Michael the Archangel
- 29 September
- 8 May – Apparition of Saint Michael and Protector of Cornwall
Profile
Archangel. Leader of the army of God during the Lucifer uprising. Devotion is common to Muslims, Christians and Jews, and there are writings about him in all three cultures. Considered the guardian angel of Israel, and the guardian and protector of the Church. In the Book of Daniel (12:1), Michael is described as rising up to defend the Church against the Anti-Christ.
The feast of the Apparition of Saint Michael commemorates appearance of the archangel to a man named Gargan in 492 on Mount Gargano near Manfredonia in southern Italy. Gargan and others were pasturing cattle on the mountain; a bull wandered off and hid in a cave. An arrow was shot into the cave, but it came flying back out and wounded the archer. The cowherds went to their bishop who ordered three days of fasting and prayer to seek an explanation for the mystery. At the end of the three days Michael appeared to the bishop and requested a church built in the honour of the Holy Angels in the cave. If you find medals or holy cards with ‘relics‘ of Michael, they are probably rock chips from the cave, or pieces of cloth that have touched it.
Born
- wasn’t
- hasn’t
Name Meaning
- Who is like God? (the battle cry of the army of heaven)
- against danger at sea
- against temptations
- ambulance drivers
- arms manufacturers
- artists
- bakers
- bankers, banking
- barrel makers, coopers
- battle
- cemeteries, graveyards
- cutlers, knife grinders, knife sharpers
- dying people
- emergency medical technicians, EMTs, paramedics
- fencers
- fencing
- gilders
- greengrocers
- grocers
- haberdashers
- hatmakers, hatters, cap makers
- holy death
- knights
- mariners, sailors, watermen, boatmen
- merchants
- milleners
- painters
- paratroopers
- pharmacists, druggists
- police officers
- radiologists (proclaimed on 15 January 1941 by Pope Pius XII)
- radiotherapists
- scale makers
- security guards
- sick people
- soldiers
- Spanish police officers
- storms at sea
- swordsmiths
- —
- Belarus
- England
- Germany
- Papua, New Guinea
- Vatican City (given in 2013)
- Worshipful Company of Plumbers
- Albenga-Imperia, Italy, diocese of (given by Pope Pius XII on 8 July 1949)
- Alghero-Bosa, Italy, diocese of
- Altamura–Gravina–Acquaviva delle Fonti, Italy, diocese of
- Auchi, Nigeria, diocese of
- Caltanissetta, Italy, diocese of
- Carcassonne et Narbonne, France, diocese of
- Caserta, Italy, diocese of
- Chieti-Vasto, Italy, archdiocese of
- Coimbatore, India, diocese of
- Cuneo-Fossano, Italy, diocese of
- Iligan, Philippines, diocese of
- Keta-Akatsi, Ghana, diocese of
- Khunti, India, diocese of
- Limoeiro do Norte, Brazil, diocese of
- Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, archdiocese of
- Mobile, Alabama, archdiocese of
- Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, Italy, diocese of
- Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, diocese of
- Raigarh, India, diocese of
- Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, diocese of
- San Angelo, Texas, diocese of
- San Miguel, Argentina, diocese of
- Seattle, Washington, archdiocese of
- Sherbrooke, Canada, archdiocese of
- Springfield, Massachusetts, diocese of
- Sucre, Bolivia, archdiocese of
- Toronto, Ontario, archdiocese of
- Vác, Hungary, diocese of
- in Belgium
- in Brazil
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sibenik, Croatia
- Slagelse, Denmark
- in England
- in France
- in Germany
- Dunakeszi, Hungary
- in Italy
- Acquacanina
- Albenga
- Albidona
- Alghero
- Amorosi
- Appiano sulla Strada del Vino
- Aprilia
- Apulia
- Arba
- Aritzo
- Arpaia
- Arsiero
- Arzelato, Pontremoli
- Badia Tedalda
- Bagnacavallo
- Bagnoli di Sopra
- Barcon, Vedelago
- Bastia Umbria
- Benestare
- Bevagna
- Bigolino
- Bitetto
- Braia, Pontremoli
- Brendola
- Brisighella
- Brosso
- Busto Arsizio
- Cagnano Varano
- Caltanissetta
- Campobasso
- Candiana
- Canicattini Bagni
- Cantagallo
- Capriano del Colle
- Carbonara di Bari
- Cariati
- Carmignano
- Carpineto Sinello
- Casagiove
- Caserta
- Castel Madama
- Castelnuovo del Zappa
- Castiglion Fiorentino
- Castiglione del Genovesi
- Castrignano del Capo
- Castrovalva, Anversa degli Abruzzi
- Celico
- Certosa di Pavia
- Cerveteri
- Chiusi della Verna
- Colle Brianza
- Coreglia Antelminelli
- Cuneo
- Domanins, San Giorgio della Richinvelda
- Fener
- Gabbro, Rosignano Marittimo
- Gaby
- Galugnano
- Grassina
- Gravina
- Greccio
- Maddaloni
- Marcianise
- Mezzano Superiore
- Milzanello
- Mondaino
- Ottaviano
- Pergine Valdarno
- Pornello
- Rastiglione
- Ripalimosani
- Rocca Massima
- Rovenna, Cernobbio
- Salgareda
- San Vittorino, Aquila
- Sant’Angelo Romano
- Saracinesco
- Torre del Mangano
- Umbria
- Vallinfreda
- Vasto
- Venice
- Vettica Minore
- Villacanale
- Zugliano, Pozzuolo del Friuli
- in Luxembourg
- in Malta
- in Mexico
- in the Philippines
- Argao, Cebu
- Basey, Samar
- San Miguel, Iloilo
- in Puerto Rico
- in Switzerland
- in Ukraine
- in Venezuela
- Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel
- Greek Air Force
- Guild of Tanners and Weavers of Barcelona, Spain
- Siegburg Abbey
- Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
- balance (helping to judge at the Last Judgment)
- banner (as the leader of the army of God)
- dragon (representing the defeated devil)
- scales (helping to judge at the Last Judgment)
- sword (as a soldier of God)
Readings
You should be aware that the word “angel” denotes a function rather than a nature. Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits. They can only be called angels when they deliver some message. Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.
Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael is sent, so that his action and his name may make it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power. – from a homily by Pope Saint Gregory the Great
MLA Citation
- “Michael the Archangel“. CatholicSaints.Info. 21 April 2024. Web. 24 April 2024. <>