints of Germany, together with St. Boniface of Mainz,

- Belgium has also chosen him as its patron saint after Saint Joseph,

- the region of Normandy also recognises him as its patron saint

- Finally, the cities of Kiev and Brussels, as well as the Vatican City since 2017, have made him their patron saint.

- Other abbeys (the most famous of which is the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel), villages, churches and cemeteries have also chosen the protection of Saint Michael.

Professions with Saint Michael as their patron

Many old trades have chosen Michael as their patron saint: fencers, grocers, policemen, soldiers, bakers, pastry cooks, coopers, naval labourers.

He is also the patron saint of more recent trades, which shows that the aura of the archangel Saint Michael remains alive today: since the Second World War, at the time of the landings, the chaplain of the parachutists has placed these soldiers under the high patronage of Saint Michael.

Why pray to the Archangel Saint Michael?

From time immemorial, Saint Michael has been invoked to ask for protection against evil. In 1884, Pope Leo XIII, during an ecstasy, heard Satan ask Christ for 100 years to destroy the Catholic Church. Following this event, Leo XIII wrote and distributed an exorcism prayer that is still used today.

The cult of St. Michael was revived in 2018 following the sexual abuse scandals that came to light in society.

The archangel Saint Michael, known since the Bible in the book of Daniel and then especially in the Apocalypse, remains a topical protective saint. His power against absolute evil makes him the best weapon to ask for protection through prayer.

Prayer for Saint Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel, you are the protector of faith, the guardian of justice and the defender of souls.

We implore you to protect us from the forces of evil and to give us the strength to fight against temptations.

Help us to be courageous and to keep our faith in You, as You did when You fought Satan and his demons.

Grant us your grace to do good and be witnesses to your glory.

Help us to be always ready to follow, serve and praise you in our daily lives.

We entrust to you the souls of all the deceased, that they may be welcomed by you and enjoy eternal joys.


Amen