In Brazil and some other parts of the Catholic world, thousands of people begin a special time of prayer and penance every year around 15 August. It is called Saint Michael’s Lent (or the Lent of the Angels).
Here in Norway, almost no one has heard of it. Yet this beautiful devotion was born in Europe more than 800 years ago — and it still has something powerful to offer us today.
Who Is Saint Michael the Archangel?
Saint Michael is one of the three archangels named in Sacred Scripture (the others being Gabriel and Raphael). His name in Hebrew, Mi-ka-El, means “Who is like God?”
It is not a statement. It is a challenge — a battle cry against the pride of Lucifer, who wanted to be equal to God. Michael’s answer is clear: no one is like God.
In the Book of Revelation (chapter 12), we see him leading the heavenly armies and casting the dragon (Satan) out of heaven. The Church has always seen him as:
- The Prince of the Heavenly Host
- The defender of the Church
- The protector of souls against the attacks of the devil
- The angel who presents the souls of the faithful to God
His feast day is celebrated on 29 September, together with Saints Gabriel and Raphael.
The Origin of Saint Michael’s Lent
This devotion comes from Saint Francis of Assisi.
Francis had a deep love for the angels, especially Saint Michael. Every year he would withdraw for about forty days of prayer, fasting and silence — beginning after the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady (15 August) and ending on the Feast of Saint Michael (29 September).
In 1224, during one of these retreats on Mount La Verna, Saint Francis received the stigmata — the wounds of Christ in his own body. That moment made the practice even more beloved among Franciscans, and it slowly spread as a popular devotion.
It is not an official liturgical season of the Church like the great Lent before Easter. It is a personal or group devotion — a time of spiritual combat and purification under the protection of the Archangel.
Why Almost No One Does It in Norway (and Most of Europe)
Although the devotion was born in Italy, today it is much more alive in Brazil and parts of Latin America than in Europe.
In Norway the Catholic community is small, and most of us come from different cultural backgrounds. The main focus remains the traditional Lenten season before Easter. Saint Michael’s Lent is simply not part of the local Catholic culture here.
That does not mean we cannot live it.
How You Can Observe Saint Michael’s Lent in Norway
You do not need a big group or special permission. You can keep it simply and quietly:
- Start on 15 August (or the closest day that works for you)
- End on 29 September
- Offer a daily prayer to Saint Michael (the traditional prayer is perfect)
- Choose one small sacrifice (less phone time, less sugar, extra Rosary, acts of charity, etc.)
- Ask Saint Michael to protect your family, the Church in Norway, and to help you fight your own spiritual battles
Many people also pray the Chaplet of Saint Michael during these weeks.
A Devotion for Our Time
We live in a secular country where the spiritual battle is often invisible, yet very real. Invoking the Prince of the Heavenly Host is never outdated.
Saint Michael’s Lent is a gentle but strong way to prepare for his feast, to grow in humility, and to remember the words that still echo through the centuries:
“Who is like God?”
