It falls on September 29th. The prayer has a special power today
On September 29, the Catholic Church celebrates the commemoration of the Holy Archangels. We remind you who these extraordinary guardians are and why it's worth remembering them. God has entrusted them with a special mission among people.
Sep 29, 2023 | updated: 9:11 AM EDT, October 5, 2023
Archangels are messengers for special tasks. The name derives from the Greek arkhángelos, where the prefix arch- means "chief," "leader." Therefore, archangels stand at the head of the angelic hosts, of which they are commanders. In the hierarchy of heaven, they occupy a high, though not the highest position. Of the nine angelic choirs, they are assigned to the eighth. Archangels fulfill a very important mission, it is them God sends to earth when he has something important to convey.
How many archangels do we have? The answer is not simple
The number of archangels mentioned in Christian writings varies from three to seven: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel, Sariel, Raguel, and Remiel. It all depends on tradition, which changes over the centuries - some saints and patrons are periodically more popular, then gradually fall into obscurity. The same happened in the case of the archangels, and now instead of seven, only three are mentioned whose existence has been documented in the Bible. The three archangels are the most important messengers who carried out important missions, which is why they appear in well-known parables.
Archangel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus
It was he who visited Mary to announce the good news to her, he also foretold the birth of St. John the Baptist. The name Gabriel means: "God is my strength" or "God's warrior", which is why he appears in difficult moments to convey joyful news to people, which will significantly change their lives and in the future confront them with difficult choices and experiences. The Archangel Gabriel also appears in the Old Testament, where he helps prophets understand their visions and interpret them. He is therefore an angel of great wisdom, who helps to understand God's judgments.
Archangel Raphael is a model guardian angel
Archangel Raphael is associated with healing, his name literally means: "God heals." He was sent down to earth to care for young Tobias (the hero of the "Book of Tobias"). Archangel Raphael took on a human form and became his companion, as well as his guardian angel. He helped Tobias out of various predicaments. His most significant acts were healing Tobias's blind father and expelling the demon Asmodeus, who tormented the beautiful Sara, killing each of her seven husbands on their wedding night. When she was healed, she married Tobias.
Archangel Michael faced Satan and won
The Hebrew name Mika’el can be translated as "Who is like God". According to Christian tradition, it's one of the most important and valiant archangels. He is the angel of justice, judgment, and mercy. He wields a fiery sword, with which he dispenses punishment to those who deserve it - the same one that after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, blocked their way back. Archangel Michael commands the heavenly army. He has already once defeated the rebellious Satan, who tried to seize the divine throne, and will do so again during the apocalypse. At the end of time, he will once again stand in battle against the demons.