Is the belief that Saint Michael escorts souls part of formal Catholic teaching?

It is part of the Catholic Church's liturgical tradition rather than a defined dogma. The traditional Requiem Mass and many prayers for the dying invoke Michael in this role. Catholics are free to pray to him with confidence in his intercession for the dying and the dead.

What is the difference between an archangel and a regular angel?

Catholic theology recognizes nine ranks (or "choirs") of angels. Archangels are one of those ranks; only three are named in Scripture (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael). Their particular role is significant missions of God to humanity — including, in Michael's case, spiritual warfare and the protection of souls.

Saint Michael the Archangel — Patron Saint, Feast Day, and Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel

Feast day: September 29 (with Sts. Gabriel and Raphael)

Patronage

·Defender of the Church
·Patron of the dying
·The angel who escorts souls to heaven
·Patron of soldiers and police officers

Life and witness

Saint Michael the Archangel — whose name means "Who is like God?" — is one of the three archangels named in the Catholic Bible (with Gabriel and Raphael). He appears in the Book of Daniel as the protector of God's people, in the Letter of Jude as the one who disputes with the devil over the body of Moses, and most strikingly in Revelation 12, where he leads the heavenly armies in casting Satan out of heaven.

For Catholic funeral devotion, Michael holds a particular place. The Catholic tradition has long held that he is the angel sent to escort the souls of the faithful from their deathbed to God's presence. This is enshrined in the Offertory of the traditional Requiem Mass: Signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam — "Let the holy standard-bearer Michael lead them into the holy light." Many Catholic prayers for the dying ask Michael's intercession explicitly. Many Catholic deathbeds, throughout the centuries, have included his image or his prayers.

The Prayer to Saint Michael composed by Pope Leo XIII in 1886 — "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle..." — is one of the most familiar prayers in Catholic devotion. It was prayed at the end of every Low Mass until 1964 and has been encouraged again in recent decades by multiple popes. Michael is invoked as the great spiritual warrior whose presence accompanies souls at the moment of greatest spiritual vulnerability, including the moment of death.

For families at a Catholic funeral, asking Michael's intercession for the deceased is an ancient and beautiful practice. The angel who has watched over the soul throughout life, the Catholic tradition trusts, escorts that same soul home.

Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defender of the Church and escort of souls at the hour of death — be with our beloved deceased and bring them safely into the holy light of God's presence. And defend us, in our turn, when our own hour comes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the belief that Saint Michael escorts souls part of formal Catholic teaching?: It is part of the Catholic Church's liturgical tradition rather than a defined dogma. The traditional Requiem Mass and many prayers for the dying invoke Michael in this role. Catholics are free to pray to him with confidence in his intercession for the dying and the dead.
What is the difference between an archangel and a regular angel?: Catholic theology recognizes nine ranks (or "choirs") of angels. Archangels are one of those ranks; only three are named in Scripture (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael). Their particular role is significant missions of God to humanity — including, in Michael's case, spiritual warfare and the protection of souls.