The Akathist to the Archangel Michael is a prayerful hymn that helps us to venerate this great angel and receive his protection and assistance. Reading this akathist is especially relevant during the celebration of the Feast of the Archangel Michael, which takes place on November 8th.
Condak 1
Thou, chosen leader of heavenly forces and intercessor for the human race, dost accept our hymn of thanksgiving, as we beseech thee to deliver us from tribulations, and to free us from all afflictions, that we may call upon thee with faith and love, as thou dost stand before the Throne of the King of Glory:
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Icos 1
As the leader of the fiery host of angels, thou dost deserve to be praised by angelic tongues, O Michael; but since we are instructed by thee to speak without bodily words, hear us, O Michael, and accept our hymn of thanksgiving, though it comes from human lips, yet full of gratitude:
Rejoice, O first-formed star of the world’s peace;
Rejoice, O golden-hued lamp of truth and righteousness.
Rejoice, O first-receiver of the uncreated light’s rays in the angelic ranks;
Rejoice, O chief of the angels.
Rejoice, in whom the glory of the Creator’s right hand shines forth most brightly;
Rejoice, O one in whom the assemblies of all bodiless creatures take pride.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 2
Beholding the greatness of thy spiritual beauty, the swiftness of thy divine hand, and the might of thy lightning-like power, O Archangel of God, we, who are earthly and clothed in flesh, are filled with wonder, joy, and thanksgiving to the Creator of all, and we call upon thee with all the heavenly powers:
Alleluia
Icos 2
Grant us, O wondrous Michael, chief of the heavenly ranks, a pure and unencumbered mind, free from passions, that, lifted up in thought from earthly things to heavenly, we may sing thy hymn of praise thus:
Rejoice, O nearest beholder of God’s ineffable beauty and goodness;
Rejoice, O most sincere and mysterious interpreter of the Holy Trinity’s counsels.
Rejoice, O faithful executor of the eternal decrees of the Trinity;
Rejoice, O one in whom the heavenly host marvels with love.
Rejoice, O one whom the earthly-born praise with faith;
Rejoice, O one whom the powers of hell tremble before.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 3
Manifesting the invincible power of thy zeal for the glory of God, thou didst take the lead of the angelic host, O Michael, against the one breathing forth evil, the proud Lucifer, who, with his dark cohorts, was cast down from the heights of heaven to the abyss, and the heavenly host, led by thee, O glorious one, didst proclaim with one voice before the Throne of God:
Alleluia
Ikos 3
Thou hast, O Archangel Michael, the whole Christian race as a great intercessor and a wondrous helper in battles against adversaries; therefore, those who desire to be partakers of thy wondrous protection, on the day of thy triumph, call upon thee thus:
Rejoice, thou who, like lightning, hast descended from heaven, casting Satan down;
Rejoice, thou who dost lead the human race, preserved, to heaven.
Rejoice, thou who art the wondrous ornament of the Upper World, full of light;
Rejoice, thou who art the glorious intercessor of the Lower World, fallen.
Rejoice, thou who hast never been conquered by the power of evil;
Rejoice, thou who, with all the heavenly angels, art established in truth and righteousness by the grace of God, for all eternity.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 4
Deliver us from the storms of temptations and afflictions, O first-archangel, with love and joy, performing thy radiant triumph: for thou art a great helper in afflictions and a guardian and intercessor for all who cry out to thy and our Lord and God in the hour of death, from the evil spirits:
Alleluia
Ikos 4
Seeing thy boldness against the satanic host, all the orders of angelic host have hastened to follow thee with joy to battle for the name and glory of their Lord, crying out: Who is God? We, having cast Satan under thy feet, call upon thee, O victor:
Rejoice, thou who hast established peace and quietness in heaven;
Rejoice, thou who hast cast down the spirits of malice even to hell.
Rejoice, thou who dost direct the angelic host and the powers of the invisible world to the destruction of evil;
Rejoice, thou who dost quietly and unseen calm the disturbances of the visible world.
Rejoice, thou who art a wonderful helper in the battle against the spiritual malice that is above;
Rejoice, thou who art a strong helper for those who are weary in temptations and afflictions of this world.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 5
A source of divine wonders, great and wonderful, has appeared in thy temple, which is in Chonae; for not only did the great and terrible serpent, dwelling in that place, perish by thy power, but also the waters, healing every bodily disease, have been revealed, so that all who glorify thee, O Lord of Angels, with faith, may call upon thee:
Alleluia
Ikos 5
We, who behold and worship you as a great light, shining amidst the radiant faces of the angels, O wondrous Michael, turn to you, O Lord, and thy most holy Mother, with the prayer: Illumine us with the rays of thy light, we who cry out to thee thus:
Rejoice, O leader and guardian of the chosen people in the wilderness;
Rejoice, O lofty mediator of the law, given by the hand of Moses on Mount Sinai.
Rejoice, O judge and leader of the Israelites, in whom we find strength and protection;
Rejoice, through whom we receive the gift of understanding from the all-knowing God, O prophets and high priests of the Jewish people.
Rejoice, O god-fearing lawmakers, who are endowed with the mystery of wisdom;
Rejoice, O bringer of justice and righteousness, who implants goodness in the heart.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 6
When Manoah, the prophet, once saw thee, O herald of God’s judgments, he was filled with wonder and fear, thinking that he would not live on earth; but, instructed by his own wife about the goodness of thy appearance and the gentleness of thy words, in joy over the birth of his son Samson, as thou hadst foretold, he gave thanks to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 6
Thou didst shine forth wonderfully in glory, O Michael, when thou didst appear in the form of a man before Joshua, son of Nun, saying: “Take off thy shoes, for I am the Archistrategos of the Lord’s power.” Astonished by this thy manifestation, we cry out to thee with love:
Rejoice, O unwearied guardian of the blessed;
Rejoice, O swift destroyer of those who resist the divine authority.
Rejoice, O calmer of the tumults of the people;
Rejoice, O unseen destroyer of wicked customs.
Rejoice, O enlightener of those who doubt in times of bitter perplexity;
Rejoice, O deliverer of those who are tempted by pernicious deceptions.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 7
Although the Lord of all has shown, that the lots of human beings are not by chance, but are held in His hand, He has given thee as a helper and guardian to the earthly kingdoms, that thou mayest prepare the tribes and nations for the eternal Kingdom of God; therefore, all who know of thy great service and human salvation, give thanks to God:
Alleluia
Ikos 7
Thou hast shown us new wonders, O Archistrategos, by thy power on earth, the Creator and Ruler of all, when thou didst miraculously save the temple, created in thy name, from being overwhelmed by the waters of the river, commanding the streams of the torrent to flow into the depths of the earth: and behold, blessed Archippus, with his spiritual children, didst thank thee with gratitude, saying:
Rejoice, O unshakeable bulwark of the divine temples;
Rejoice, O unconquerable barrier against the enemies of Christ’s faith.
Rejoice, O one whose will the elements obey;
Rejoice, O one who crushes all wicked designs.
Rejoice, O bringer of joy to the faithful from the Throne of the Almighty;
Rejoice, O one who leads the unfaithful onto the path of truth and righteousness.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 8
A strange wonder of thy power, O Archistrategos of God, hath led Avvakum to himself, when, according to God’s will, thou didst quickly take him from Judea to Babylon, and didst give him food to Daniel, who was shut up in the den with lions: and thus, marveling at the great deed of thy power, we cry out with faith:
Alleluia
Ikos 8
Thou art present in the highest, O Michael, standing before the Throne of the King of Glory, and thou art not far from the lowest, rescuing those who are being led away by the enemies of human salvation: and thus, all who desire to attain the heavenly country of their longing, call upon thee in harmony with thee:
Rejoice, O chief of the holy angelic hymn;
Rejoice, O ever-present defender and protector of those born of the earth.
Rejoice, O one who struck down the proud Pharaoh and the unfaithful Egyptians in a strange and wondrous manner;
Rejoice, O one who led the faithful Jews through the wilderness in a glorious manner.
Rejoice, O one who extinguished the flame of the Babylonian furnace;
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Kondak 9
All the holy monasteries of the Holy Mountain of Athos have come in joyful trembling, seeing how thou didst miraculously save the God-fearing youth, who was cast into the depths of the sea by the lawless gold-lovers: and thus, the monastery that received him, bearing thy name, prays to the Lord with gratitude:
Alleluia
Ikos 9
The words of the heretics and the subtlety of their reasoning do not prevail against the expression of thy power, O Michael, for in one night thou didst strike down eighty-five thousand of the Assyrian king Sennacherib’s warriors: and thus, we, who reverence thy holy zeal for the glory of the true God, call upon thee with joy, saying:
Rejoice, O invincible commander of the Orthodox armies;
Rejoice, O terror and overthrow of the wicked wars.
Rejoice, O sower of the right faith and reverence for God;
Rejoice, O destroyer of the destructive heresies and schisms.
Rejoice, O defender of the righteous Macabees, who many times strengthened them in battle;
Rejoice, O one who struck down the unrighteous leader Antiochus’ Iliodor in the very temple.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 10
Save us, O Lord, who desire thy aid, and be thou our steadfast helper, O Archistrategos, delivering and preserving us from affliction and harm, and especially from the evil inclinations and sins of our own, that, persevering in faith, hope, and love towards Christ, we may call upon thee with joy, as our Lord and Master of the angels and men, and give thanks:
Alleluia
Icos 10
Thou art a wall of faith for believers, O Archistrategos, and a strong pillar in the battles against visible and invisible enemies: therefore, delivered from the snares of the demons, we call upon thee with grateful heart and lips, saying:
Rejoice, O invincible champion of the faith and adversary of the enemies of the Holy Church;
Rejoice, O tireless helper of the humble heralds of the Gospel.
Rejoice, O enlightener of those sitting in the darkness of error, shining with the light of Christ’s faith;
Rejoice, O guide of those who have strayed from the path of truth and repentance.
Rejoice, O avenger of those who invoke the name of God in vain;
Rejoice, O swift punisher of those who mock the mysteries of the holy faith.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 11
All praise is overcome by the multitude of thy wonders, O Archistrategos, for thou hast accomplished them not only in heaven and on earth, but also in the dark recesses of hell, where thou didst bind the deep-seated serpent with the bonds of the Lord’s power, that we, delivered from its malice, may bless the Lord of heaven and earth, saying:
Alleluia
Icos 11
Thou hast appeared as a shining servant of truth and purity of worship, O Archistrategos, when, foreseeing the plots of the spirit of darkness, thou didst forbid him to reveal the hidden body of the sleeping leader of Israel, Moses, to the senses of the sons of Israel: therefore, venerating thy blessed assembly, we call upon thee with gratitude, saying:
Rejoice, O preserver of the purity of worship in the days of the Old Covenant among the Jews;
Rejoice, O destroyer of the tares of error in the days of the New Grace.
Rejoice, O destroyer of the pagan oracles and idols;
Rejoice, O protector of the Christian ascetics and martyrs.
Rejoice, O one who is filled with the power of God’s grace;
Rejoice, O one who arms the weak with the armor of faith.
Rejoice, O great Archistrategos Michael, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 12
Grant us, O Lord, the blessing of God from on high, as we sing in thy holy name, Michael, that, being clothed with thy protection, we may live in every virtue and purity, until, freed from the bonds of the flesh by death, we may be worthy to stand before the fiery throne of the King of Glory and to cry out with angelic voices:
Alleluia
Icos 12
Singing thy manifold wonders, O Michael, for our salvation, we beseech the Lord and Ruler of all, that the spirit of zeal for the glory of God, which dwelleth in thee, may never fail in us, who thus invoke thee:
Rejoice, O faithful servants of God, in the opportune time, setting up the mighty power of authority on high;
Rejoice, O mighty and unworthy ones, whom the invisible power and glory secretly cast down from on high.
Rejoice, O day of the last gathering of the chosen from the four corners of the earth;
Rejoice, O ones to whom the wicked, like tares, shall be given over to eternal fire by the voice of God.
Rejoice, O ones to whom Satan and his angels shall be cast into the lake of fire for ever;
Rejoice, O righteous ones, who shall be magnificently established in the mansions of the Father in heaven.
Rejoice, O Michael, great Prince of the Archangels, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 13
O wondrous Prince of the Archangels and Angels, accept from us the hymn of praise and thanksgiving, which we offer to thee now, in recognition of thy incomparable service to the salvation of the human race, and, being filled with the power of God, cover us with thy invisible wings from all visible and invisible enemies, that we may cry out, in hymns of praise, to the Lord, who is glorified by thee and who hath glorified thee:
Alleluia
[This condak is repeated three times.]
[We repeat the first ikos and condak:]
Icos 1
As thou art the leader of the fiery, angelic ranks, O Michael, let us, therefore, praise thee with angelic voices, but, until we are instructed by thee in the language of the bodiless, hear us, O Lord, as we offer thee these words, which, though from human lips, are yet from grateful hearts:
Rejoice, O star of the world, first-formed;
Rejoice, O golden light of truth and righteousness.
Rejoice, O first-receiver of the uncreated light in the angelic ranks;
Rejoice, O Prince of the Angels.
Rejoice, in whom the glory of the Creator’s right hand shines forth most brightly;
Rejoice, O one in whom the assemblies of all bodiless beings resplendently rejoice.
Rejoice, O Michael, great Prince of the Archangels, with all the heavenly powers.
Condak 1
Chosen leader of heavenly forces and intercessor of the human race, we offer you this hymn of thanksgiving, praying that you may deliver us from affliction, as you stand before the Throne of the King of Glory. Free us from all troubles, that we may call upon you with faith and love, singing your praise:
Rejoice, O Michael, great Archistrategos, with all the heavenly powers.
Prayer
Holy and great Archangel Michael, first among the angels, standing before the Throne of the Most High, and intercessor and guardian of the human race, who crushed the head of the proud one, Lucifer, in heaven, and who humiliated his wickedness and cunning on earth! We turn to you with faith and pray to you with love: be a shield that cannot be broken and a strong defense for the Holy Church and our Orthodox homeland, guarding them with the swift sword of your might against all visible and invisible enemies. Do not abandon us, O Archangel of God, with your help and intercession, for we who glorify your holy name today: for though we are many sinners, we do not wish to perish in our sins, but rather to turn to the Lord and be revived by Him for good works. Enlighten our minds with the light of God’s face, which shines on your lightning-like countenance, that we may understand what is the good and perfect will of God concerning us, and that we may lead a life that is pleasing to Him. Strengthen our weak will and feeble resolve with the grace of the Lord, that, established in the law of the Lord, we may cease to be ruled by earthly thoughts and desires, which, like senseless children, are led astray by the fleeting beauty of this world, and, in foolish forgetfulness of eternal and heavenly things, we may be led to forget the things that are above. Above all, ask for us from on high the spirit of true repentance, genuine sorrow for God, and contrition for our sins, that in the remaining days of our mortal life, we may not spend them in serving our passions and desires, but rather in the cleansing of the stains we have committed, with tears of faith and heart-felt sorrow, with the struggles of purity and holy works of mercy. When the hour of our departure from this mortal body draws near, do not leave us, O Archangel of God, defenseless against the spirits of wickedness that dwell in the air, which are accustomed to hinder the souls of men from ascending to the heavens. May we, protected by you, reach those blessed habitations of the righteous, where there is no sorrow or sighing, but eternal life. And, having been granted to see the radiant face of the Most Good and our Lord, we may fall at His feet with tears, exclaiming in joy and humility: Glory to You, O dearest Redeemer, who, out of Your great love for us, unworthy ones, have deigned to send Your angels to serve our salvation! Amen.