Pope Leo’s "Prayer to St. Michael"

A heavenly warning, censored by as yet unnamed Vatican officials, and mysteriously stricken in 1934, from the Raccolta (the Vatican’s book of officially-sanctioned prayers), was a certain "Prayer 407" (also sometimes listed "446"), written by Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), who was a devotee of La Salette. Leo issued the prayer in his "moto proprio" of 25 September 1888. He was prompted to compose the prayer, so the story goes, by an incident that had left him terrified. One day, when the Pope had just finished offering his morning Mass, he became traumatized to the point that he suddenly collapsed, causing those in attendance to think he was dead. Upon his return to consciousness, the Pope described a frightful conversation he had heard coming from near the tabernacle upon the altar. The locution consisted of two "voices" which the Holy Father perceived to be that of Christ and Satan. The latter boasted that he could destroy the Church, within a period of 75 years (or 100 years, according to some accounts) if allowed "a greater influence" over those who would do his will. Perhaps as a test for Catholics who had grown indifferent to the Faith after the revolutionary movements of the 19^th century, our Lord supposedly answered Satan: "Do what you will!"

Pope Leo is said to have retired to his apartment at once to write his famous Prayer to St. Michael. Some have rejected the rumor of this incident as pure fantasy, and dismiss as ludicrous the suggestion that Christ would permit the devil to take the Church to the brink of destruction. But the original Prayer to St. Michael written by Pope Leo at the time recalls to mind the following words of the Savior twice found in Sacred Scripture, when He quotes the Prophet Zacharias:

". . . it is written, I will strike the pastor, and the sheep . . . shall be scattered." ⁵
 

Pope Leo may well have been aware of the opinions of Catholic scripture scholars that, in the latter days, a pontiff would be driven out of Rome. But whether from the disputed locution or his own expertise in biblical prophecy, the Pope apparently had specific knowledge of the devil’s strategy to bring down the Church by setting up a false pope in the place of the true Vicar of Christ. In fact, by his publication of the Prayer to St. Michael, Leo XIII seems to have been sending a clear warning to the Church of the impending attack on the papacy. A key passage in the prayer (highlighted below in bold type) strongly suggested that a false authority was already being set up to displace the true Vicar of Christ:

"O GLORIOUS Archangel St. Michael, Prince of heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, spirits of evil. Come to the aid of man, whom GOD created immortal, made in his own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. 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. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men 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. 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 give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power 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. Amen.

V. Behold the Cross of the LORD; be scattered ye hostile powers.

R. The Lion of the tribe of Juda has conquered, the root of David.

V. Let thy mercies be upon us, O LORD. As we have hoped in thee.

V. O LORD, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee. Let us pray.

O GOD, the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, we call upon thy holy name, and as suppliants we implore thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel St Michael, thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen." ⁶

Long after the death of Pope Leo XIII in 1903, his Prayer to St. Michael, continued to be published in successive editions of The Raccolta. But in 1934, without explanation, the Sacred Penitentiary Apostolic in Rome authorized its removal and replacement with the following ambiguous forgery, titled only as prayer "410":

"O glorious Prince of the heavenly host, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the fearful warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come thou to the assistance of men, whom Almighty God created immortal, making them in His own image and likeness and redeeming them at a great price from the tyranny of Satan. Fight this day the battle of the Lord with thy legions of holy Angels, even as of old thou didst fight against Lucifer, the leader of the proud spirits and all his rebel angels, who were powerless to stand against thee, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that apostate angel, transformed into an angel of darkness who still creeps about the earth to encompass our ruin, was cast headlong into the abyss together with his followers. But behold, that first enemy of mankind, and a murderer from the beginning, has regained his confidence. Changing himself into an angel of light, he goes about with the whole multitude of the wicked spirits to invade the earth and blot out the Name of God and of His Christ, to plunder, to slay and to consign to eternal damnation the souls that have been destined for a crown of everlasting life. This wicked serpent, like an unclean torrent, pours into men of depraved minds and corrupt hearts the poison of his malice, the spirit of lying, impiety and blasphemy, and the deadly breath of impurity and every form of vice and iniquity. These crafty enemies of mankind have filled to overflowing with gall and wormwood the Church, which is the Bride of the Lamb without spot; they have laid profane hands upon her most sacred treasures. Make haste, therefore, O invincible Prince, to help the people of God against the inroads of the lost spirits and grant us the victory. Amen." ⁷