Presentation of the ARCHANGELS

Written by Benoît Santos - Updated on Oct 26, 2024

Do you know the difference between angels and archangels? Do you want to know more about archangels?

We have been looking into this topic and have found the answers to your questions. Here is a summary for you on this topic:

Archangels represent a category of angels that involve the three monotheistic religions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. They are responsible for announcing the greatest events.

In this article you will discover:

The origin of archangels and their symbolization;
The various categories of existing archangels;
The world of angels.

In addition to this article, we would like to introduce you to the archangels in more depth by discovering one of our articles just below:

And if you want to wear a sacred symbol of the archangels, we share with you all the pieces exclusively available in the jewelry store by clicking just below:

Origins of the Archangels

The earliest reference to the Seven Archangels is in the Book of Enoch, an apocryphal text of Jewish origin dating from the 1st century BC, where they take the names of Michael , Gabriel , Raphael , Uriel, Raguel, Zerachiel and Remiel. In the 4th and 5th centuries, in Jewish and Christian folklore, many Archangels were named, until they numbered in the thousands. A few centuries later, Pseudo-Dionysius, attributed to the seven Archangels, the names of: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Simiel, Orifiel and Zachariel.

Pope Gregory I (540-604) gave them the names Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Simiel, Orifiel and Zachariel, while the Orthodox Church had defined the names of the Archangels as follows: Michael , Gabriel , Raphael , Uriel, Barachiel , Jehudiel and Salathiel . In 1500, the Catholic Church, with some spelling variations, chose for them the same names as those adopted by the Orthodox Church; towards the end of 1600, an ancient Hebrew codex was found in the Vatican library in which, in addition to the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the names Uriele, Sealtiele, Gendiele and Barachiele appeared. The Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the heads of the creative Hierarchies and are united with the Divine Spirit.

The others are called the "Regents of the Earth" because they govern the four elements: Fire, Air, Water and Earth. The prophet Ezekiel calls them "winged globes and burning wheels". The Holy Scripture mentions several times the seven spirits who stand before God (Tobit 12:15 Revelation 1:4) and clearly mentions among them: Michael (Daniel 10:13-21; 12:1; Letter of Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7), Gabriel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19; 1:26), Raphael (Tobit 3:25; 12:15). The names of the other four Archangels are known from the books of the Apocrypha.

The world of angels: the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

The world of angels , we can say, is another civilization close to people, it is the world of pure spirits about which we do not really know much. But God invites us to know this world as much as we can accept and understand it. The source of our knowledge of angels is the Holy Scripture, on which for thousands of years the teaching of the Church, the Tradition of the Church, the lives of many saints and confessors have been based to help us go further into this world and discover Divine Providence and the beauty of His creations.

We do not see angels because they are incorporeal; but if, for example, a person cannot hear, this does not mean that there is no sound, or if a person cannot see (blind), this does not mean that there are no colors. It is the Lord Himself who designed such an invisible world, He created each angel, giving it His love, wisdom, beauty. And it is the Lord Himself who desires that we, humans, also be His creatures, to be friends, to cooperate and glorify the Lord with the angels .

In the book of Exodus we read that God said to Israel: "Behold, I send an angel before you to keep you on the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared; stand before him and listen to his voice (...) for my name is in him" (Compare with Ex 23:20-23). God is present in every angel, because he created him, and the angel always does his will. we can say that every angel carries within him a particle of God, reveals to us the truth about him. This is evidenced by the names of the Archangels , which are in Hebrew Mika'el, Geber'el and Rafa'el.

Meaning of the names of the Archangels

Each of the names of the archangels contains the word "el", which means "God"! The Israelites used it as a substitute for the name of the Lord, which they did not pronounce out of respect and fear of the Most High. We see, therefore, that the names of the angels emphasize the priority of the Lord, who is always at the center; it is in the "New Age" that the angels are like autonomous gods and serve no one. In Christianity, the angels lead to Jesus and their names are a praise to God .

Last year, Pope Francis noted in his sermon on the Feast of the Archangels on September 29 that humans and angels are actively involved in God’s plan of salvation, and this common calling makes us brothers. If they are our brothers, we are all the more called to know them and befriend them. So let us be friends with them!

The prefix "arch" of the word "angel" indicates a higher ministry compared to the other angels of the one who is so called. We can say that the archangels were sent by God . Their mission is to accomplish very important tasks in the History of Salvation.

Michael

The word "Michael" in Hebrew means "He who is like God." Archangel Michael is called "prince", "leader of the army of the Lord" in the Holy Scripture and is represented as the main fighter against the devil and all the iniquity, sown by him among people. That is why Michael is often called by the Greek word "Archistratigus", that is, supreme commander, high-ranking soldier, leader.

*In homage to Saint Michael, we had this ring made engraved with the Archangel Michael:

So Archangel Michael appeared:

To Joshua as assistant during the conquest of the Promised Land by the Israelites, as "commander of the army of the Lord" (Is 5:13-15).
To the prophet Daniel at the fall of the kingdom of Babylon and the beginning of the building of the Messianic kingdom. (Daniel was prophesied that the Archangel Michael would help God's people at the time of the coming persecution under the Antichrist (Daniel 10:12).)
In the book of Revelation, as the leader in the war against the devil-dragon and other rebellious angels. "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon , and the dragon and his angels fought against them, but they did not withstand, neither was there any place for them in heaven. And a great dragon was overthrown, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan" (Rev. 12:7-9).

In the Old Testament, Archangel Michael is represented as the protector of God's people . Michael is also the patron and protector of the Holy Church. This role he fulfills by the will of God Himself; Michael constantly fights the devil , using every situation to lure people into sin.

Veneration for the Archangel Michael was already evident among the Jewish people, and Christians, from the beginning and throughout the centuries, have particularly revered this Archangel, as evidenced by the consecration of temples in his honor, since the fourth century; in Constantinople alone there were 15 such basilicas. The prayer written by Pope Leo XIII is remarkable; on July 29, 1886, it was proposed to recite it after each Mass: ( Holy Archangel Michael, protect us in the struggle; protect us from the wickedness and intrigues of the devil! "O God, command him," then we beg, we implore. And you, Prince of the host of heaven, overthrow Satan and the other evil spirits who roam the world to corrupt us. By the power of God, cast them into the abyss. Amen. )

As we have already noted, Archangel Michael is the patron of the Church as a whole, as well as the patron of many countries and cities, the police, and happy death.

The name Gabriel means "My power is God" or "The power of God"

God commanded the Archangel Gabriel :

to announce to the Virgin Mary the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God,
to inform the prophet Daniel of the time of Christ's birth,
to bring priest Zacharias the good news of the birth of John the Baptist.

It follows that the mission of Saint Gabriel is linked to the proclamation of the messianic mystery and the coming of the fullness of time. "Of all the angelic beings, only Gabriel had the grace to reveal to Mary his divine plan and to hear her fiat in response," observes Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

The angelic greeting addressed to Mary is so simple and succinct, and yet significant: "Hail Mary, full of grace...", has become an integral part of one of the most widespread Christian prayers. It is also believed that Gabriel appeared several times in the dreams of Saint Joseph the Betrothed, indicating to him how he should care for the mother and child. This is why, in the person of Gabriel, we see the guardian angel of the Holy Family and identify him with the angel who accompanied Jesus to Gethsemane, and then announced his resurrection and ascension. From time immemorial, Gabriel has been venerated as "the Angel of the Incarnation of the Word of God", and this truth of faith has been expressed in prayers for help in accepting and understanding the mystery of the Incarnation of God.

The liturgical veneration of the Archangel Gabriel has been celebrated since the first centuries of Christianity; in the 9th century, his name appears in the Svyatstva under the date of March 24, apparently in connection with the feast of the Annunciation. Over the centuries, the days dedicated to Gabriel have been different: March 18, 24, 26, June 7, November 11, 20, 8, and December 18. In 1921, Pope Benedict XV instituted the feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel on March 24 and extended it to the entire Church. Later, St. Gabriel was commemorated on September 29, along with two other archangels, Michael and Raphael. In 1951, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Archangel Gabriel patron of radio , television, and television. He is the angel of Christmas , he also supports the prayers of spouses who claim their offspring, protects the family and strengthens the path of marital fidelity.

Raphael means "God heals"

The Archangel Raphael is mentioned only in the Book of Tobit, where he is presented as one of the seven holy angels who offer the prayers of the saints and ascend to the glory of the Saint (Tov 12:15) and is venerated as the patron saint of travelers, physicians, apothecaries, the sick, pilgrims, emigrants, wanderers and sailors. This archangel is depicted in human form - he becomes the companion of the young Tobit, his guide and tutor, helping him enter adult life. He also helped the sick - Tobiah's elderly father and his young wife Sarah - by acting as a mediator not only for the healing of the body but also of the soul. Since ancient times, the Church has honored Raphael as the patron saint of travelers, as well as the heavenly intercessor for those on their spiritual journey through life. His liturgical commemoration dates back at least to the Middle Ages.

Pope Benedict XV made it obligatory for the whole Church and until the reform of the calendar, the feast in his honor fell on October 24. Today it is commemorated on September 29, the same day as the feast of the archangels Michael and Gabriel . Saint Raphael reveals the goodness of God's Providence and that is why some of the teachers of the Church saw in him an ideal image of the Guardian Angel , he is also the patron of those who recognize their vocation, who are looking for a husband or wife.

By his conduct, he testifies that God is good and does not want man to die, that God did not create sickness and suffering, that His desire is to grant man relief from affliction and the fullness of life. For him, we must believe that God knows exactly what we need and wants to give it to us. Raphael can also help us when we lack humility and gratitude. His mission to Tobiah culminated in the glorification of God.

What can we learn from the Archangels?

The Archangels , Pope Francis noted in his homily, are great contemplators of the glory of God , their ministry is linked to accompanying people on their journey to Heaven. In this, each of them has a specific mission: Michael is a great warrior in the fight against the evil spirit, a zealous defender of the faithful; Gabriel is the herald of the saving Good News; Raphael is the one who "walks with us" and helps people on their earthly journey. These are our companions in the service of God, the Holy Father stressed, urging the faithful to join him in prayer.

God created angels and wants us to ask them for help. None of us can claim that we are able to do things on our own, that we always have enough courage and perseverance, that we do not succumb to temptation. Do we never need a doctor or a guide? If we did, we would not escape the society of the Pharisees.

We all have moments of weakness and crises when life puts us on edge and we feel so helpless! But these are just the moments when the omnipotence of God can make an appearance! We do not need to wait for the liturgical celebration of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael to experience their spirituality. We should absorb their message daily, wake up and fall asleep with the words "Who is like God", "Take up the challenge, open new doors, repeat in our minds "God is my strength", turn to the healing God for help and support.

The Archangels of God: the protective angels of men

Archangels are a category of angels that God sends us to bring us good news, protect us from evil, and assist us in difficult situations. They are recognized in most religions.

By reading this article, you have been able to have a good overview of who the archangels are and what they represent in the Christian religion. We hope you enjoyed reading our article.