MIRACULOUS MIRACLES™

Prayer — Prayers to the Angels

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The Chaplet of St. Michael (Angelic Crown)

Portugal, 18th century; indulgenced by Pius IX, 8 August 1851

Nine salutations to St. Michael and the nine choirs of angels, each with an Our Father and three Hail Marys, ending with four Our Fathers for Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and the Guardian Angel. Indulgenced by Pius IX in 1851.

The Prayer
English · Original
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc.

FIRST SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the First Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Seraphim, may it please God to make us worthy to receive into our hearts the fire of His perfect charity. Amen.

SECOND SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Second Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Cherubim, may God grant us grace to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection. Amen.

THIRD SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Third Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the sacred choir of the Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts a true and earnest spirit of humility. Amen.

FOURTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Fourth Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Dominations, may it please God to grant us grace to have dominion over our senses, and to correct our depraved passions. Amen.

FIFTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Fifth Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Powers, may God vouchsafe to keep our souls from the wiles and temptations of the devil. Amen.

SIXTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Sixth Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the choir of the admirable celestial Virtues, may our Lord keep us from falling into temptations and deliver us from evil. Amen.

SEVENTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Seventh Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Principalities, may it please God to fill our souls with the spirit of true and hearty obedience. Amen.

EIGHTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Eighth Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of Archangels, may it please God to grant us the gift of perseverance in the faith and in all good works, that we may thereby be enabled to attain unto the glory of Paradise. Amen.

NINTH SALUTATION. Our Father once, Hail Mary thrice, to the Ninth Angelic Choir.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant that the holy Angels may protect us during life, and after death may lead us into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen.

Then say the Our Father four times in conclusion: the first to St. Michael, the second to St. Gabriel, the third to St. Raphael, the fourth to our Angel Guardian. Then end with the following antiphon:

Michael, glorious Prince, chief and champion of the heavenly host, guardian of the souls of men, conqueror of the rebel angels, who art set over the palace of God, our worthy captain under Jesus Christ, endowed with superhuman excellence and virtue; vouchsafe to free us from every evil, who with full confidence have recourse to thee; and by thy powerful protection enable us to make progress every day in the faithful service of our God.

V. Pray for us, most blessed Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R. That we may be made worthy of His promises.

Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, who in thy own marvellous goodness and pity didst, for the common salvation of man, choose the glorious Archangel Michael to be the Prince of thy Church; make us worthy, we pray thee, to be delivered by his beneficent protection from all our enemies, that at the hour of our death no one of them may approach to harm us, and that by the same Archangel Michael we may be introduced into the presence of thy high and heavenly Majesty. Through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When the Prayer is Said

On 29 September and 8 May (the Apparition of St. Michael); on the feasts of Gabriel, Raphael and the Guardian Angels; any day, on the special beads.

History & Background

The chaplet is said to have originated with the Portuguese Carmelite Antónia d'Astónaco, who reported in 1751 that St. Michael had asked to be honoured by nine salutations, one for each choir of angels, and had promised his company to those who did so. That account is private revelation and carries no authority; what does carry authority is the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of 8 August 1851 by which Pius IX approved the chaplet and enriched it with indulgences.

The Raccolta lists the grants precisely: seven years and seven quarantines each time the chaplet is said; one hundred days daily to anyone who carries the chaplet or kisses its medal of the holy angels; a plenary indulgence once a month; and a plenary indulgence on the five angelic feasts. To gain them special beads had to be used, blessed by a priest with the faculty to bless rosaries and medals — nine groups of one Our Father and three Hail Marys, with four Our Fathers at the end.

The text below is the Raccolta's English of 1910. It is the plainest catechism of the nine choirs in Catholic devotion: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, Angels — each asked for the grace proper to its name.

Indulgences Attached

Seven years and seven quarantines each time; one hundred days daily for carrying the chaplet; plenary once a month and on the five angelic feasts — Pius IX, S.C. Rites, 8 August 1851 (Raccolta, 1910, no. 291).

Related Saints
St. Michael the Archangel
Created before the world – Immortal
St. Gabriel the Archangel
Created before the world – Immortal
St. Raphael the Archangel
Created before the world – Immortal
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