SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

Saint Michael the Archangel is part of the religious tradition of the three monotheistic Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam), and – historically – was probably known to and perhaps even worshiped by many peoples and religions throughout the Middle- and Near East.

The name given to the archangel – Michael – comes from the war-cry of the loyal angels in the war fought in Heaven against Satan and his followers, and is most-often translated from the Hebrew “Micha'el” as “Who is like God?” It was this defiant battle-cry that Michael gave vent to on learning of the treachery and betrayal of the angel who would become Satan, and that began the war in Heaven which culminated in the angelic fall.

A significant body of Jewish legend (known as Midrash) grew up around Michael during the centuries immediately preceding Christ, and a great deal of this was transmitted to Christianity whence it was taken up and further elaborated. It is in fact to this Jewish tradition that we owe our understanding and knowledge of the details of the war in Heaven, as it many of the details are not explicitly present in Holy Scripture. The Jewish people regarded Michael as being the defender of the people Israel (Daniel 10:13) and the one patron angel of the nations (out of seventy, or seventy-two according to other sources) who did not fall from grace.

Although he is only mentioned five times by name in the Bible, the Church Fathers often raised the question of whether St. Michael was present in Scripture where his name is not given. It has been said that he was the cherub who stood at the gate of paradise, "to keep the way of the tree of life" (Genesis 3:24), the angel through whom God published the Decalogue to his chosen people, the angel who stood in the way against Balaam (Numbers 22:22 sqq.) and the angel who routed the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35). The numinous "captain of the host of the Lord" encountered by Joshua in the early days of his campaigns in the Promised Land (Joshua 5:13-15) has the character of Michael the Archangel, as the unnamed heavenly messenger is of supernatural and holy origin, and obviously sent by God. It is also possible that the “seven archangels” mentioned by Saint Raphael Archangel (Tobit 12:15) – of which Michael would certainly be one – are synonymous with one or more of the sets of seven angels mentioned often in Revelation.

The Catholic Church honors Michael with four main titles or offices. He can be regarded as the Christian angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven, where they are weighed in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales). At the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the Devil and his minions. Michael is the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament and is guardian of the Church; it was thus not unusual for the angel to be revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages. Last, he is the supreme enemy of Satan and the fallen angels.