Confraternities and archconfraternities
Confraternity of St Michael the Archangel
Brotherhood of St Michael Archangel · Pious Association of St Michael · Confraternita di San Michele Arcangelo, Monte Sant'Angelo
Julius III erected it
Basilica-Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo, Monte Sant'Angelo, Gargano, Italy. The main seat of the Pious Association is at the Celestial Basilica and the Rector of the Sanctuary is the Director of the Brotherhood.No total published. The sanctuary says the Archconfraternity is widespread in Italian parishes and hospitals.
At a shrineBelongs to Basilica-Sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo, Monte Sant'Angelo, Gargano, Italy.
Worth some persistence
Postal mail. An offering is made at registration and living members must pay an annual fee. Neither figure is published on the page. If a member does not pay the fee and has no contact with the Sanctuary for three consecutive years, all rights and privileges are forfeited. No annual signature is needed for deceased members.
Get the formWrite to the Sanctuary at Monte Sant'Angelo with an offering and ask to be registered; you become a member when the registration card comes back signed by the Rector, and the card must be re-signed every year.
Members have a portal to sign in to.
This is the brotherhood attached to the cave on Monte Sant'Angelo where St Michael is said to have appeared, which makes it the oldest shrine in the West dedicated to an angel. Members are often scattered and unknown to each other, united only by devotion to St Michael and by the prayers of the community serving the shrine. The commitment is a substantial list of practices rather than one short prayer: regular confession and Communion, an hour of adoration a month, the Angelic Prayer, and keeping St Michael's three feast days. Members, living or dead, are remembered at every liturgy in the Sacred Grotto, and the dead can be enrolled too.
Where it comes from
A brotherhood existed at the sanctuary from ancient times, dating in this form to the eighth century, and was officially recognised by Pope Julius III in 1555.
What you promise
The sanctuary's own list: profess the faith by word and deed for life; fight every form of evil in society and defend Christian values; live in God's grace, confessing and receiving the Eucharist regularly; listen to or read the Word of God and shape daily life by it; take part in Sunday Mass and in Masses celebrated for the group; love Our Lady with filial affection and pray the Rosary frequently; adore the Blessed Sacrament at least an hour a month; recite the Angelic Prayer or the Act of Consecration to St Michael; keep 8 May, 29 September and 2 October with particular devotion; pray for the Pope every day; and profess full adhesion to your own bishop and priest. Heads of groups additionally lead their group's monthly Mass with catechesis and send an annual report to Monte Sant'Angelo. Living members must pay the annual fee and have the registration card signed at the Sanctuary each year, or send it by post.
What the Church attaches
All members are remembered and commended to St Michael's protection at every liturgy celebrated in the Sacred Grotto. A Mass is celebrated for living members on the first day of every month and on the Epiphany, 2 February, Easter, Pentecost, 8 May, 29 September, 2 October and Christmas Day. A Mass for deceased members is celebrated on the fifteenth of every month and on Ash Wednesday, 19 March, 25 September and 30 December. The sanctuary's magazine MICHAEL is the official bulletin and subscription is recommended to members.
Something physical is involved
A registration card signed by the Rector, which is what actually constitutes membership, and which must be re-signed at the Sanctuary or by post each year.
Enrollment checked 2026-10-22. Details change without notice and parish practice varies. Confirm before relying on this sheet.