Holy Scripture teaches us that besides the physical world there exists a great spiritual world, inhabited by intelligent and kind creatures called angels. In Greek the word "angel" means "messenger" since it is through them that God often declares His will to people. We almost nothing about the life of angel in the spiritual world that they inhabit. They exist under conditions that are totally different from those of our material world; time, space and all mode of existence have a completely different content there.
The prefix "arch-" added to the names of some angels show that in comparison with other angels they serve God in a more sublime way. The name Michael in Hebrew means "Who is like God." Holy Scripture mentions only some of the angels by personal names when describing instances of their appearing to various people. Obviously those are the angels that carry out a special mission in establishing the Lord’s Kingdom on the earth. Among them are archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel who are mentioned in Scripture. The Archangel Gabriel usually appeared to righteous people as a herald of great and joyous tidings about events to happen to the people of God (Dan. 8:16, 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26). In the book of Tobit the Archangel Raphael says about himself: "I am one of the seven angels who bring prayers of saints to God and ascend to appear in front of the Holy God (Tob. 12:15). This accounts for the concept of there being seven archangels in Heaven.
The Scriptures call Archangel Michael the "prince" and "leader of the Lord’s army"; he is depicted as the major fighter in the battle against the devil and people’s transgressions. In this capacity Archangel Michael came to Joshua to help him and the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land. Daniel received a prophecy of assistance that would be rendered by Archangel Michael to the people of God in the times of the coming persecutions from the antichrist. In the book of Revelation Archangel Michael is the foremost leader in the battle against the dragon-devil and other rebellious angels. (See Joshua 5:13; Dan. 10, 12:1; Rev. 12:7-9).
The Church venerates Archangel Michael as a defendant of faith and a fighter against heresy and all evil. He is depicted on icons casting down the devil with a fire sword or a spear. In the beginning of the 4th century, November 8 (November 21 on the Gregorian calendar) was instituted by the Church as the feast of the Synaxis (or Assembly) of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers.
Designed by Ashley Zarzaur and Brian Jokich
