THE THREE ARCHANGELS

In the Bible the office of “archangel” is attributed only to Michael (Jude 9). However, the Catholic Church also recognizes Gabriel and Raphael as archangels. An archangel is an angel who is in command of other angels. The Bible attributes the office of angel (which means “messenger”) to Gabriel and Raphael, because this office can also be performed by the superior spirits, the archangels. Daniel notes that Michael is “one of the first princes” (Daniel 10:13). In Daniel the “princes” are the angels (Daniel 10:13.20; 12.1). Therefore the “first princes” are higher angels, archangels. So Michael, while being the only one in the Bible to be called archangel, is not the only one belonging to this hierarchy. In the book of Revelation we read of seven angels who stand upright before God and who were given seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2). In the East there were seven assistants to the throne (Esther 1:10). These seven angels standing before God can only be superior spirits, archangels. The Bible lists Gabriel and Raphael among these seven angels (Luke 1:19; Tobit 12:15). In addition to Michael, the Bible attributes a proper name only to the angels Gabriel and Raphael. A name given to an angel indicates a particular assignment. Michael means “Who is like God?”. Michael is in charge of the defense of the dominion of the Almighty (Daniel 12:1), to which no one is equal (1 Samuel 2:2; Job 40:9; Isaiah 42:8; Psalms 34:10; 70:19; 144:3 ; Micah 7:18). Michael opposed Satan when the latter turned against God, and cast him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9; Luke 10:18). He went to the aid of the angel of the Lord when he was hindered for twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10:12-14). And when the Lord Jesus comes from heaven in his glory, the archangel Michael will come with him and with all the heavenly host (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 24:30-31; 25:31-32). Gabriel means “God is Strong”. Gabriel was sent to Daniel to instruct him and make him understand the vision received from God (Daniel 8:1-26; 9:20-27). He was sent to the priest Zechariah to announce that his wife Elizabeth, despite her advanced age, would conceive and give birth to the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:5-20). He was sent by the Virgin Mary to announce that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God – the Messiah – by the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38). Probably the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream was always Gabriel (Matthew 1:20-21). Raphael means “God heals”. Raphael was sent to the young Tobias to accompany him and guard him on his journey (Tobit 4:1.2.20.21; 5:1-22), and to make him marry the young Sarah (Tobit 6:12.19; 7:9.10.13; 10:10) and free her from the devil Asmodeus (Tobit 3:8.17; 8:1-3), and to heal his father Tobit from blindness (Tobit 3:17; 11:1-14). The holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are venerated by all Christian churches that admit the cult of saints. In the Catholic liturgy, the solemnity of the three holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is celebrated on 29 September. In the Orthodox liturgy it is celebrated on November 8th. Places of worship are dedicated to the three holy archangels. In Christian art, St. Michael the Archangel is almost always represented as a young man with eagle wings and wearing a helmet and breastplate, and a sword (sometimes replaced by a spear or cross) in his hand, which are references to the word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:8; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16), and in the other hand a balance (according to some interpretations it 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). St. Gabriel the Archangel is always represented as a young man with eagle wings and with a sprig of white lily in his hand, a symbol of purity, chastity and goodness. We often see him with the Virgin Mary in the act of announcing the conception of the Son of God. St. Raphael the archangel is always represented as a beautiful young man with eagle wings, often together with the young Tobias while they are traveling. In some paintings the three holy archangels are represented together.