I found this text of the full version of Leo XIII's "St. Michael prayer". I'm sure you all know the shorter form "St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle..." If I am not mistaken, I believe that shortened version was said at the conclusion of every low Mass at Leo XIII's request until about 1960 or so when it was abandoned. Hmmmm. At any rate what follows is the 'full version' released on September 25, 1888. Pope Leo XIII apparently composed it after having an experience in which he overheard a conversation between God and Satan, which I will put into a post following this one.

In particular, traditionalism aside, there exists in fact a notion of some sort of abomination reaching the chair of Peter... not the same as 'Novus Ordo is an abomination" crowd, but this may point to where some of that thinking may originate, in this line which you will see in the full version at the end of this post:

"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."

So anyways, the full text of the prayer:

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 his depraved mind, corrupt heart, spirit of lying, impiety, blasphemy, his 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

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 03, 2002

Answers

On October 13, 1884, after Pope Leo XIII had finished celebrating Mass in the Vatican Chapel, attended by a few Cardinals and members of the Vatican staff, he suddenly stopped at the foot of the altar. He stood there for about 10 minutes, as if in a trance, his face ashen white. Then, going immediately from the Chapel to his office, he composed the prayer to St. Michael, with instructions it be said after all Low Masses everywhere. When asked what had happened, he explained that, as he was about to leave the foot of the altar, he suddenly heard voices - two voices, one kind and gentle, the other guttural and harsh. They seemed to come from near the tabernacle. As he listened, he heard the following conversation:

Satan: "I can destroy your Church"

Lord: "You can? Then go ahead and do so."

Satan: "To do so, I need more time and more power."

Lord: "How much time? How much power?

Satan: "75 to 100 years, and a greater power over those who will give themselves over to my service."

Lord: "You have the time, you will have the power. Do with them what you will."

This took place exactly 33 years to the day prior to the miracle of the sun.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 03, 2002.

bumpitty bump to the topitty top don't stop

-- (emerald1@cox.net), September 07, 2002.

Sir, please give the name of the papal or Vatican document in which the conservation quoted above appears. Without something solid to back it up, the supposed conversation between the devil and God could be regarded as a myth, added for dramatic effect -- as it appears to be a parody of God talking to the devil in the book of Job.

Please don't mistake this as doubting in the existence of the devil, and don't mistake this as doubting that the pope had a good reason to compose the prayer to St. Michael. The devil is real, and the prayer is great. It's just that a healthy skepticism about the supposed quotations is needed, and they will seem unlikely to be genuine unless they can be found in an official writing of the pope or his aides.

Also, in which Church document or official prayerbook was the long version of the prayer to St. Michael published? Just checking to see if it was perhaps written by someone else, after Pope Leo's death.

-- Careful (Checking@For.Accuracy), September 07, 2002.

Careful, your concerns are well taken.

I don't have the backup you are looking for. I know it is pretty well accepted by people I know and trust; at the same it, it also seems to be used be people of a sedevacantist leaning to support their positions.

I would like to see the same confirmation or denial of the above texts. Maybe someone else on the forum could provide it until I look into it further.

As for myself, I deem it significant until someone can show me, or I can show myself, otherwise.

Vigilence is good; thanks. Let me know if you find out anything as well.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 07, 2002.

btw, the main reason I threw it out there was to give some reason, any reason, for what seems to me a mass amount of present confusion.

A secondary intention of mine was to see if anyone would complain about it, or call it into question... to test it.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 07, 2002.

Leo XIII saw the future crisis of what happened at the death of Pius XII and the false election of Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII), the Holy See is "Sede Vacante".

Please email for me info on the matter.

Christus vincit!

Patrick

-- Patrick (thethomist@aol.com), September 08, 2002.

Is now the time to get nasty? What you all think? Draw or holster?

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 08, 2002.

Looks like we've got a real live sede vacantist here.

So my question is, are we going to be nice and not run the risk of offending him, or are we going to take him on and run the risk of discovering the truth? Or ban him?

Now I think this will work itself out in this case real quick, because since Patrick is a sede vacantist, you can safely mortgage your house on a bet that he will give you a run for your money, since he is probably used to debate. So once everyone finds that he won't shrink back and will drive his case hard, they will drop the niceness and start the process of finding the truth.

Are we confident enough to believe that the posts made here can be a record worthy to convince future readers of the forum not to follow this man into schism?

Patrick, drop the email plea and make your case right here and now.

I say that part of what Leo XIII saw in his vision was not "the false election of Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII)", but in fact, you.

In short, how to you reconcile 'sede vacante' with 'extra ecclesium nolus salus'?

I want to know the truth.

-- Emerald (emerald1@cox.net), September 08, 2002.