May 8 + Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel

The great Archangel Michael, the special Guardian Angel of Saint Joseph, and the Guardian Angel of each one of the Popes, and one of the seven great angels who stand before the throne of God, appeared on a mountain named Gargano, in southern Italy, in 492. Michael asked that a cave there be turned into a shrine, to make amends to God for the pagan worship that once occurred in that place. This was done, and the shrine was named in honor of Saint Michael. It is one of the most wonderful shrines in all of Italy.

It is clear, from the Holy Scriptures, that God is pleased to make frequent use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in this world. The angels are all pure spirits; they are, by a property of their nature, immortal, as every spirit is.

Michael, whom the Church honors this day, is the prince of the faithful angels who opposed Lucifer and his associates in their revolt against God. As the devil is the sworn enemy of God's Holy Church, St. Michael is its special protector against his assaults and schemes. This holy archangel has ever been honored in the Church as Her guardian under God, and as the protector of the faithful; for God is pleased to employ the zeal and charity of the good angels and their leader against the malice of the devil.

Michael is not only the protector of the Church, but of every faithful soul. He defeated the devil by humility and we are enlisted in the same warfare. His arms were humility and ardent love of God: the same must be our weapons. We ought to regard this archangel as our leader under God and, courageously resisting the devil in all his assaults, to cry out, Who can be compared to God?

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See the Saint Michael the Archangel Collection