I am seeing a lot of adverts for the Prayer of St. Michael. What can you tell me about this campaign?
"You're picking up on a fascinating convergence of faith, politics, and public messaging. The surge in adverts for the Prayer of St. Michael is largely tied to the 'Defend Us In Battle' National Billboard Campaign launched by the group Catholics for Catholics."
"🛡️ Campaign Overview
- Purpose: The campaign invokes St. Michael the Archangel—a celestial warrior figure in Catholic tradition—to symbolize spiritual protection and moral courage in turbulent times.
- Imagery: Billboards feature St. Michael alongside former President Donald Trump, with the tagline “Defend Us in Battle.” It's a visual and rhetorical call to prayer, framed as a spiritual defense against societal and political threats.
- Locations: Initially launched in Butler, PA, the campaign expanded to Arizona, Wisconsin, and other states, especially around key political events and rallies.
- Timing: The campaign gained traction following an assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, which organizers interpreted as a moment of divine intervention—crediting prayer for his survival."
"🔥 Spiritual and Political Fusion
"This isn’t just devotional—it’s strategic. The campaign blends:
- Catholic iconography with
- Nationalist sentiment, and
- Electoral mobilization, encouraging daily recitation of the St. Michael Prayer as a form of civic engagement."
"📜 The Prayer Itself
"The Prayer to St. Michael is a traditional Catholic invocation asking for protection against evil. It includes lines like:
'St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil…'"
"🧠Broader Cultural Echoes
"You might also be seeing ads from devotional platforms like PrayerLit, which recently published 36 variations of prayers to St. Michael tailored to different life challenges—emphasizing his role as a protector in both spiritual and emotional battles."
"This campaign is a vivid example of how mythic archetypes—especially warrior angels—are being ritualized in public space to galvanize collective identity and moral urgency. If you’re interested, we could explore how this fits into the broader psychohistorical use of angelic figures in political mythmaking."
https://cforc.com/2024/08/defend-us-in-battle-billboard-campaign/
https://prayerlit.com/catholic-prayers-to-st-michael-the-archangel/
Is this the campaign run by Mark Wahlberg?
"Great question, Gary—and no, the 'Defend Us In Battle' billboard campaign featuring the Prayer of St. Michael is not run by Mark Wahlberg. That initiative is led by Catholics for Catholics, a politically active group that blends Catholic symbolism with conservative messaging, especially around Donald Trump."
"Mark Wahlberg, on the other hand, is involved in a separate spiritual media effort. He’s the face of the Hallow app, a Catholic prayer and meditation platform. His campaign—most notably featured during the Super Bowl—encouraged viewers to “stay prayed up” and join in Lenten devotionals through the app. Wahlberg’s focus is more on personal spiritual discipline and mainstream Catholic practice, not political mobilization."
"So while both campaigns invoke prayer and Catholic imagery, they operate in very different spheres:
"Defend Us In Battle-- Catholics for Catholics; Political prayer mobilization; Billboards, rallies.
"Hallow App: Mark Wahlberg & team; Personal devotion; Lent meditations; Mobile app; Super Bowl ads."
"If you're tracking the mythic voltage of St. Michael across these campaigns, we could explore how his archetype is being ritualized differently—one as a protector of civic virtue, the other as a guide for inner transformation. Want to dive deeper into that contrast?"
What is the story of St. Michael?
"St. Michael the Archangel is one of the most powerful and enduring figures in religious mythology—a celestial warrior, protector, and symbol of divine justice across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam."
"⚔️ The Mythic Role of St. Michael
"St. Michael appears as the chief of the heavenly host, the defender of God's people, and the slayer of evil. His name means 'Who is like God?'—a rhetorical challenge to pride and rebellion."
"📖 Key Scriptural Moments
- Book of Daniel: Michael is described as the “great prince who protects your people”—a guardian of Israel during apocalyptic conflict.
- Book of Revelation (12:7–9): He leads the angelic armies in a cosmic battle against the dragon (Satan), casting him out of heaven.
- Epistle of Jude: Michael disputes with the devil over the body of Moses, showing his role as a mediator and protector of sacred remains.
- Book of Enoch (apocryphal): He is one of seven archangels, standing before the glory of God and mediating divine law."
"🛡️ Attributes and Iconography
- Sword or Spear: Symbolizing divine justice and spiritual warfare.
- Scales: Weighing souls at the Last Judgment.
- Dragon or Satan underfoot: Triumph over evil.
- Banner or Shield: Emblem of heavenly authority."
"🕊️ Veneration and Feast Days
- Western Christianity: Celebrated on September 29 (Michaelmas).
- Eastern Orthodoxy: Honored on November 8.
- Coptic Tradition: Commemorated on the 12th of each month.
- Major Shrines: Mont Saint-Michel in France, Sanctuary of Monte Sant’Angelo in Italy."
"🔥 Archetypal Significance
"St. Michael embodies the warrior archetype in its highest form: not brute force, but sacred defense. He is invoked in times of spiritual danger, societal upheaval, and personal crisis. His presence marks the threshold between chaos and order, the profane and the divine."
