While many are familiar with the traditional "St. Michael Prayer" of Pope Leo XIII, it is not the only prayer of the Church to the Holy Archangel.
In the Raccolta, a collection of prayers that dates to the early 19th century, there is listed a prayer/hymn to St. Michael the Archangel that has a long history, but is now rarely used.
It is entitled "Te splendor et virtus Patris," and while it has often been set to music, Pope Pius VII in 1817 encouraged the faithful to "say the following hymn [with contrite hearts and devotion], with the antiphon and prayer, in honor of St. Michael the Archangel; to obtain for themselves the mighty aid which his patronage affords to all in the assaults of the enemy of man, and in all temptations, whether in life or at the hour of death."
The original text of the hymn has been ascribed to Blessed Rabanus Maurus, a Benedictine monk of the 9th century. He is also believed to be the author of the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus.
Below is an English translation of the hymn based on the Latin text found in the Raccolta.
