Podcast #8: Praise of the Archangel Michael – A Case Study

This episode was created to celebrate the new edition of the “Praise of the Archangel Michael” (P. Heid. Inv. Kopt. 686), produced by the Coptic Magical Project, a prayer written on a parchment codex in Coptic and dated to the 10th century CE. The text is unique, as it is one of the longest magical texts, and it provides many details on the cosmology of Egyptian Christians of that era who were using and producing the magical text. In the first part of the podcast, the text is presented and this is followed by an interview with Korshi Dosoo who clarifies various aspects of the prayer (5:02). Next, you’ll hear the prayer recoded by Edward Love (36:27). Lastly, technical details regarding the podcast are given (54:05). Thank you for listening and enjoy! For any feedback, feel free to contact us through Facebook or through our website.

Transcript of the Praise of the Archangel Michael, edited by the Coptic Magical Papyri team:

Michael did obeisance at the feet of the good Father.

He stood up,

he drove (?) his staff before him,

he set his chariot behind him,

he spread his wings of light,

and he cried out, saying:

Hail, Father! Hail, O Beloved Son! Hail, O Holy Spirit!

Hail, he who created the sky!

Hail, he who established ⟨the⟩ foundations of the earth upon the waters!

Hail, he who spread out the seven heavens and the seven firmaments!

Hail, he who created the sun and gave its warmth to it!

Hail, he who created the moon and gave its light to it!

Hail, he who created the stars and gave names to them!

Hail, he who created angels and gave them spirit!

Hail, he who appointed the archangels!

Hail, he who created the cherubim and the seraphim, and gave six wings to every one of them!

Hail, he who appointed the holy Powers!

Hail, he who created us, and gave us spirit!

I praise you today, he who gave me this great honour!

O angels on high, come! Praise the Father with me today!

O cherubim on high, come! Give glory to the Son with me today!

O Powers on high, come! Dance for the Holy Spirit with me today!

Let the sun and the moon and all the stars stand with me today, until I have spoken of the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

O singers of hymns to the Father, sing hymns to the Father with me today!

Let the earth open its mouth and swallow the Devil and all his works!

Let the gates of heaven open, and the angels of the light come to me, until I complete this holy praise!

Listen to me today, Father of light!

I am Michael, my name ⟨is⟩ God and Man; lend your ear to me today, O king of kings!

I am Michael, I am also the one set upon the seven mysteries that are hidden in the heart of the Father, those that he made on the day that he created Man according to his likeness and his image, after he created Phausiēl,

I came, I, Michael, and all those who follow me, and we made obeisance to Atōram, who is the work of his hands.

After we had made obeisance to Arōmakhrim, who is Adam, Satanaēl, the first-formed one, disobeyed you, and you excluded him from your holy glory.

The son of perdition, you deprived him of your holy glory.

You disturbed his foundations.

He brought down upon them a great sickness, until they fulfilled his wish.

After that, he did violence to the men whom you created. After that, you would heal them.

Now, my Lord, have pity upon your likeness and your image, give healing to all men who will bear this holy praise, and in particular NN, every month (?), yea yea, quickly!

I adjure you today that you listen to me today,

O, king of those of heaven and those of the earth, by the cup blessed by the Father, the angels drank from it so that they received the Holy Spirit!

I adjure you today by the seven words that you passed between you and your beloved son, Jesus Christ, in the hour that he came into the world on the day in which you created Adam!  I adjure you today by your great name, which you taught the angels so that they gave you glory by it, which is Methemōn, the great name of the Lord Sabaoth!

Now, Lord, have pity upon your likeness and your image, you should listen to my sighing and take all suffering away from NN, whether it is a wicked sickness or a demonic strike!

Let them leave him in the moment in which he will be washed in this water and he will be anointed with this oil!

I adjure you today, by the seven foundations of the earth and ⟨by⟩ the seven gates, upon which sit 145,000 angels!

I adjure you today by the seven rays of the sun and the moon!

I adjure you today by the chorus of the stars of heaven, that you send to me the archangel Michael upon this water and this oil that is set before me so that he blesses them and sanctifies them, so that when they are poured over the body of NN they take all suffering away from him, that which is in his body!

You will bring to naught all the power of the Adversary, causing all his power to become like the power of a gnat through the spreading of my wings!

I adjure you today by all the angelic ranks of the heavens, they who came and greeted Adam on the day in which you have created him!

I adjure you today by your names and your powers and your images and your phylacteries, those which are written in the church of the Firstborn which is in the heavens, those that terrify the authorities of darkness, so that you shall send them upon this water and this oil, and you bless them and sanctify them, so that when they are poured over NN all suffering which is in the body of NN will come out of him, and he be filled with sinew and power, blossoming like the tree of life which has grown in the middle of Paradise.

I adjure you today, by the seven angels who stand upon the seven baptistries of the Church of the Firstborn, which is in the heavens, and whose names are these: Iaō, Iak, Piak, Siak,  Artōlē, Artōlan, Artōlar;

I adjure you today by the first sacrifice that was offered up to you in it and ⟨by⟩ the altar that is placed in its middle!

I adjure you today by its four pillars which bear it, whose names are these: Ekterisan, Santas, Santal, Talias!

I ⟨adjure you⟩ today by the blood of the Firstborn that was spilled in violence, that you come to me today, I, NN, while ⟨the⟩ firstborn go before him, 145,000 in number!

Come well; you came upon this water and oil, and you breathed upon them, and you filled them with the Holy Spirit, so that when you pour them over NN, they will come out of him, namely, every suffering which is in his body!

Let the Devil be ashamed, and all his power become like the power of a gnat, yea, yea!

I ⟨adjure you⟩ today by your three holy names, those that you have revealed to the world, so that they might know you, only true God, that is the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the harbour of salvation, the Father of the seal, which bears the glory of the Father (?), the  destruction and fall of the entire power of the Devil, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

I adjure you today by the great base of gold, upon which your throne is!

I adjure you today by the shoes of gold, which are on your feet; its name is Thatha!

I adjure you today by the chariot of gold, which is upon the head of your throne, which is Thiēl!

I ⟨adjure you⟩ by the purple robe, whose name is Mariēl!

I ⟨adjure you⟩ today by the garment of light, which covers you; its name (is) Pethōēl!

I adjure ⟨you⟩ today by the great book which is in your hand, which has seven seals upon it, which has the ordinance of the things of the heaven and of the earth written in it!

I ⟨adjure you⟩ today by your outstretched arm, that which rules the foundations of the earth and the gates of heaven!

I adjure you by the star of light of your two eyes, Thōl and Thōran!

I adjure you today by the breath of life which comes out from your nose, his name is Stōēl!

I adjure you today by Piphemeraniōn, that is your tongue!

I adjure you today by Tekauriēl, which is your mouth!

I adjure you today by your molars, which are Ōriskōs!

I adjure you today by your head, which is Ōrasiēl!

I adjure you today by the form of the cross of light which is upon your head, which is Sitōriēl!

I adjure you by the wreath of light which is on your neck, his name is Lelaēl!

I adjure you today by Ōrphamiēl, which is your finger of your right hand!

I adjure you today by your two hands, Anaramouēl, your right hand, Antrakouēl, your left hand!

I adjure you today by your two feet, Thaōth, Thaōtha!

I adjure you today by the throne of light upon which you sit, judging all of the creatures which you have created!

I adjure you today by the great power that stands above your head, her name ⟨is⟩ Merouēl, she who put upon your head the wreath ⟨made⟩ from the shoots of the tree of life, Asaf, Asama,  Asamlōl!

I adjure you today by your great power which are 35 and 36 ⟨in number⟩, one on your right, the other one on your left, with swords of fire in their hands, ready, doing your command!

I adjure you today by your four creatures who draw your throne, whose names are Meliton, Akhramata, Psourouthioun, Paramēra, blessing you by day and by night, saying, “Holy, holy,  holy, Lord Sabaoth, those of the heavens and those of the earth are full of your holy glory!

I adjure you today by the two seraphim who cover their face, whose names are Phōraeim, Ōlalbōrim!

I adjure you today ⟨by the⟩ other two who cover their feet, whose names are Sōlōmōn, Thōrōthōra!

I adjure you by the two who cover their body, whose names are Sōkhōt, Akhōrbou!

This is their song,

“You are holy, you are holy, you are holy, Lord Sabaoth, of whose holy glory the heaven and the earth are full!”

I adjure you today by the 24 presbyters, who are under your episcopacy, those whom you appointed on the day that you created them, from alpha to omega!

I adjure you today by the great hand that you put upon them!

I adjure you today by the 24 thrones upon which they sit and their diadems of gold which are upon their heads and their wreaths which are upon their necks and their golden bowls which are ⟨in⟩ their hands and the incense that rises up to the face of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Listen to me today,

O he who listens, heed my voice today,

O he who heeds voices, let my prayer go up to you and let my voice go up to the throne, that you might take pity upon your likeness and your image!

Receive my requests from me,

O my lord, come upon this water and this oil, pour your Holy Spirit upon them, bless them, sanctify it, so that he fills it with every healing, so that as soon as I pour the water upon ⟨him⟩, NN, they will come out of him, namely every sickness which is in his body, NN, yea, whether it is a wicked sickness or a demonic strike or a force or it is a magic!

Let them flee, whether shameful magic or evil-doing or any demonic craft or pollution or female force or striking-down spells or evil power or those of the air or the things which they do,  namely male magicians or a female magician; may they come out of NN!

The anathema that comes forth from the mouth of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, it will come upon you, obliterating you, yea, quickly!

I adjure you today by ⟨the⟩ three breaths that you gave to the face of Adam on the day that you  created him, so that he received the Holy Spirit, that you listen to my requests today, and my reproaches! You shall come upon this water and this oil!

Come well; you came upon ⟨the⟩ wing of Asarōth, the great cherub, as 315,000 angels and archangels were going before him, you rushed at that time to Adam in Paradise, after ⟨the⟩ snake deceived him; as they cried out, saying:

“Glory to you, King Christ Almighty! The heaven and the earth are filled with your glory!”

Come well; you came, the seven firmaments going under your path, the sun and the moon, and the stars shone upon you, all the great powers of the sky and of the earth standing, as the trumpet went before your path, saying:

“O dead, rise!” The path that leads to life, come down upon it, and stand over this water and this oil, and bless and sanctify them, so that when they are poured upon NN, they retreat from him, namely every suffering that is in his body, Ieh, Hak, Hak!

At once, therefore, my Lord, have pity upon your likeness and your image!

Do not blame (?) the work of your hands as he rushes towards destruction!

I adjure you by the first cleansing in which you were cleansed, in the well ⟨of the⟩ water of life that is in the middle of Paradise!

I adjure you today by these powers: her name is Parbiōna, the second, her name is Timesrōkhathiari, the third, her name is Tirakhael, the fourth, her name is Tallōei, the fifth, her name is Ouanōn, the sixth, her name is Sariēl, the seventh, her name is Tauriēl!

I adjure you today by the power ⟨of⟩ your great outstretched arm that you send to me these holy powers down upon this water and this oil so that it is filled with all healing, and when it is poured upon NN every suffering that is in his body will come out from him, and he blossom like the tree of life that is in the middle of Paradise, yea, quickly!

I adjure you today by the first word which came forth from your heart; he became for you a first-born child, that is Jesus Christ!

I adjure you today by the peace that you gave to him, as he came down to the world and he dwelt in the womb of a woman, namely Mary Mariham; you revealed your name in the world, that is Manouēl!

I adjure you today by the nine months in which you were in the womb ⟨of⟩ Mary, your mother!

I adjure you today by the three strong powers that protect her, whose names are Garmaniēl, Exiēl, Louloukaksas!

I adjure you today by ⟨the⟩ first pangs of labour that she had for your first-born child ⟨on⟩ the day on which she gave birth to him; its name is Khōrōei; the second pang, Abkō, the third pang is Hanautōs!

I adjure you today by the signs, by the wonders that he did in the midst of the entire inhabited world!

In the name of Jesus, the dead arise;

in the name ⟨of⟩ Jesus, the demons come out of a man;

in the name ⟨of⟩ Jesus, the lepers are pure;

in the name ⟨of⟩ Jesus, the blind see;

in the name of Jesus, the lame walk;

in the name ⟨of⟩ Jesus, the paralyzed arises, his feet walking;

in the name of  Jesus, the dumb speak;

in the name of Jesus, fire is extinguished, water dries up;

in the name of Jesus, stone breaks;

in the name of Jesus Christ, every suffering comes out of the body of NN, and his body blossoms like the tree of life in the middle of Paradise.

I adjure you today by the symbol of the cross, upon which you were set up for the salvation of  all the race of humankind, that is, that which brought all the power of the devil to naught and of all the demons, those who strike the children of men.

I adjure you today by the first tear which came from the eyes of the Father; it came upon the head of your holy Son, Jesus Christ, ⟨in⟩ the hour that he hung upon the cross for the salvation of all humankind!

I adjure you today by the crown of thorns which was lifted upon your head and by the five nails which pierced your body and by the blow of the lance, which was put in his side, and by his blood and the water which came forth from it upon the cross!

I adjure you today by the three breaths which you gave to the hands of your Father upon the cross; that are these: Elōei, Elēmas, Abaktani, Sabaōth!

I adjure you today by the three days that he was in the tomb, and by his resurrection from the dead and by the shroud that he was covered with, Jesus Christ, the Son of God in truth!

I adjure you by your holy resurrection and by the three breaths of  life, which you gave in the faces of your holy apostles!

Come to me today,

O Lord Jesus Christ in flesh that you bore, and bless the water and the oil that are before me, and breathe down into them and fill them with Holy Spirit, so that ⟨they⟩ come out of from inside NN, child of NN, namely every suffering that is ⟨in⟩ his body, when he is washed in it!

Come well; you came, the power of the good Father walking with you, the shadow of the Holy Spirit upon you!

I adjure you today ⟨by⟩ the seven days you spent working on the heaven and the earth; you rested on the seventh day!

I adjure you by your own head and ⟨by⟩ my standing before you and ⟨by⟩ my seven generals, whose names ⟨are⟩ Gabriel, Raphael, Souriel, Setekiēl, Salathiēl, Anaēl!

I adjure you today Gabriel, O messenger, come to me, until I complete this holy praise!

I adjure you today Raphael, O angel ⟨of⟩ joy, come to me today, until I complete this holy praise!

Souriēl, O angel of power, come to me, until I complete this holy praise!

Salathiēl, O angel, come to me, and give glory to the Father with me today!

Setekiēl, O angel of justice, come, give glory to the Son with me today!

Anaēl and the mercy, the one in whose womb the mercy of the Father is hidden, come, dance with me and the Holy Spirit,
they who stood on the day in which you created Adam, so that they will come to me today, with their swords of fire in their hands, and they will stand upon this water and this oil, and they will pursue every authority until they withdraw (?) from NN, yea, yea, quickly, quickly!

I adjure you today by the thousands of thousands and ten thousands of ten thousands, they who fly in the air, pursuing all the authorities of darkness, come out before the Father, until he comes and stands upon this water and this oil, and he fills them with power and healing, so that when they are poured upon NN, they will come out of him, namely every suffering of his body!

If this water is poured upon a tree that has withered, it will blossom.

If it is poured upon iron, it will dissolve and become water.

If it is poured upon a stone, it will break and put forth water.

When it is poured upon the dead, in faith, they will arise.

It is ⟨the⟩ mouth ⟨of⟩ the Lord, Jesus Christ Sabaoth that has said these things.

I bless you and all the creatures that you created, all the beasts of the earth and the birds of heaven who bless you, Aram, Aram, Aram, Anphou.

God who is hidden, listen to me!

I am Michael, the archangel!

Let my praise come in before your greatness!

Let my repentance reach your holy throne!

Now, my Lord, take pity on your likeness and your image and give healing to everyone that will carry this praise, especially NN, and take away from him every disease, and every disturbance and every strike!

For you are the one to whom all glory is fitting, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, amen, amen, amen!