Saint Michael the Archangel

Archangel Michael occupies a prominent place in the consciousness of the Greeks. According to the popular tradition, Michael is considered by the people to be the soul-delivering angel, i.e. he leads the souls to heaven. What the winged god Hermes did in the ancient Greek religion.

In Asia Minor, the Greeks called the Archangel Michael “Panderimiotis” (the one who desolates the place). In many regions of Greece, such as in Thrace, people do not leave their shoes outside the house on this day, so that the Archangel does not see them and “remember them and take over from life”. Archangel Michael (Brigadier and Commander-in-Chief) is also the Patron Saint of the Air Force.

Saint Michael the Archangel is one of the most prominent and venerated figures in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, known for his role as a protector and a leader of the army of God against the forces of evil. The reverence for Saint Michael spans various cultures and religious traditions, making him a figure of significant theological importance.

In the Christian tradition, Michael is one of the chief angels or archangels and is often depicted as a warrior most famously in the Book of Revelation 12:7-9, where he leads heaven’s forces in a war against Satan and his demons, triumphing over them. Other biblical texts that mention Michael include Daniel 10:13-21 and Daniel 12:1, where he is described as a protector of Israel and a leader in the spiritual realm.

In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), Michael appears as a guardian of Israel, and in the Book of Daniel, he is depicted as a protector who stands up for the children of the people. Jewish tradition views Michael as one of the four archangels, alongside Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel.

In Islam, Michael (known as Mikail) is recognized as one of the four archangels, tasked with providing nourishments for bodies and souls. He is also depicted as a figure of mercy, responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Saint Michael is considered a patron saint of the sick, mariners, paratroopers, and police, and is called upon for protection against evil. His feast day, known as Michaelmas, is celebrated on September 29, which is shared with the other archangels, Gabriel and Raphael.

The Eastern Orthodox Church also has great reverence for Archangel Michael. He is often invoked in prayers for protection and in the liturgy of the Orthodox Church, where he is referred to as the “Archistrategos” (supreme commander of the heavenly hosts). The Orthodox Church celebrates his feast on November 8 (synaxis of Michael and the other heavenly hosts) and also commemorates him on other specific days throughout the liturgical year.

In Christian art, Michael is most often depicted as a warrior wearing Roman soldier’s armor, holding a sword or a lance, and sometimes standing over a dragon or a defeated demon, which symbolizes Satan or evil in general. This iconography highlights his role as a protector and a fighter against evil.

Theologically, Saint Michael is seen as a model of the virtues of the warrior: courage and steadfastness in the face of evil. His role is not only to fight evil but also to call for justice. In many religious traditions, Michael is also associated with weighing the souls of the deceased, as depicted in various religious art forms showing him with scales.

Saint Michael’s broad veneration across different branches of Christianity, as well as in other religions, underlines his importance as a symbol of good prevailing over evil and his protective role that appeals to the faithful across different cultures and epochs. His universal appeal lies in his embodiment of courage, loyalty, and dedication to the fight against darkness, making him one of the most enduring and revered figures in religious history.