St. Michael The Archangel

The name Michael means "Who is like God." He is one of three angels given a name in Sacred Scripture. He shares this distinction with St. Raphael and St. Gabriel. Michael is mentioned four times in the Bible. In Daniel 10:13 he is alluded to as the guardian angel of Israel. In Daniel 12, St. Michael is mentioned as defending the people of God at the end of the world. In the epistle of St. Jude, an ancient Jewish tradition which recounts a dispute between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses is alluded to. Revelation 12: 7 states that "And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon." Because of these Scripture references, the Church considers St. Michael the guardian of the Jewish people and of the Church. St. Michael defends people against the spiritual assaults of the devil and he guide souls to their individual judgment. During the Middle Ages, St. Michael was also greatly revered as a healer. St. Michael is the patron of soldiers and police. The feast of St. Michael was kept on September 29 for many centuries in various European countries as a festive holiday; the feast was sometimes called Michaelmas. The feast of the archangels, Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel is now celebrated together on September 29.