Little Exorcism of Pope Leo XIII

In addition to his famous prayer to Saint Michael recited after every mass for nearly a century, the Pope Leo XIII wrote an exorcism known as the “little exorcism of Leo XIII” . This exorcism, which begins by asking for the protection of Saint Michael, was integrated into the Roman ritual at the beginning of the 20th century and the Pope encouraged bishops and priests to pray it regularly in their dioceses and parishes. It was later cut short under the Pope Pius XI before being definitively eliminated from the Roman Ritual in 1985. The congregation of the doctrine of the faith considered it really dangerous that the laity addressed satan directly by reciting this exorcism, because the latter, in fact, provided for a version “for the laity”. However, it is possible to address deliverance or deliverance prayers to the Lord.

Short version of the little exorcism of Leo XIII

Here is the shortened or truncated version of the little exorcism, published in the 1922 Roman Ritual:

“Glorious prince of the heavenly court, Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the conflict that we have to sustain against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of evil in high places. Come to the rescue of men whom God has created in his image and likeness, and whom he has redeemed at a high price from the tyranny of the devil. Archangel Michael, it is you whom the Holy Church venerates as its guardian and protector; whom the Lord has commissioned to take redeemed souls to heaven. Pray, therefore, to the God of peace to subdue the devil under our feet, so that he no longer holds men captive or injures the Church.

Glorious heavenly prince, present our prayers to the Most High, so that without delay he may pour out his mercy upon us. He grabs the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the devil and satan, binds him and throws him into the bottomless pit, so that he no longer seduces the nations. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, mother of God, of the blessed Saint Michael the Archangel, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints, we confidently commit ourselves to repel the attacks and deceptions of the devil.

Psalm 67.
May God arise and may his enemies be scattered and those who hate him flee from his presence. As the smoke dissipates, they dissipate, as the wax melts before the fire, so the wicked will perish before God.

A. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has defeated.
Lord, let your mercy be upon us.
R. As we expect from you.
Lord, hear our prayer.
R. And our cry reaches you.

We exorcise you every evil spirit, satanic power, attack from the infernal adversary, legion, concentration and diabolical sect, in the name and virtue of Our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you leave and flee from the Church of God, from the souls created in the image of God and redeemed by the precious blood of the Divine Lamb. From now on, do not dare, most perfidious serpent, to deceive the human race, persecute the Church of God, sift the elect and sift them like wheat. God Most High commands you, whom in your insolent pride you still pretend to resemble, “who wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (II Timothy: 2). God the Father sends it to you God the Son sends it to you +; God the Holy Spirit commands you +.

The majesty of Christ commands you, the eternal word of God made man, who to save the race lost by your envy, “humbled himself and became obedient unto death” (Philippians 2); which built her Church on solid rock, and revealed that the “powers of hell would never prevail against her, He himself was to remain with her every day until the end of time” (Matthew 28: 20). It is sent to you by the holy sign of the cross and the virtue of all the mysteries of the Christian faith +. It is sent to you by the exalted mother of God, the Virgin Mary, who with her humility from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception crushed your proud head +. It is commanded by the faith of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of the other Apostles +. It is sent to you by the blood of the martyrs and the pious intercession of all the Saints and Saints +.

Therefore, cursed dragon and all diabolical legion, we conjure you by God + living, by God + true, by God + holy, who “so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him not perish, but live eternal life” (John 3); he ceases to deceive human creatures and ceases to supply them with the poison of eternal damnation; he stops harming the Church and hindering her freedom. Flee Satan, inventor and master of all fallacies, enemy of the salvation of men. He draws back before Christ, in whom you have found nothing like your works. He retreats before the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, the one that Christ himself acquired with his Blood. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. Tremble and flee, when the holy and terrible name of Jesus is invoked by us, before which the hells tremble, to whom the virtues of the heavens, the powers and the dominations are subject; whom the cherubim and seraphim praise with incessant voices saying: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord, God of Hosts.

Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And my cry comes to You.
(The Lord be with you. (Only if you are a priest)
R. And with your spirit).

Let’s pray. God of heaven and earth, God of Angels, God of Archangels, God of patriarchs, God of prophets, God of apostles, God of Martyrs, God of confessors, God of Virgins, God who you have the power to give life after death, rest after work, because there is no other God besides you, nor can there be others but yourself, creator of all things visible and invisible, whose kingdom will have no end: We humbly beg you that your glorious majesty deigns to effectively free us and keep us healthy from all power, snare, lie and evil of the infernal spirits. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Of the teaching of the devil.
R. Deliver us, Lord.
Make your Church serve you with sure freedom.
R. We beseech you, hear us.
Deign to humiliate the enemies of your Church.
R. We beseech you, hear us.

(The place and those present are sprinkled with holy water).

Lord, do not remember our crimes or those of our fathers, nor take revenge for our sins (Tobias 3, 3).

(An Our Father is prayed).”

What is an exorcism?

Exorcism is a ritual now reserved for bishops and exorcist priests, which consists of asking “publicly and with authority, in the name of Jesus Christ, that a person or an object be protected against the snares of the evil one” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). Therefore, the exorcist welcomes people who suffer and think they are victims of the Devil’s control. The exorcist prays with and for the person, according to a specific ritual approved by the Church, which provides in particular for the appropriate symbolic gestures.

Discover the prayers to San Miguel

The exorcism of Pope Leo XIII begins by calling for the defense of San Miguel in the fight against evil. Saint Michael is the head of the heavenly legion of good angels that fights and destroys the dragon in the book of Revelation. The Church and Catholics address many prayers to him for his protection.

You can pray the litanies to St. Michael the Archangel, pray the St. Michael prayer for the paratroopers, or consecrate yourself to him by praying the Consecration prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. In fact, many Catholics around the world pray to St. Michael during novenas. , especially from September 21 to 29 for the Feast of the Holy Archangels. The novena to San Miguel and the novena to the nine choirs of angels, for example, are very popular.

In addition, you can strengthen your prayer life with the communities and find new ways to enrich your faith through the communities of prayer to the saints!