The Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel, also called the rosary of the angels, is a wonderful devotion that promises spiritual protection. This is a time when evil seems to be present in all things in our world. Satan and his fallen angels seem to have risen to the top of government powers, corporate powers, educational systems, health care industries, banking systems, churches, families, and our own hearts.
We need the Rosary of the Angels
Angels have been present since creation and throughout salvation history we have seen the wonderful ways they protect people from evil and help us to do the Will of God. There are many prophesies about the coming Kingdom. Christians know the angels will accompany Jesus at His second coming. St. Michael is an archangel. He is the most powerful angel in heaven and will triumph over Satan and all the other evil spirits in the end days.
When we call for assistance through the Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel, also known as the rosary of the angels, there is a beautiful promise of protection for souls.
The Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel
"Whoever would practice this devotion in his honour would have, when approaching the Holy Table, an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that all the holy angels during life, and after death deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and all their relations."
About St. Michael the Archangel and the Chaplet to St. Michael
St. Michael the Archangel, a seraphim angel, is a warrior of God, and the head of all the angels in Heaven. This is why the Chaplet to St. Michael is a powerful prayer for the faithful to pray. Tradition teaches us that he is also the Guardian Angel of St. Joseph and the Guardian Angel for each of the Popes. He is one of the seven angels who stand before the throne of God.
More about God’s Angels
Angels are spirits who do not have physical bodies and do not need matter to exist. Their name means “servant” or “messenger of God”. These celestial beings have a far superior intelligence than humans. Angels have an immortal intellect and will, due to their knowledge, when they make a decision it is fixed and permanent. Upon their creation, the angels were given free will to decide whether they would consent to do the Will of God or rebel against it. It was Michael and his angels who fought the legions of fallen angels led by Lucifer.
Scripture and tradition tell us that St. Michael the Archangel has four main responsibilities or offices:
- To combat Satan.
- To escort the faithful to heaven at their hour of death.
- To be a champion of all Christians, and the Church itself.
- To call men from life on Earth to their heavenly judgment.
St. Michael the Archangel is mentioned twice in the Book of Daniel. St. Michael also appears in the book of Daniel 10:10 and 12:1-3. He helps Daniel in chapter 10 and in chapter 12 his great role in the end times is described:
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."
In Revelation (12:7), St. Michael the Archangel Battles the Dragon
Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.” When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where, far from the serpent, she was taken care of for a year, two years, and a half-year. The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the current. But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth and swallowed the flood that the dragon spewed out of its mouth. Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus.
St. Michael the Archangel is Invoked for
Protection from Deadly Enemies
"I wish to remind you, although you know all things, that the Lord who once saved a people from the land of Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe. The angels too, who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains, in gloom, for the judgment of the great day. Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Similarly, these dreamers nevertheless also defile the flesh, scorn lordship, and revile glorious beings. Yet the archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil in a dispute over the body of Moses, did not venture to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” But these people revile what they do not understand and are destroyed by what they know by nature like irrational animals. Woe to them! They followed the way of Cain, abandoned themselves to Balaam’s error for the sake of gain, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they carouse fearlessly and look after themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by winds, fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead and uprooted. They are like wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameless deeds, wandering stars for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever. Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said, “Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the godless deeds that they committed and for all the harsh words godless sinners have uttered against him.” These people are complainers, disgruntled ones who live by their desires; their mouths utter bombast as they fawn over people to gain advantage."
The Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel Protects Us
This Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel began with a private revelation. The Archangel Michael appeared to the Portuguese Carmelite nun Antónia de Astónaco. In the vision, St. Michael asked to be honored by a prayer that salutes the nine choirs of angels. The Chaplet to St. Michael was approved by Pope Pius IX in 1851.
Promises to Those who Recite The Chaplet to St. Michael
St. Michael the Archangel offers a special promise for whomever prays the Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel, known as the rosary of the angels. The soul will have an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine Choirs when approaching Holy Communion. St. Michael also promises those who recite the Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel daily, that he would offer his continual assistance and that of all the holy angels during the soul’s life, and after the soul’s death, he would offer deliverance from purgatory for the soul and his relations.
The Chaplet to St. Michael the Archangel
How to pray the Chaplet to St. Michael (rosary of the angels): Pray one “Our Father” and three “Hail Mary” prayers after each of the nine salutations in honor of the nine Choir of Angels:
Chaplet to St. Michael
OPENING PRAYER
O My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishment. Most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasion of sin.
Amen.
INVOCATION
O God, come to my assistance! O Lord, make haste to help me! Glory be to the Father……..etc.
FIRST SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Seraphim, may it please God to make us worthy to receive into our hearts the fire of his perfect charity. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
SECOND SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Cherubim, may God in his good pleasure, grant us grace to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
THIRD SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the sacred Choir of Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts the spirit of true and sincere humility. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
FOURTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Dominations, may it please God to grant us grace to have dominion over our senses, and to correct our depraved passions. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
FIFTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Powers, may God vouchsafe to keep our souls from the wiles and temptations of the devil. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
SIXTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the admirable heavenly Choir of the Virtues, may it please God to keep us from falling into temptation, and may He deliver us from evil. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
SEVENTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Principalities, may it please God to fill our souls with the spirit of true and sincere obedience. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
EIGHTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Archangels, may it please God to grant us the gift of perseverance in the faith, and in all good works, that we may be thereby enabled to attain the glory of paradise. Amen.
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
NINTH SALUTATION
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of all the Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant us their guardianship through this mortal life, and after death a happy entrance into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen
Now pray one Our Father and 3 Hail Marys.
Say an “Our Father” for each:
The first one to St. Michael,
The second one to St. Gabriel,
The third one to St. Raphael,
The fourth one to your Guardian Angel.
Chaplet to St. Michael
CONCLUDING PRAYERS
Anthem
Michael, glorious prince, chief and champion of the heavenly Host, guardian of the souls of men, conqueror of the rebel angels, steward of the palace of God under Jesus Christ, our worthy leader, endowed with superhuman excellence and virtues: vouchsafe to free us all from every ill, who with full confidence have recourse to thee; and by thy incomparable protection enable us to make progress every day in the faithful service of our God. V. Pray for us, most blessed Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ. R. That we may be made worthy of his promises.
Final Prayer
Almighty and Eternal God, who in thine own marvelous goodness and pity didst, for the common salvation of man, choose the glorious Archangel Michael to be the prince of the Church: make us worthy, we pray Thee, to be delivered by his beneficent protection from all our enemies, that, at the hour of our death, none of them may approach to harm us; rather do Thou vouchsafe unto us that by the same Archangel Michael, we may be introduced into the presence of thy most high and divine majesty. Through the merits of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Pray the Long Version
of the St. Michael Prayer
Pray the original long version of the St. Michael prayer.
Download and print the Chaplet to St. Michael PDF.
About the Intercession of St. Michael the Archangel
“Michael is the Breath of the Redeemer’s Spirit, Who at the end of the World, will combat and destroy the antichrist, as he did Lucifer in the beginning.” – St. Thomas Aquinas
“St Michael has the honourable office of presenting to Jesus Christ the Judge, all the souls that depart out of this world in the grace of God.” – St. Alphonsus Liguori
“When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar.” – St. John Chrysostom
“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” – St. Augustine
“Make yourself familiar with the Angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you.” – St. Francis de Sales