THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

Michael is an angel of the Lord, at the command of the other angels (Revelation 12:7; Joshua 5:13-15) and therefore in the Bible he alone is called “Archangel” (Jude 9) which means “Chief angel”, “Chief of the angels”, “Prince of angels”. If the term Archangel refers to the office of Michael, his name refers to a particular office of his. Michael, from the Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (transliterated: Mika’el), means “Who is like God?”, Meaning that “no one is like God” (1 Samuel 2:2; Job 40:9; Isaiah 42:8; Psalms 35:10; 145:3; Micah 7:18). The Archangel is in fact in charge of defending the dominion of the Almighty (Daniel 12:1). When Satan turned against God, Michael immediately opposed him and cast him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9; Luke 10:18). When the angel of the Lord was hindered for twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia, delaying the vision destined for the prophet (Daniel 10:2), it was Michael who intervened to help him (Daniel 10:12-14). And when the Lord Jesus comes from heaven in his glory, the Archangel Michael will come with him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) and with all the heavenly host (Matthew 24:30-31; 25:31-32). Archangel Michael is revered by all Christian churches that admit the cult of saints. In the Catholic liturgy, the solemnity of St. Michael the Archangel is celebrated on 29 September, together with the other two Archangel Saints Gabriel and Raphael. While in the Orthodox liturgy it is celebrated on November 8th. Extra-biblical apparitions are attributed to St. Michael the Archangel, and places of worship, churches and sanctuaries are dedicated to him, in particular the cave on Mount Sant’Angelo. In Christian art Michael is always represented as a young man with eagle wings and wearing a helmet and breastplate, and a sword (sometimes replaced by a spear or a cross), which are references to the word of God (1 Tessalonians 5:8; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16), and a balance (according to some interpretations, the balance indicates the weighing of souls, therefore it is a call to divine judgment). Often in the act of casting out the devil (sometimes in the form of a dragon). Some paintings represent him next to the Archangels Gabriel and Raphael.