Novena to Saint Michael the Archangel
Pray this novena for nine days, concluding on September 29, the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
Saint Michael the Archangel is the leader of the heavenly army, defender of the Church, and protector of souls. This novena asks for Saint Michael’s intercession in times of spiritual struggle, temptation, and fear, entrusting our protection to God.
Many faithful pray this novena for protection, deliverance from evil, and courage to follow Christ.
Feast Day: September 29
Intention: Protection, strength in trials, and deliverance from evil
Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the most powerful and revered figures in Christian tradition. His name means “Who is like God?”—a cry of loyalty to God in the face of evil.
He is known as:
Patron of police officers, soldiers, and those battling spiritual warfare
Leader of the Heavenly Armies
Defender of the Faithful
Protector of the Church
Historical Context / Origin Story
Devotion to Saint Michael reaches back to the earliest centuries of the Church. Sacred Scripture names him directly in the Book of Daniel, the Epistle of Jude, and the Book of Revelation, where he leads the heavenly host against the dragon. Tradition holds that in the fifth century, Saint Michael appeared at Monte Gargano in Italy, and the sanctuary built there remains a place of pilgrimage to this day. In the late nineteenth century, Pope Leo XIII composed the prayer to Saint Michael that became one of the Church’s best-known prayers for protection. He later ordered that it be prayed after Low Mass, and the prayer remained closely associated with Catholic devotion to Saint Michael.
A Traditional Account of Saint Michael’s Apparition
Among the oldest and most enduring accounts of Saint Michael’s intercession comes from eighth-century France. Tradition holds that Saint Michael appeared to him one night, instructing him to build a sanctuary in his honor on a rocky island off the coast. Aubert, uncertain whether the vision was genuine, did nothing.
Saint Michael appeared to him a second time with the same instruction. Still, the bishop hesitated, unwilling to act on something he could not fully explain.
According to tradition, during the third apparition, Saint Michael pressed his finger to Aubert’s forehead, leaving a mark the bishop could not deny or ignore. Convinced now beyond doubt, Aubert began construction on the mount that following year. What started as one bishop’s obedience to a vision he initially resisted became Mont-Saint-Michel — a sanctuary that has drawn pilgrims for over a thousand years and still stands today.
The account has been preserved in the Church’s tradition for over a millennium, and the relic said to bear the mark of that encounter has long been venerated at the site. For the faithful, the story is a reminder that Saint Michael’s protection often meets us in our hesitation, not only in our certainty — and that obedience, even when delayed, is never too late to matter.
Why Pray This Novena?
We turn to Saint Michael in the moments when we feel most exposed to darkness — whether that darkness comes from outside us or from within.
- Protection from evil, in the ordinary temptations of daily life and in moments of real spiritual attack
- Courage in trials, when fear or discouragement threatens to take hold
- Safety for our families, that our homes remain places of faith and peace
- Clarity in decision-making, when we struggle to discern God’s will from our own fear or confusion
How to Pray the Novena to Saint Michael
Begin on September 21 and continue through September 29. Each day, begin with the opening prayer, pray the intention assigned to that day, offer your personal petitions, and conclude with the Prayer to Saint Michael. The Litany of Saint Michael the Archangel is optional and may be prayed separately as a traditional devotion.
Daily Opening Prayer
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.Amen.
St. Michael the Archangel, we honor you as a powerful protector of the Church and guardian of our souls. Inspire us with your humility, courage and strength that we may reject sin and perfect our love for our Heavenly Father.
In your strength and humility, slay the evil and pride in our hearts so that nothing will keep us from God.
Daily Intention
Choose one of the following intentions for each day of the novena.
Day 1
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may be blessed by God with the zeal to live our lives in accordance with Christ’s teachings.
Day 2
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the grace to see the image of God in the least of our brothers and sisters.
Day 3
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may be protected from the snares of the devil, that we may avoid all occasions of sin.
Day 4
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have an overwhelming desire to humble ourselves before God in service to His Will.
Day 5
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the moral strength to defeat disordered desires and passions that would take the place of Almighty God.
Day 6
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the faith to truly entrust our lives to the loving care of our Heavenly Father.
Day 7
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the grace to joyfully dedicate everything that we do to the greater glory of God.
Day 8
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the will to faithfully obey God in all of His commandments.
Day 9
St. Michael the Archangel, pray that we may have the grace to share eternity with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer for Humility and Personal Intentions
St. Michael the Archangel, you are the prince of angels but in your humility you recognized that God is God and you are but His servant. Unlike satan, you were not overcome with pride but were steadfast in humility. Pray that we will have this same humility.
It is in the spirit of that humility that we ask for your intercession for our petitions…
State your petitions.
Prayer to Saint Michael
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.
Concluding Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Continue Your Devotion
You may continue your devotion to Saint Michael by praying the Litany of Saint Michael the Archangel, a traditional Catholic prayer seeking his intercession and protection.
About the Saint
Saint Michael’s name — “Who is like God?” — expresses the Church’s traditional understanding of his role in defending God’s sovereignty against evil. Scripture names him as the leader of the heavenly host and the guardian who contends for God’s people, from the Book of Daniel through the Book of Revelation. The Church honors him as the patron of police officers, soldiers, and all who face spiritual warfare, and as the protector of the faithful in the hour of death. His feast, shared with the archangels Gabriel and Raphael, falls on September 29.
Related Devotions
Frequently Asked Questions
The feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael is celebrated on September 29 each year.
Scripture presents Saint Michael as the leader of the heavenly host who defends God’s people against evil. The Church has long turned to him in prayer for protection from spiritual and physical danger.
Yes. Many of the faithful pray this novena on behalf of a family member, a loved one going through a difficult season, or for the protection of their household as a whole.
No, the Litany is optional. The Daily Opening Prayer, the day’s specific intention, and the closing prayers are enough to complete each day of the novena.
