Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/September 29

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i faith. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second-century-BC Jewish works, often but not always apocalyptic, where he is the chief of the angels and archangels, and he is the guardian prince of Israel and is responsible for the care of Israel. Christianity conserved nearly all the Jewish traditions concerning him, and he is mentioned explicitly in Revelation 12:7–12, where he does battle with Satan, and in the Epistle of Jude, where the author denounces heretics by contrasting them with Michael. (Full article...)

Attributes: Treading on Satan or a serpent; carrying a banner, scales, and sword
Patronage: Paratroopers; Police Officers; Mariners; Grocers; the sick; Paramedics; the Germans

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Gabriel (/ˈɡeɪbriəl/; Hebrew: גַּבְרִיאֵל, lit. 'Gavri'el "God is my strength"', Ancient Greek: Γαβριήλ, lit. 'Gabriel', Coptic: Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, Imperial Aramaic: ܓܒܪܝܝܠ, Arabic: جبريل, Jibrīl or جبرائيل Jibrāʾīl, Amharic: ገብርኤል), in the Abrahamic religions, is an archangel. He was first described in the Hebrew Bible and was subsequently adopted by other traditions.

In the Hebrew Bible, Gabriel appears to the prophet Daniel to explain his visions (Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27). The archangel appears in such other ancient Jewish writings as the Book of Enoch. Alongside archangel Michael, Gabriel is described as the guardian angel of Israel, defending this people against the angels of the other nations.
Attributes: A glowing angel, holding a lily in his hands
Patronage: postmen, delivery men, philatelists, communications and against infecundity in marriage

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Raphael (UK: /ˈræfeɪəl/ RAF-ay-əl, US: /ˈræfiəl, ˈreɪf-/ RA(Y)F-ee-əl; "God has healed") is an archangel first mentioned in the Book of Tobit and in 1 Enoch, both estimated to date from between the 3rd and 2nd century BCE. In later Jewish tradition, he became identified as one of the three heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham at the Oak of Mamre. He is not named in either the New Testament or the Quran, but later Christian tradition identified him with healing and as the angel who stirred waters in the Pool of Bethesda in John 5:2–4, and in Islam, where his name is Israfil, he is understood to be the unnamed angel of Quran 6:73, standing eternally with a trumpet to his lips, ready to announce the Day of Judgment. In Gnostic tradition, Raphael is represented on the Ophite Diagram. (Full article...)

Attributes: An Angel with cloth of a pilgrim, leading young Tobias, holding a caught fish
Patronage: Sick, pharmacists, travellers, emigrants, mariners, and roofers, against sickness of the eyes and pest