The Chaplet of Saint Michael: A Complete Guide to This Powerful Devotion
Among the devotions to Saint Michael the Archangel that the Church has cultivated over the centuries, the Chaplet of Saint Michael holds a distinctive place. Unlike the brief Prayer to Saint Michael composed by Pope Leo XIII, the Chaplet is a full devotional prayer that invokes all nine choirs of angels, asking for their intercession alongside the Archangel who leads them. It is, in the fullest sense, a prayer that engages the entire heavenly host.
The Origin of the Chaplet
The Chaplet of Saint Michael traces its origin to the eighteenth century and to a Portuguese Carmelite nun named Antonia d'Astonac, who reported a vision of Saint Michael the Archangel. In that vision, the Archangel revealed a new form of prayer in his honor: a chaplet that would invoke each of the nine choirs of angels in turn, asking for their intercession and promising specific graces to those who prayed it faithfully.
The devotion spread through the Church and received encouragement from several popes. Pope Pius IX granted indulgences to those who prayed it. Spiritual directors and saints have recommended it as a powerful means of obtaining the protection of the angelic hosts.
The Nine Choirs of Angels
Catholic theology, drawing on Scripture and the tradition of the Church, has understood the angels as organized into nine distinct choirs, grouped into three hierarchies. The Chaplet moves through each choir in sequence, asking for its intercession.
The first hierarchy includes the Seraphim, who burn with love before the throne of God; the Cherubim, who contemplate the divine wisdom; and the Thrones, through whom God's justice reaches the lower orders. The second hierarchy includes the Dominions, who govern the lower angels; the Virtues, through whom miracles and graces flow into the world; and the Powers, who hold back the forces of evil from overwhelming creation. The third hierarchy includes the Principalities, who watch over nations and communities; the Archangels, among whom Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are named in Scripture; and the Angels, the guardian angels appointed to accompany each human soul.
The Chaplet addresses each choir in turn, asking for its particular gifts and asking Saint Michael to present these petitions before the throne of God.
How to Pray the Chaplet
The Chaplet of Saint Michael is prayed on a specific set of beads: nine groups of three beads each, representing the nine choirs of angels, with four additional beads at the close.
Begin with the Sign of the Cross and the opening prayer: "O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."
For each of the nine choirs, recite one Salutation to Saint Michael invoking that choir, followed by three Hail Marys on the three beads that correspond to it. The Salutation for the first choir reads: "By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make us worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen." Each subsequent choir has its own Salutation, each asking for the particular grace that choir represents.
After completing all nine choirs, pray four Our Fathers on the four concluding beads: one in honor of Saint Michael, one in honor of Saint Gabriel, one in honor of Saint Raphael, and one in honor of your guardian angel.
Close with the final prayer to Saint Michael: "O glorious Prince Saint 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."
The Promises of the Chaplet
Saint Michael is reported to have promised specific graces to those who pray this Chaplet faithfully. Those who pray it daily will have, at the hour of death, the assistance of Saint Michael himself and of the nine choirs of angels. Those who pray it will have an angel from each choir as their companion and intercessor throughout their lives. And those who pray it for the souls in purgatory will obtain their release through the intercession of the angelic hosts.
These promises are a pious tradition attached to the devotion. The Church encourages devotion to Saint Michael and the angels while reminding the faithful that the efficacy of any prayer depends ultimately on God's will and the disposition of the one who prays.
The Chaplet and Daily Life
The Chaplet of Saint Michael takes longer to pray than the brief Saint Michael Prayer, making it better suited to dedicated prayer time than to brief moments throughout the day. Many who pray it do so weekly, often on Tuesdays, which tradition has associated with Saint Michael, or on Fridays as a devotion of spiritual protection. Others incorporate it into their regular Rosary practice, praying it before or after the Rosary on certain days.
For those who wish to enter more deeply into devotion to the Archangel, the Chaplet offers a structured way to engage with the entire angelic world that the Church has always believed stands ready to intercede for those who ask.
For the full text of the Prayer to Saint Michael, which can be prayed in a few seconds daily, see our guide The Saint Michael Prayer: History, Meaning, and Daily Protection.
For those who wish to carry devotion to Saint Michael throughout the day, our Saint Michael necklaces and medals in gold and sterling silver offer a tangible expression of that devotion. For home altars and sacred spaces, our Saint Michael statue collection includes handcrafted pieces suited for personal and family prayer.
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