Throughout history there have been relatively few reports of private revelations involving St. Michael the Archangel. What’s interesting is that many of these alleged apparitions took place in the 19th century, when devotion to St. Michael began to skyrocket.
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According to various reports, a Portuguese Carmelite nun named Antónia d’Astónaco claimed that she was visited by the Archangel and that he gave to her a set of prayers that would be formulated into a special chaplet. In the vision St. Michael promised her that whenever she honored him with “nine salutations” to the “nine choirs of angels,” he would send an escort of nine angels chosen from each of the nine choirs to accompany her the next time she approached Holy Communion.
Furthermore, all those who prayed the chaplet every day would receive the continual assistance of St. Michael and the holy angels for the rest of their lives and beyond.
The one condition is that the chaplet had to be prayed with love and devotion, praying devoutly to God through the intercession of the heavenly choirs of angels.
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Whatever the authenticity of the vision, Pope Pius IX approved the chaplet in 1851 and it has since been distributed throughout the world.
It is a beautiful chaplet, one that recognizes the glory of God as revealed through the holy angels and invokes their intercession to overcome sin. The angels are known to be powerful intercessors and can greatly help us break away from our bad habits and embrace a life of holiness.
O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc.
[Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys after each of the following nine salutations in honor of the nine Choirs of Angels]
1. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity.
Amen.2. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim may the Lord grant us the grace to leave the ways of sin and run in the paths of Christian perfection.
Amen.3. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility.
Amen.4. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominations may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and overcome any unruly passions.
Amen.5. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues may the Lord preserve us from evil and falling into temptation. Amen.
6. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers may the Lord protect our souls against the snares and temptations of the devil.
Amen.7. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.
8. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works in order that we may attain the glory of Heaven.
Amen.9. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted in the life to come to Heaven.
Amen.Say one Our Father in honor of each of the following leading Angels: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael and our Guardian Angel.
Concluding prayers:
O glorious prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King and our admirable conductor, you who shine with excellence and superhuman virtue deliver us from all evil, who turn to you with confidence and enable us by your gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
Pray for us, O glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ, that we may be made worthy of His promises.
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who, by a prodigy of goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael Prince of Your Church, make us worthy, we ask You, to be delivered from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into Your Presence.This we ask through the merits of Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
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