According to the traditional Liturgy of the Church there are two feasts of Saint Michael in the Universal Calendar: May 8 and September 29. Saint Gabriel is observed on March 24, and Saint Raphael on October 24.
“We know on the authority of Scripture that there are nine orders of angels, viz., Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Throne, Cherubim and Seraphim. That there are Angels and Archangels nearly every page of the Bible tell us, and the books of the Prophets talk of Cherubim and Seraphim. St. Paul, too, writing to the Ephesians enumerates four orders when he says: ‘above all Principality, and Power, and Virtue, and Domination’; and again, writing to the Colossians he says: ‘whether Thrones, or Dominations, or Principalities, or Powers’. If we now join these two lists together we have five Orders, and adding Angels and Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim, we find nine Orders of Angels.” ( St. Gregory the Great. Hom. 34, In Evang.)
The Chaplet of St. Michael is a wonderful way to honor this great Archangel along with the other nine Choirs of Angels.
The history of this Chaplet goes back to a devout Servant of God, carmelite nun Antonia d’Astonac, who had a vision of St. Michael. The Archangel told her that he would like to be honored, and God Glorified, by salutations to the nine Choirs of Angels. It was approved by Pope Pius IX in 1851.
Promises of St. Michael the Archangel
Whoever would practice this devotion and honoring himself and the Nine Choirs of Angels, when approaching the Holy Communion, an escort of nine Angels chosen from each of the Choirs to accompany the devout practitioner. In addition, for the daily recital of these nine salutations, he promised his continual assistance and that of all the Holy Angels during life, and after death deliverance from Purgatory for themselves and all their relations.
Angelic Crown in Honor of St. Michael the Archangel
Make a sincere Act of Contrition.
O God, come to my assistance.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
(Glory be…)
Then follow nine salutations, one in honor of each choir of Angels. After each salutation, Our Father is said once, and Hail Mary three times.
FIRST SALUTATION: 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: By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of the Cherubim, may God in his good pleasure, grant us grace to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection. Amen.
THIRD SALUTATION: By the intercession of St. Michael and the sacred choir of the Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts the spirit of true and sincere humility. Amen.
FOURTH SALUTATION: 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: 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: By the intercession of St. Michael and the admirable heavenly Virtues, may it please God to keep us from falling into temptation, and may He deliver us from evil. Amen.
SEVENTH SALUTATION: 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 sincere obedience. Amen.
EIGHTH SALUTATION: 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 be thereby enabled to attain the glory of paradise. Amen.
NINTH SALUTATION: By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly choir of all the Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant us their guardianship through this mortal life, and after death a happy entrance into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen.
Now we pray as following:
The first of the four concluding Our Fathers said on the four large beads is to St. Michael, the second to St. Gabriel, the third to St. Raphael, the fourth to our angel guardian.
Then the following Anthem and Prayer:
ANTHEM: O Glorious Prince St. Michael the Archangel, chief and commander of the Heavenly Hosts, guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, steward of the palace of God under Jesus Christ, and our admirable conductor, thou who dost shine with excellence and virtues: vouchsafe to deliver us from every evil; who with full confidence have recourse to thee; and enable us by thy gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.
V. Pray for us, most blessed Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.
R. That we may be made worthy of his promises.
PRAYER: Almighty and Eternal God, who in thine own marvelous goodness and pity didst, for the common salvation of man, choose the glorious Archangel Michael to be the prince of the 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, none of them may approach to harm us; rather do Thou vouchsafe unto us that by the same Archangel Michael, we may be introduced into the presence of thy most high and divine majesty. Through the merits of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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