The Michaelmas is the
Devotion to St. Michael the Archangel existed in the Old Testament (Daniel 10:13, 10:21, & 12:1), and it continued in the New Testament (Jude 1:9 and Revelations chapter 12.) The Apostle John prophesied a healing spring which was later revealed in Colossae when the Archangel appeared. Many sick were healed there and a church was built in St Michael’s honor.
The earliest records of an official Michaelmas are in the fifth century when a basilica near Rome was consecrated in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. The name Michaelmas is an abbreviation of “Michael’s Mass,” similar to Christmas (Christ’s Mass) and Candlemas (Candle Mass, when all candles were blessed).
During the Middle Ages (500 A.D.- 1500 A.D.), the Michaelmas, or the Feast of St. Michael, was celebrated as a Holy Day of Obligation. The obligation was removed in the 18th century. In England the holy King Ethelred imposed a strict fast for three days in preparation before celebrating the great and solemn Michaelmas. Interestingly, it was when the Michaelmas was no longer a Holy Day of Obligation that Pope Leo XIII had his vision of Satan attacking mankind for 100 years.
The great esteem of the ancient Church for the Celestial Prince was shown as Michaelmas held the same rank, (a Double of the First Class), as the great feasts of Christmas and Easter. Other Sundays following the feast were known in the calendar as the weeks after Saint Michael.
Prayers in the ancient liturgies reflect this great honor. During the Michaelmas, the priest prays the following at the blessing of incense …
“through the intercession of Blessed Michael, the Archangel, standing at the right of the altar of incense [in heaven], the Lord may deign to bless this incense, and receive it as an odor of sweetness.”
The Gradual of the Michaelmas states, “Holy Archangel Michael, defend us in the battle: that we may not perish in the dreadful judgement. Alleluia!” For other Feasts of St. Michael like the apparition of St. Michael at Gargano (492 AD) the Gradual states, “The sea was shaken and the earth trembled when the Archangel Michael came down from heaven. Alleluia!”
The ancient Roman Canon or “Eucharistic Prayer 1” put together by Pope Gregory the Great (540 – 604) states, “we pray that your Angel may take this sacrifice to Your altar in heaven.” Tradition holds that St. Michael the Archangel is this angel.
For the Postcommunion in the Michaelmas we pray, “Supported by the intercession of Blessed Michael Thine Archangel, we humbly entreat Thee, O Lord, that the service we pay with our lips, we may lay hold of with our minds. Through Our Lord.”
St. Michael does four very important things for us at mass. St. Michael intercedes for sinners (Confiteor), takes up our prayers to God (Incensation at High Mass), protects us from the dragon and his angels (prayers after low mass), and he introduces us into God’s light when we die (Offertory Hymn Requiem Mass).
It is said that Lucifer was defeated on the day of Michaelmas and cast down to earth plus that St. Michael proclaimed victory with these victorious words on that memorable day,
“How you have fallen from heaven, O Morning Star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the
Michalemas affected the entire Middle Ages, not only the Church, but even the temporal world became an era of Christian kingdoms! Traditionally there are four “quarter days” in a year (Annunciation (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas (25th December). Michaelmas marked the hiring of servants, rents were paid, leases began, lands were sold, and old balances ended. It was also a time for electing public officials.
Michaelmas marked the end of fishing season, and the start of hunting season. It was the day that laborers presented themselves to be hired for an entire year. Summer clothes were put away and winter clothing came out.
In Western Europe the harvest had to be finished by Michaelmas, and it also marked the end of a productive year plus the beginning of new farming cycle. Michaelmas marked the start of the Michaelmas Term at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. It was also the day in which the winter night curfew bells began ringing from September 29th to March 25th
Goose became the favorite food in England since it is believed that Queen Elizabeth was eating goose when the news that Spanish Armada was defeated on Michaelmas. In Ireland one of the favorite dishes was the Michaelmas Pie where they would hide a ring and whoever found it would be married within a year!
When St. Michael appeared to Constantine the Great he gave the emperor the sign by which he was to conquer at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D., “In this sign [the sign of the Cross] you shall conquer.” The emperor placed the sign upon his army’s banners and battle shields. After the battle St. Michael appeared to him stating,
“I am Michael, the chief of the angelic legions of the Lord of Hosts, the protector of the Christian religion, who, while you were in battle against godless tyrants, placed the weapons in your hands.”
Maybe this year’s Michaelmas is the spiritual weapon which St. Michael is placing in OUR hands in these perilous times to rid ourselves of all the dragons coming against us! Don’t miss out! The ancient Michaelmas going as far back as the 5th century will be celebrated by Fr. Wolfgang Seitz, ORC at the Angels & Demons Conference at Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church, Austin, TX. If you can’t make the two day (Friday – Saturday) conference, Saint Mary Cathedral is also celebrating a Michaelmas at the same time (11:30 A.M.) TWO Michaelmas’s on the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel! Saint Michael is arising (Dn.12:1)!
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