St Michael has long been a holy figure in the lives of the people and is the ultimate defender against all evil. St Michael’s name is Latin for “he who is like God” or “bearer of God” (in English, St. Michael translates as “the archangel Michael”), and he is the patron saint of soldiers, archers, florists, and police. St Michael is an angel who defends heaven against the forces of evil, and his image is often depicted in art holding a sword. The warrior angel is often depicted in art as wearing a helmet, mail, and a scaly winged body, unique to Michael.
Did St. Michael Really Slay the Devil?
The legend of St. Michael the Archangel is that he fought the devil and vanquished him. Is it true? Well, before getting into that, here’s a short prayer for St. Michael:
“St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. Amen”
St. Michael was an Archangel and he was said to have been an angel in the service of God. He had many other tasks as well as fighting Satan, which is why he was also called the “archangel of the air” because of his many other duties. He was also one of the patron saints of France and was also the patron saint of hunters, guards, military units, and police. As a warrior saint, St. Michael was often depicted as a winged figure with a sword, slaying the dragon Satan. Yes, the Apostle Michael also famously wrestled with Satan during the heavenly battle in Revelation 12:7-10. St. Michael was said to have defeated Satan on two occasions:
- St. Michael ejects Satan from Paradise. The Church teaches that St Michael fought the devil in the story of the temptation of Jesus, which the Catholic Church celebrates with the Feast of Saint Michael, the archangel. According to the church, the devil was defeated, and Jesus was liberated from sin and temptation. Since then, both pagan and Christian faiths have associated Michael with various other attributes, including being an angel of repentance, a warrior, and even a patron saint of knights. But he is also associated with the devil, as the church teaches.
- Final battle of the end times. No one is sure what will happen during the last days of this present era. Some believe that the Antichrist will rise to power, and then the world will be plunged into a final war. Others believe that there will be a nuclear war, and then Jesus will return to defeat the Antichrist, after which he will reign for 1000 years. Others still say there will be a final battle between the Antichrist and St. Michael, and the Antichrist will be defeated.
St. Michael is the protector against the devil and his demons, the defender of the weak, the champion against all evil, the defender of the Lord. He is the defender of our faith, the warrior of the Lord against the devil, the guardian of our souls, the defender of our bodies, the defender of the Church. He is our protector in war. He is the defender of our country and its flag. St. Michael is always victorious, always.
