Angels, or messengers of God, are frequently mentioned in the Bible, but only the three Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are specifically mentioned by name, and they are all significant figures in the history of salvation.
As the "Prince of the Heavenly Host," Saint Michael is in charge of all the angels. His name, which is Hebrew meaning "Who is like God?" was the rallying cry of the righteous angels when they fought Lucifer and his followers for rebelling against God. He appears four times in the Bible: in Daniel 10 and 12, in Jude, and in Revelation. In Daniel's vision, Michael appears as "the great prince" defending Israel from its adversaries; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's army to a decisive victory over evil; and in the Letter of Jude, he is quoted as an illustration of righteous judgment and opposition to evil.
We call upon St. Michael to defend us from Satan and all evil, whose forces throw down Lucifer and evil spirits into Hell. The oldest angelic devotion is to Michael, which first emerged in the East during the fourth century. In the fifth century, the Church in the West started to celebrate a feast in honor of St. Michael and the angels.
Pope Leo XIII established a prayer asking for Saint Michael's protection to be said after every Mass in 1899 after seeing a vision of the evil that would befall the Church and the world in the 20th century.
According to Christian tradition, Saint Michael has four offices or roles:
1. Leader of the Army of God: St. Michael is seen as the supreme commander of the angelic armies in their conflict with the forces of evil. He represents the ongoing conflict between good and evil and serves as a model for spiritual conflict.
2. Angel of Death: According to legend, St. Michael is the angel of death who leads the souls of Christians who have passed away to heaven. He prevents the devil from claiming the souls by giving them a chance for repentance at the point of death.
3. Weigher of Souls: St. Michael is frequently seen carrying scales that are in balance, signifying his responsibility for measuring souls at the Last Judgment. This denotes his participation in God's judgment of humanity.
4. Guardian of the Church: The Church and the Chosen People are protected by St. Michael. He has long been revered by knightly military orders and is regarded as the patron saint of numerous cities and nations.
The patron saint of grocers, soldiers, doctors, seafarers, paratroopers, police, and illness is St. Michael the Archangel.
The Bible makes mention of Saint Gabriel, whose name means "God's strength," four times. The two instances in the New Testament, when Gabriel is mentioned, are to Zacharias to inform him of the birth of John the Baptist and at the Annunciation. Gabriel is not mentioned again in the Bible after the Annunciation despite Christian tradition suggesting that he appeared to St. Joseph and the shepherds and "strengthened" Jesus during his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane.
As the Archangel Gabriel, he has the following characteristics: blue or white clothing; bearing a lily, a trumpet; a bright lamp; a branch from Paradise; a scroll; or a scepter. The Annunciation scene is where Gabriel is most frequently shown in works of art. He is occasionally referred to as the one who sounds the trumpet of God to announce the Lord's imminent return to Earth. Gabriel was first identified as the trumpet holder in 1455, as depicted in Byzantine art.
St. Gabriel is revered as the patron saint of postal workers, telecommunication workers, and messengers.
Only in the Book of Tobit does Saint Raphael—whose name means "God heals"—appear by name. His office is widely recognized by tradition to be one of healing and mercy. In the Book of Tobit, he is depicted as leading Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of adventures that result in a triple happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness, and the restoration of the family fortune.
The pool of Bethesda, where many sick people reclined as they awaited the water to move, is mentioned in the Gospel of John chapter 5. According to 5:4, "for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pond, and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease that person had". The angel mentioned here is typically thought of as St. Raphael the Archangel, because of the healing abilities frequently attributed to him.
St. Raphael is revered as the patron saint of travelers, the blind, bodily ills, happy meetings, nurses, physicians and medical workers. He is frequently depicted with a fish in his hands or standing on one while holding a staff.
St. Raphael is the patron saint of travelers, the blind, physical ailments, joyful encounters, nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals. He is frequently depicted with a fish in his hands or standing on one while holding a staff.
In 1921, the Roman Catholic calendar was expanded to include the commemorations of Sts. Gabriel and Raphael. The 1970 calendar revision combined their separate feasts with St. Michael's.
Other Saints of the Day
Saint Theodota
Saint Dadas
Saint Quiriacus
Saint Garcia
Saint Ludwin