Defend Us in Battle

Mont St. Michel, France

The name "Michael" means "Who is like to God(?)".

St. Michael has been prayed to and revered since the earliest days of the Church. In fact, in said earliest days of the church angels were held in higher respect than even the Blessed Mother. Surprised? St. Michael's name used to come before her's on the Litany of the Saints. He is known as the "Prince of the angels" and, as an archangel, is as high up as they go in the angelic hierarchy. He led the angels in battle against the demons around the beginning of time and according to prophecy will do it again at the end of time.

However, early Christians saw him as more of a holy physician than a warrior saint. He was (and still is) patron saint of the sick. There was even a shrine (sorry! I don't remember where it was) where the sick and dying went to be healed by St. Micheal. There are many reports, some probably fictional, of visions and apparitions of this saint. In the 14th century he is said to have appeared three times to St. Aubert, a bishop in France. St. Aubert was instructed to build a church on a rather peculiar location: an mountain-like island just off the coast. The result was the amazing Mont St. Michel, a village, abbey and cathedral built Minas Tirith-style. I have a strong inclination to believe that Minas Tirith is modeled on Mont St. Michel. You've already seen the picture up top there. On the very top of the highest steeple is a statue of Saint Michael. You can see a picture of it here. (Brag time: did I mention that my dad went there? :-D)

Saint Michael is also the saint who is there with you when you die, helping you fight your very last battle with the devil, who will be trying his very evil best to make you give up and despair.

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; and do thou, oh prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

P.S. Did I mention that there is a St. Michael chaplet and a St. Michael scapular? More info here and here, respectively. You'll have to scroll down quite a bit on that last one.