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O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of
the 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, that 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.
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