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49-498: Saint Michael originally refers to the archangel Michael, who appears in the Bible as a heavenly being. Saint Michael or Saint Michaels may also refer to: Saint Michael The Book of Enoch lists him as one of seven archangels (the remaining names are Uriel , Raguel , Raphael , Sariel , Gabriel , and Remiel ), who, in the Book of Tobit , "stand ready and enter before

98-466: A battle with the " prince of Persia ", after which, at the end-time, "Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise". Enoch was instrumental in establishing the pre-eminent place of Michael among the angels or archangels, and in later Jewish works, he is said to be their chief, mediating the Torah (the law of God), and standing at the right hand of the throne of God. In the traditions of

147-477: A church was dedicated to him in the early fourth century on the 12th of the month of Paoni . The 12th of the month of Hathor is the celebration of Michael's appointment in heaven, where Michael became the chief of the angels. Protestants recognize Michael as an archangel. The Anglican and Methodist traditions recognize four archangels: Michael, Raphael , Gabriel , and Uriel . The controversial Anglican bishop Robert Clayton (d. 1758) proposed that Michael

196-417: A cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet". They believe the prominent roles assigned to Michael at Daniel 12:1, Revelation 12:7, Revelation 19:14, and Revelation 16 are identical to Jesus' roles, being the one chosen to lead God's people and as the only one who "stands up", identifying the two as the same spirit being. Because they identify Michael with Jesus, he

245-1075: A festive service in Lutheran churches, for which Bach composed several cantatas, for example the chorale cantata Herr Gott, dich loben alle wir, BWV 130 in 1724, Es erhub sich ein Streit , BWV 19 , in 1726 and Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg , BWV 149 , in 1728 or 1729. Many Protestant theologians identify a relationship, (e.g. typological or identical), between Michael with Christ, including: Martin Luther Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg , Andrew Willet Herman Witsius W. L. Alexander , Jacobus Ode, Campegius Vitringa , Philip Melanchthon , Hugh Broughton , Franciscus Junius , Hävernick Amandus Polanus , Johannes Oecolampadius , Samuel Horsely , William Kincaid John Calvin Isaac Watts , John Brown , and James Wood. Charles Spurgeon once stated that Jesus

294-553: A number of Eastern Orthodox hymns and prayer, and his icons are widely used within Eastern Orthodox churches. In many Eastern Orthodox icons, Christ is accompanied by a number of angels, Michael being a predominant figure among them. In Russia, many monasteries, cathedrals, court and merchant churches are dedicated to the Chief Commander Michael; most Russian cities have a church or chapel dedicated to

343-680: A number of cities and countries. Catholic tradition includes also elements such as the Prayer to Saint Michael , which specifically asks for the faithful to be "defended" by the saint. The Chaplet of Saint Michael consists of nine salutations, one for each choir of angels. Sancte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in próelio; contra nequítiam et insídias diáboli esto praesídium. Imperet illi Deus, súpplices deprecámur, tuque, Prínceps milítiae caeléstis, Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos, qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in mundo, divína virtúte, in inférnum detrúde. Saint Michael

392-631: A piece of itself, some of which will burn. This is articulated by Al-Tha'labi , whose narrative states that God tells Earth that some will obey him and others will not. Michael is called Mika'il or Mikha'il in Muslim works generally, but in the one instance in which he is mentioned in the Quran he is called Mīkāl. The single Quranic mention comes in the QS 2:98, when the Jews of Medina challenged Muhammed to tell them

441-484: A place in the Jewish liturgy: "When a man is in need he must pray directly to God, and neither to Michael nor to Gabriel ." Jeremiah addresses a prayer to him. The rabbis declare that Michael entered into his role of defender at the time of the biblical patriarchs. Rabbi Eliezer ben Jacob said he rescued Abraham from the furnace into which he had been thrown by Nimrod (Midrash Genesis Rabbah xliv. 16). Some say he

490-489: A shrine at Monte Gargano . The iconography of soldier-saints Theodore and George as cavalrymen develops in the early medieval period. The earliest image of St Theodore as a horseman (named in Latin) is from Vinica, North Macedonia and, if genuine, dates to the 6th or 7th century. Here, Theodore is not slaying a dragon, but holding a draco standard . Three equestrian saints, Demetrius, Theodore and George, are depicted in

539-459: A supplication reportedly handed down by the 6th Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq , the reciter sends blessing upon Michael (with his name spelled as Mīkā'īl): O Allah! Bestow your blessing on Michael-angel of Your mercy and created for kindness and seeker of pardon for and supporter of the obedient people. In the creation narrative of Adam he was sent to bring a handful of earth, but the Earth did not yield

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588-473: Is "the true Michael" and "the only Archangel". John Gill comments on Jude 9, "'Yet Michael the archangel ...' By whom is meant, not a created angel, but an eternal one, the Lord Jesus Christ ..." Seventh-day Adventists believe that "Michael" is but one of the many titles applied to the pre-existent Christ, or Son of God. According to Adventists, such a view does not in any way conflict with

637-516: Is also responsible for universal or environmental events, and is often depicted as the archangel of mercy. He is said to be friendly, asking God for mercy toward humans and is, according to Muslim legends, one of the first to obey God's orders to bow before Adam . He is also responsible for the rewards doled out to good persons in this life. From the tears of Michael, angels are created as his helpers. Consensus of Islamic scholars and clerics has enclosed various hadiths as interpretation material for

686-690: Is often depicted holding scales. In his fourth role, Saint Michael, the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament, is also the guardian of the Church. Saint Michael was revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages . The names of villages around the Bay of Biscay reflect that history. Moreover, doubtless for the same motive he was considered the patron saint of

735-554: Is therefore considered the first and greatest of all God's heavenly sons, God's chief messenger, who takes the lead in vindicating God's sovereignty , sanctifying his name, fighting the wicked forces of Satan and protecting God's covenant people on earth. Jehovah's Witnesses also identify Michael with the " Angel of the Lord " who led and protected the Israelites in the wilderness. Their earliest teachings stated that Archangel Michael

784-545: The Leonine Sacramentary . The seventh-century Gelasian Sacramentary included the feast "S. Michaelis Archangeli" , as did the eighth-century Gregorian Sacramentary . Some of these documents refer to a Basilica Archangeli (no longer extant) on via Salaria in Rome. The angelology of Pseudo-Dionysius , which was widely read as of the sixth century, gave Michael a rank in the hierarchy of angels . Later, in

833-624: The Litany of the Saints . In the shortened version used in the Easter Vigil , he alone of the angels and archangels is mentioned by name, saints Gabriel and Raphael being omitted. In Roman Catholic teachings , Saint Michael has four main roles or offices. His first role is the leader of the Army of God and the leader of heaven's forces in their triumph over the powers of hell. He is viewed as

882-531: The Qumran community, he defends or leads the people of God in the eschatological (i.e., end-time) battle. And in other writings, he is responsible for the care of Israel (and he may be the "one like a son of man" mentioned in Daniel 7:13–14) and the commander of the heavenly armies; he is Israel's advocate contesting Satan's claim to the body of Moses; he intercedes between God and humanity and serves as High Priest in

931-860: The military . They were originally composed of the early Christians who were soldiers in the Roman army during the persecution of Christians , especially the Diocletianic Persecution of AD 303–313. Most of the early Christian military saints were soldiers of the Roman Empire who had become Christian and, after refusing to participate in Imperial cult rituals of loyalty to the Roman Emperor , were subjected to corporal punishment including torture and martyrdom . Veneration of these saints, most notably of Saint George ,

980-568: The "Zoodochos Pigi" chapel in central Macedonia in Greece, in the prefecture of Kilkis , near the modern village of Kolchida, dated to the 9th or 10th century. The "dragon-slaying" motif develops in the 10th century, especially iconography seen in the Cappadocian cave churches of Göreme , where frescoes of the 10th century show military saints on horseback confronting serpents with one, two or three heads. In later medieval Byzantine iconography,

1029-564: The Archangel Michael. In Ukraine, the Archangel Michael is the patron saint of the capital city, Kyiv. He became popular since the time of Prince Vsevolod of Kievan Rus'. While in the Serbian Orthodox Church Saint Sava has a special role as the establisher of its autocephaly and the largest Belgrade church is devoted to him, the capital Belgrade 's Orthodox cathedral , the see church of

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1078-526: The Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. The Eastern Orthodox accord Michael the title Archistrategos , or "Supreme Commander of

1127-469: The Heavenly Hosts". The Eastern Orthodox pray to their guardian angels and above all to Michael and Gabriel. The Eastern Orthodox have always had strong devotions to angels. In contemporary times they are referred to by the term of "Bodiless Powers". A number of feasts dedicated to Archangel Michael are celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox throughout the year. Archangel Michael is mentioned in

1176-491: The Muslims recited the names of both in the obligatory daily prayers (the salat). The place of Michael, and some of the other archangels, is not clearly identified in the major sources, and among ordinary Muslims knowledge of them is drawn from non-Islamic sources, notably Jewish. Warrior saint The military saints , warrior saints and soldier saints are patron saints , martyrs and other saints associated with

1225-839: The Qurʾān in one mode, and Michael told him to ask more, till he reached seven modes, each mode being sufficiently health-giving. According to another hadith in Sahih Muslim , Michael, along with Gabriel both dressed in white, were reported to have accompanied Muhammad on the day of the Battle of Uhud . Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri has recorded in his historiography works of Quran and Hadith revelation in Prophetic biography , that Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas testified has saw Jibril and Mikail during that battle. In Shia Islam , in Dua Umm Dawood,

1274-502: The advocate of Israel, and sometimes had to fight with the princes of the other nations (Daniel 10:13) and particularly with the angel Samael , Israel's accuser. Their enmity dates from the time Samael was thrown from heaven and tried to drag Michael down with him, necessitating God's intervention. The idea that Michael was the advocate of the Jews became so prevalent that in spite of the rabbinical prohibition against appealing to angels as intermediaries between God and his people, he held

1323-485: The angelic model for the virtues of the "spiritual warrior", his conflict with evil taken as "the battle within". The second and third roles of Michael in Catholic teachings deal with death. In his second role, he is the angel of death, carrying the souls of Christians to heaven. Catholic prayers often refer to this role of Michael. In his third role, he weighs souls on his perfectly balanced scales. For this reason, he

1372-533: The angels" he led the angels and thus the statement in Revelation 12:7–9 identifies/refers to Jesus as Michael. Jehovah's Witnesses believe Michael to be another name for Jesus in heaven , in his pre-human and post-resurrection existence. They say the definite article at Jude 9 —referring to "Michael the archangel"—identifies Michael as the only archangel. They consider Michael to be synonymous with Christ, described at 1 Thessalonians 4:16 as descending "with

1421-408: The belief in the full deity and eternal preexistence of Jesus Christ, nor does it in the least disparage his person and work. According to Adventist theology, Michael was considered the "eternal Word", and the one by whom all things were created. The Word was then born incarnate as Jesus. They believe that name "Michael" signifies "One Who Is Like God" and that as the "Archangel" or "chief or head of

1470-566: The body of Moses, "did not presume to pronounce the verdict of 'slander' but said, 'The Lord punish you!' Michael was venerated as a healer in Phrygia (modern-day Turkey). The earliest and most famous sanctuary to Michael in the ancient Near East was also associated with healing waters. It was the Michaelion built in the early fourth century by Constantine the Great at Chalcedon , on

1519-557: The disciples, the goal being to accuse them, but the accusation is opposed by Jesus, who thus takes on the role played by angels, and especially by Michael, in Judaism. Michael is mentioned by name for the second time in the Epistle of Jude , a passionate warning against divisive, abusive, ungodly persons. In verses 9–10 the author denounces the ungodly persons by contrasting them with the archangel Michael, who, disputing with Satan over

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1568-503: The early Middle Ages, who appealed to the newly converted societies led by professional warriors and who exemplified accommodation with and eventually active participation in holy wars that were considered just. The Military Saints are characteristically depicted as soldiers in traditional Byzantine iconography from about the 10th century ( Macedonian dynasty ) and especially in Slavic Christianity . While early icons show

1617-468: The glory of the Lord". The fact that Michael is introduced implies the knowledge of him and the other named angels. He is mentioned again in last chapters of the Book of Daniel , a Jewish apocalypse composed in the second century BC although set in the sixth, in which a man clothed in linen (never identified, but probably the archangel Gabriel ) tells Daniel that he and "Michael, your prince" are engaged in

1666-520: The heavenly sanctuary; and he accompanies the souls of the righteous dead to Paradise. The seven archangels (or four – the traditions differ but always include Michael) were associated with the branches of the menorah , the sacred seven-branched lampstand in the Temple as the seven spirits before the throne of God, and this is reflected in the Book of Revelation 4:5 ("From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before

1715-476: The heroic, military life of Martin of Tours , created a literary model that reflected the new spiritual, political, and social ideals of a post-Roman society. In a study of Anglo-Saxon soldier saints (Damon 2003), J. E. Damon has demonstrated the persistence of Sulpicius's literary model in the transformation of the pious, peaceful saints and willing martyrs of late antique hagiography to the Christian heroes of

1764-478: The name of the angel (malaika = creature with a knowledge) from whom he received his revelations; when he told them it was Gabriel, the Jews said that Gabriel was their enemy, and that revelations came from Michael. The hadith (sayings of and about the Prophet collected by his followers) quote Muhammed mentioning both Gabriel and Michael as two angels who showed him Paradise and hell, and in the early years of Islam

1813-545: The patriarch, is devoted to Archangel Michael (in Serbian: Арханђел Михаило / Arhanđel Mihailo ). The place of Michael in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is as a saintly intercessor . He is the one who presents to God the prayers of the just, who accompanies the souls of the dead to heaven, who defeats the devil. He is celebrated liturgically on the 12th of each Coptic month . In Alexandria ,

1862-468: The saints in "classicizing" or anachronistic attire, icons from the 11th and especially the 12th centuries, painted in the new style of τύπων μιμήματα ("imitating nature"), are an important source of knowledge on medieval Byzantine military equipment . The angelic prototype of the Christian soldier-saint is the Archangel Michael , whose earliest known cultus began in the 5th century with

1911-532: The site of an earlier temple called Sosthenion . Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310–320 – 403) in his Coptic-Arabic Hexaemeron referred to Michael as a replacement of Satan . Accordingly, after Satan fell, Michael was appointed to the function Satan served when he was still one of the noble angels. A painting of the Archangel slaying a serpent became a major art piece at the Michaelion after Constantine defeated Licinius near there in 324. This contributed to

1960-518: The standard iconography that developed of the Archangel Michael as a warrior saint slaying a dragon. The Michaelion was a magnificent church and in time became a model for hundreds of other churches in Eastern Christianity ; these spread devotions to the Archangel. In the fourth century, Saint Basil the Great 's homily ( De Angelis ) placed Saint Michael over all the angels. He was called "Archangel" because he heralds other angels,

2009-632: The thirteenth century, others such as Bonaventure believed that he is the prince of the Seraphim , the first of the nine angelic orders. According to Thomas Aquinas ( Summa Ia. 113.3), he is the Prince of the last and lowest choir, the Angels. Catholics often refer to Michael as "Holy Michael, the Archangel" or "Saint Michael", a title that does not indicate canonisation . He is generally referred to in Christian litanies as "Saint Michael", as in

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2058-664: The throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God" – ESV). Michael is mentioned explicitly in Revelation 12:7–12, where he does battle with Satan and casts him out of heaven so that he no longer has access to God as accuser (his formal role in the Old Testament). The fall of Satan at the coming of Jesus marks the separation of the New Testament from Judaism. In Luke 22:31 Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked God for permission to "sift"

2107-532: The time of the Exodus and destroyed Sennacherib 's army. In Islam, Michael, or Mīkāʾīl, is the angel said to effectuate God's providence as well as natural phenomena, such as rain. He is one of the four archangels along with Jibril (Gabriel, whom he is often paired with), ʾIsrāfīl (trumpeter angel) and ʿAzrāʾīl (angel of death). Michael in Islam is tasked with providing nourishment for bodies and souls and

2156-548: The title Ἀρχαγγέλος (archangelos) being used of him in Jude 1:9. Into the sixth century, the view of Michael as a healer continued in Rome; after a plague, the sick slept at night in the church of Castel Sant'Angelo (dedicated to him for saving Rome), waiting for his manifestation. In the sixth century, the growth of devotions to Michael in the Western Church was expressed by the feasts dedicated to him, as recorded in

2205-602: The verse of Surah Al Imran 3:124 that Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and thousands of best angels from third level of sky, all came to the battle of Badr. Various hadith traditions linked to the Surah Al Imran 3:124 , has stated that those angels has taken form of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam , companion of Muhammad . In a version of a hadith by an-Nasāʾi , Muhammad is quoted as saying that Gabriel and Michael came to him, and when Gabriel had sat down at his right and Michael at his left, Gabriel told him to recite

2254-604: Was not to be worshipped. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Michael is Adam , the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7), a prince, and the patriarch of the human family. They also hold that Michael assisted Jehovah (the pre-mortal form of Jesus ) in the creation of the world under the direction of God the Father ( Elohim ); under the direction of the Father, Michael also cast Satan out of heaven. According to rabbinic tradition , Michael acted as

2303-690: Was reinforced in the Latin Church during the time of the Crusades . The title of " champion of Christ " ( athleta Christi ) was originally used for these saints, but in the late medieval period also conferred on contemporary rulers by the Pope . Since the Middle Ages, more saints have been added for various military-related patronages. In Late Antiquity , Christian writers of hagiography , prominently including Sulpicius Severus in his account of

2352-517: Was the Logos and Gabriel the Holy Spirit . Controversy over Clayton's views led the government to order his prosecution, but he died before his scheduled examination. The Lutheran Churches of St. Michael's Church, Hamburg and St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim are named for Michael. In Bach 's time, the annual feast of Michael and All the Angels on 29 September was regularly celebrated with

2401-524: Was the "one that had escaped" (Genesis 14:13 ), who told Abraham that Lot had been taken captive (Midrash Pirke R. El.), and who protected Sarah from defilement by Abimelech. Michael prevented Isaac from sacrifice by his father by substituting a ram in his place. He saved Jacob , while yet in his mother's womb, from death by Samael. He later prevented Laban from harming Jacob.( Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer , xxxvi). The midrash Exodus Rabbah holds that Michael exercised his function of advocate of Israel at

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