Among the nine ranks of angels, there are three archangels who are named in Sacred Scripture and who are called saints by the Catholic Church. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are leaders among the angels with important roles in salvation history.
The names of each of these higher ranking angels end in -EL, which means God. Their names also indicate their special duty in delivering messages and interacting with God’s people: Providing protection, delivering strength, and offering healing.
Michael defends the people of Israel in the Book of Daniel and leads the heavenly army of angels into battle against Satan in the Book of Revelation. As the leader of all the angels in protecting man against evil, Michael’s name is a battle cry, “Who is like God?”
Gabriel, “power of God”, offers strength. He appears in the Old Testament to reassure Daniel about his visions. He offers encouragement when announcing the birth of John the Baptist and the miraculous incarnation and Virgin Birth of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Raphael means “healing of God”. In the Book of Tobit, the angel accompanies Tobias on a journey where he acquires medicine which cures his father’s blindness and that chases a demon away from his wife Sarah.
The Catholic Church Celebrates the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael each year on September 29. The Feast formerly recognized only St. Michael and was referred to as Michaelmas.
Catholics believe in the reality of archangels:
Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in Heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to Earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.
Revelation 12: 7-9
The Catholic Church recognizes three chief angels:
Three archangels are named in the Bible:
We are celebrating this Episcopal Ordination on the Feast of the three Archangels who are mentioned by name in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. This reminds us that in the ancient Church – already in the Book of Revelation – Bishops were described as “angels” of their Church, thereby expressing a close connection between the Bishop’s ministry and the Angel’s mission. From the Angel’s task it is possible to understand the Bishop’s service. But what is an Angel? Sacred Scripture and the Church’s tradition enable us to discern two aspects. On the one hand, the Angel is a creature who stands before God, oriented to God with his whole being. All three names of the Archangels end with the word “EL”, which means “God”. God is inscribed in their names, in their nature. Their true nature is existing in his sight and for him.
Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, 29 September 2007
Each archangel has a special mission:
The archangels deliver powerful messages from God:
Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham’s hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor and that of Jesus himself.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 332
The archangels were created through Jesus and for Jesus:
The archangels are there to help:
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