Michael (archangel)

"Saint Michael" redirects here. For other uses, see Saint Michael (disambiguation).

Michael is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, and Lutherans call him "Saint Michael the Archangel" or simply "Saint Michael". Orthodox Christians call him the "Taxiarch Archangel Michael" or simply "Archangel Michael".

Michael
A 13th-century Byzantine icon from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai
Archangel
Venerated in	Anglicanism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Islam, Judaism
Canonized	pre-congregation
Feast	November 8 (New Calendar Eastern Orthodox Churches) / November 21 (Old Calendar Eastern Orthodox Churches), September 29 ("Michaelmas"); May 8; many other local and historical feasts
Attributes	Archangel; Treading on a dragon; carrying a banner, scales, and sword
Patronage	Guardian of the Catholic Church;[1] Kiev, Guardian of Vatican City;[2] protector of the Jewish people,[3] police officers,[4] Paramedics, military, grocers, mariners, paratroopers[5]

In English, Michael means "who is like God?". The Book of Daniel speaks of Michael three times. One time, it says he is a "great prince who stands up for the children of your people". Jews saw Michael as their supporter. They are normally not allowed to appeal to angels as a link between God and his people. However, Michael became important in Jewish liturgy.

In the New Testament Michael leads God's armies against Satan's forces in the Book of Revelation. During the war in heaven he defeats (wins against) Satan. In the Epistle of Jude Michael is called "the archangel Michael". Christian sanctuaries to Michael appeared in the 4th century. He was first seen as a healing angel. Later, Christians saw him as a protector (someone who defends and helps) and the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil. By the 6th century, devotions to Archangel Michael were common both in the Eastern and Western Churches. Over time, teachings on Michael began to change among Christians.

The Chaplet of Saint Michael the Archangel,^[6] also called the Rosary of the Angels, is a Catholic devotion approved by Pope Pius IX. It includes prayers to Saint Michael with specific invocations for each of the nine choirs of Angels as indicated in a private revelation of the Archangel to a nun. Included among the prayers to the Archangel is the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel by Pope Leo XIII:

“

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell satan and all of the other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

”