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S. Michael Archangelus (St. Michael the Archangel)


Rev. 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon.


St. Michael, whose name means "who is like God!", is one of the archangels mentioned in Scripture. He appears twice in the Old Testament (Dn 10:1321; 12:1) and then twice again in the New Testament (Jude 9; Rv 12:7). He is considered the protector of the Church and is often depicted as battling Satan. He is the patron of Grocers, Mariners, Policemen, Radiologists, and the Sick. His feast is September 29th where he is honored along with Sts. Gabriel and Raphael.


S. Gabriel Archangelus (S. Gabriel the Archangel)


Luke 1:19 And the angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stands before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news."


The name Gabriel means "God has shown Himself mighty". Saint Gabriel appears in Scripture in several places. In the Old Testament, he is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as the angel who announced to Daniel the prophecy of the seventy weeks (Dn 9:21-27). In the New Testament he appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist (LK 1:11) and then again to announce to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she had been chosen to bear the Messiah, the Son of God (Lk 1:26). By virtue of this role as messenger, he is the patron of Messengers, Postal Workers, and Radio and Television Workers. His feast was formerly celebrated on March 24th, but it is now celebrated on September 29th where he, along with Sts. Michael and Raphael, are all honored.


S. Raphael Archangelus (St. Raphael the Archangel)


Tobit 12:15 "I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord."


Saint Raphael is one of the archangels mentioned in the Book of Tobit. The name Raphael means "God has healed" and refers to the angel's restoration of Tobit's sight. In addition to healing Tobit's blindness, Raphael also guarded the young Tobiah, Tobit's son, on his journey. It is by these two events that St. Raphael has become the patron of the Blind, Nurses, Physicians, and Travelers. In regards the later, he is often depicted as a traveler himself and is often invoked to heal our ills and guide and protect us on life's journey. His feast was formerly celebrated on October 24, but today it is celebrated on September 29th where Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are all honored.


Angeli Custodes (Guardian Angels)
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