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Jul 2, 2025 13 tweets 8 min read Read on X
Most Catholics know the short prayer to Saint Michael.
Few know why it was written.

Pope Leo XIII didn’t just hear Satan boast, he saw a terrifying vision of the future: the Church besieged, a century of darkness & a final battle

What did Pope Leo really see? - a🧵✝️ Image
Image
October 13, 1884. Pope Leo XIII had just finished Mass in the Vatican chapel.

Suddenly, he stopped at the foot of the altar, frozen in a trance, face pale.

Witnesses say he stood still for 10 minutes, eyes fixed, lips moving as if in dialogue.

Then he rushed to write something downImage
According to his private secretary, Leo XIII overheard this frightening dialogue between Satan and God:

Satan: “I can destroy Your Church!”
God: “You can? Then do so.”
Satan: “To do that, I need more time and more power.”
God: “How much time?”
Satan: “100 years.”
God: “You have it.”Image
Immediately after this, Leo XIII reportedly saw a horrific vision:

>Satan rising from Hell, commanding demonic forces
>Churches attacked, altars desecrated, shepherds scattered
>Rome invaded spiritually
>Saint Michael appearing, to cast the dragon down again

It was apocalyptic Image
Here’s the fullest surviving text of what Leo XIII wrote down that day, kept in the archives of a German publisher and cited by Cardinal Nasalli Rocca:

“I saw the earth enveloped in darkness, and from the abyss, I saw legions of devils who were spreading throughout the world to destroy the works of the Church and attack the Church itself, which I saw reduced to extremes.”

“Then I saw Saint Michael descend and drive the spirits of darkness back into the abyss of Hell.”

“Then I saw Saint Michael again appear, majestic, asking God for help. And God granted him power to help the Church.”

“Then I saw the Church again rise and spread over the earth.”Image
Next Pope Leo rushed to write the Prayer to Saint Michael, not the short one we know, but the original full version:

“O Glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, be our defense in the terrible warfare which we carry on against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, and spirits of evil.

Come to the aid of man, whom God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of the devil. Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist Thee, nor was there place for them any longer in heaven. That cruel, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan, who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels.

Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men; his depraved mind, corrupt heart, his spirit of lying, impiety, blasphemy, his pestilential breath of impurity and of every vice and iniquity. These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the Spouse of the Immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where has been set up the See of the most holy Peter and the Chair of Truth for the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be scattered.

Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate Thee as their protector and patron; in Thee Holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to Thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly conciliate the mercies of the Lord; and beating down the dragon, the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, do Thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.

Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered, hostile powers.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered, the root of David.
Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord
As we have hoped in Thee.
O Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto Thee

Let us pray:
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy name, and we humbly implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious Archangel St. Michael, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all other unclean spirits, who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls.

Amen."

It is mandatory after every Low Mass, most priests don't do it in the NO but in the TLM celebrations the short version is ALWAYS said.Image
From 1884 to 1984, a century of:

>Freemasonry infiltrating Europe
>Marxism, Atheism, and Modernism spreading
>Two World Wars
>Fatima’s warning (1917) and silence from Rome
>Liturgical rupture in the 60s
>Sexual revolution and moral collapse

Was this Satan’s century? Image
This whole vision echoes Revelation 12:

“Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon…”

But unlike the final triumph, Leo saw a period of desolation first, permitted by God.

A test for the Church.
And a call to arms for the faithful. Image
The vision is clear: Rome is attacked spiritually.

Why? Because Satan doesn’t waste time with lukewarm sects.

He goes after the center of truth. Image
The full prayer is almost never said today.
But it is terrifying to demons.

It calls out the devil by name:
“that wicked serpent who is called the devil and Satan, who seduces the whole world”

It doesn’t just ask for protection, it commands through Christ’s authority. Image
Leo XIII saw the war. But he also saw the victory.

“Then I saw the Church again rise and spread over the earth.”

Saint Michael will triumph. But only if we call on him.

>Pray the full Saint Michael Prayer.
>Consecrate yourself to him.
>Live ready for battle. Image
When Saint Michael cast Satan out of Heaven, the devil fell like lightning.

But now, the final battle is on earth.
And YOU were born into this time for a reason.

“Who is like God?” “Quis ut Deus?”
Pray. Fast. Fight.

The time for lukewarmness is over. Image
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