Browse:St. Michael (Volume 1, entries 3012–3019)
St. Michael
Volume 1, entries 3012–3019. Source context: THE DOCTORS AT WORK: REPORTS FROM LAYMEN → (3) SAINTS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 3012
Well, you see St. Michael - that's if a person don't like you and is trying to undermine you all the time, and you don't know they are working on you. Well you pray to St. Michael and you sets him a candle. You see, he got the devil down under his feet. Now, he holding the devil down just like this - he got his feet on the devil and he got a long sword and he got that in the devil's head. Well, if you pray to that saint, he showing you how he got the devil down there; if you pray to him, that is the way he'll have your enemies down under your feet. They will have to knuckle under you, instead of you knuckling under them. (I see. What do you usually use for St. Michael? Do you have a statue or a picture of him?) It's a statue - a real statue.
(Do you burn any colored candle to St. Michael?)
You burn a red candle.
(You burn a red candle.)
On Friday.
(Just on Friday?)
Just on Friday. [For black candle on Friday, see p.829.]
(Any special time on Friday?)
Any time on Friday before six-thirty.
(I see. In the morning or at night?)
In the morning. You can set 'em all day if you Wants to, you know, but I mean six-thirty - that's the last hour you can set it in the evening.
(I see. Do you do anything else besides burning that candle?)
No, that's all - just burn that candle and make that prayer.
Entry 3013
(What do they say about St. Michael?)
Well, St. Michael wus de archangel. He wus one of de angels dat cast Lucifer out of heaven. He wus one of de great archangels, an' anywhere yo' got a devil aroun' yo' or think yo' got a evil spirit or anything aroun' yore house, yo' pray tuh St. Michael an' he'll help yo'. Yo' says de Lord's Prayer nine times an'yo call St. Michael's name, an'every time yo' say de Lord's Prayer yo' call his name. an' axe him tuh help yo'.
(Do you use anything or burn anything special to him?)
Yes, yo' burn a pink candle tuh St. Michael. No, he ain't got no special day
[I probably asked about time] - jes' any day.
Entry 3014
Yo' take St. Michael - lak yo' got people dat's comin' aroun' an' yo' figure it's not yore friend, yo' put St. Michael ovah yore do' - dat's de do' dat chew all come in. An' put him ovah dere an' he'll keep 'em all away - all de people dat don't lak yo', yore enemies. Yo' uses hiin ovah de front do'.
(Do you do anything to him?)
No, no, jes' put him ovah dere an' when yo' put him up dere, jes' say, "St. Michael, keep all devils away, In de Name of de Father an' de Son an' de Holy Spirit: '' [While saying this she makes the sign of the cross.]
(And make the sign of the cross.)
Dat's right.
Entry 3015
Dey use holy watah tuh keep evil spirits away. Take holy watah an sprinkle it in de fo' corners of yore house an' say, "In de Name of de Father, an' of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost, St. Michael, kecp de evil spirit away." Den yo' kin take holy watah an' bathe yore haid fo' unnatural headaches [usually caused in the New Orleans area by someone burning a candle against you.]
Entry 3016
Well, St. Michael is a saint that carries a spear all the tfme, and he always - he'll put his foot on you and always keep yuh down. And he keeps his feet on you and keeps that spear drawed on you, and when you git down you gotta stay down, if the person that wants to get even with you will go ahead and give him a light and pray to him. He is a evil saint. You give him a blue light.
Entry 3017
St. Michael is a evil saint.
(Well, how do they do that?)
Well, they go to the church and pray to him, if they want dirty things did.
Entry 3019
(What do they say about St. Michael?)
Ef ah'm in a confusion with mah neighbors an' ah wants mah neighbors tuh be - yo' know, ah wants tuh be a bettah woman, ah prays tuh St. Michael. Ah prays tuh all of 'em. Ah axe St. Michael tuh please come tuh mah aid. He rides a white horse. An' ah sets him a red light fo' peace an' ah raps fo' him. An' ah fixes de red light at six, twelve an' three.
(Six, twelve and three in the afternoon?)
Yes.
(How long do you burn it each time?)
Ah burn it 'bout ten minutes.