Scapular of Saint Michael the Archangel



The Scapular of Saint Michael is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular associated with Michael, the Archangel and originated prior to 1878. It was formerly the badge of the now defunct Archconfraternity of the Scapular of Saint Michael.

Archconfraternity of the Scapular of St. Michael
Pope Pius IX gave this scapular his blessing, but it was first formally approved under Pope Leo XIII. In 1878 a confraternity in honour of St. Michael the Archangel was founded in the Church of Sant'Eustachio at Rome, and in the following year in the Church of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria. In 1880 Leo XIII raised it to the rank of an archconfraternity, called the Archconfraternity of the Scapular of St. Michael. Indulgences were approved by the Congregation for Indulgences in 1903. Each member of the confraternity was invested with the scapular.

The Archconfraternity of the Scapular of St. Michael is distinguishable from the Brotherhood of Saint Michael, a "Pious Association" based at the Basilica Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo. It was approved by Pope Julius III in 1555.

Current practice
Currently, the confraternity has been extinguished and the blessing and enrollment of the scapular has fallen in the previous reserved rites, so that now it is possible for the faithful to be enrolled in this scapular by any priest. The scapular places the wearer under the special protection of Saint Michael and is considered a “visual prayer.”

The form of this scapular is somewhat distinct, in that the two segments of cloth have the form of a small shield; one is made of blue and the other of black cloth, and one of the bands likewise is blue and the other black. Both portions of the scapular bear the well-known representation of the Archangel St. Michael defeating Satan and the inscription "Quis ut Deus?", meaning Who is like God?, a translation of the Hebrew name of Michael (Mi — "who", cha — "like", el — "God").

Blessing and Enrollment in the Scapular
The generic rite for the blessing and conferral of a scapular is found in De benedictionibus and its vernacular translations, unless a particular religious institute has established another rite with the recognition of the Holy See.