[HarleyD]

Well, I must say Pope Leo sure went off the deep end on this one. This saying especially leaped out at me:

They [lost spirits] venerate thee ["saint" Michael] as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude.

If they truly worship venerated an angel as their protector, then they are truly lost. And, no, God did not entrust their souls to an angel. All souls belong to God, and the Father has given all authority to the Son-not to an angel. I haven't read all the posts so I'm sure someone else has brought this up. But I'm reminded of the scripture where John felt moved to worship an angel and was chastised for it:

Rev 19:9-10 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

If Pope Leo would have spent just a little bit more time in the scriptures and less time in false teachings he might have seen the errors of his ways. But what can one expect from someone who promoted the rosary, Mariology, and modern thinking.

BTW-IMHO, if there ever was an example of pagan writing in the Christian church, it is this one. It is tragic for people to defend this nonsensical dribble.

[daniel1212]

But I'm reminded of the scripture where John felt moved to worship an angel and was chastised for it:

That was not the spirit of Rome that reminded you of that. Oh, but he was really only venerating the angel, you know, doula not latria. Or hyperdulia, reserved for the almost almighty Mary of Rome. "We must never adore her; that is for God alone. But otherwise we cannot honor her to excess."

Catholic Encyclopedia: Although (technically) Mary is not to be worshipped in the same sense that God is worshipped, she is to be granted devotion and worship in a lesser sense. And if the fine distinctions made by Catholic theologians "are usually not reflected in the practice of the faithful," idolatry would seem to be a distinct possibility in the lives of the faithful. Thus, "By the sixteenth century, as evidenced by the spiritual struggles of the Reformers, the image of Mary had largely eclipsed the centrality of Jesus Christ in the life of believers." (Robert C. Broderick, ed., The Catholic Encyclopedia, revised and updated; NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1987pp.32,33),

BTW-IMHO, if there ever was an example of pagan writing in the Christian church, it is this one. It is tragic for people to defend this nonsensical dribble.

Catholic Encyclopedia: A further reinforcement, of the same idea, was derived from the cult of the angels, which, while pre-Christian in its origin, was heartily embraced by the faithful of the sub-Apostolic age. It seems to have been only as a sequel of some such development that men turned to implore the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. This at least is the common opinion among scholars, though it would perhaps be dangerous to speak too positively. Evidence regarding the popular practice of the early centuries is almost entirely lacking, and while on the one hand the faith of Christians no doubt took shape from above downwards (i.e. the Apostles and teachers of the Church delivered a message which the laity accepted from them with all docility)” — http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15459a.htm