Who were Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels?

• Named in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael
• Michael defends God’s people
• Gabriel announces the births of John and Jesus
• Raphael guides and protects Tobias
• Celebrated together on September 29

Who were Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels?

The Bible gives no human birthplace or childhood for these three. They are angels, created spirits who serve God. Their names appear in different passages of Scripture. Each name is linked to a mission. The Church remembers them together, though their scriptural stories unfold in different places.

In the Book of Daniel, Michael is named as a great prince who stands beside God’s people. Daniel’s vision comes during a time of fear and conflict. The angel’s name enters the story as a sign of help from heaven. Daniel receives words of comfort.

Later, the prophet Daniel sees Gabriel approach and explain his vision. Gabriel is a messenger sent to make God’s words understood. The scene is quiet and direct. Daniel is troubled, and Gabriel helps him grasp what he has seen. Then Gabriel appears again in a new setting.

In the Gospel of Luke, Gabriel stands before the priest Zechariah in the Temple. He tells him that his wife Elizabeth will have a son, John. Zechariah struggles to believe the news. Months later, Gabriel is sent to a young woman in Nazareth.

Gabriel greets Mary and tells her that she will bear Jesus, the Son of God. Mary asks how this can happen, and Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit will come upon her. She freely accepts God’s word. The Gospel tells the meeting without describing Gabriel’s appearance.

The Book of Tobit follows Tobias on a journey with a companion who calls himself Azariah. The young traveler does not know that his guide is Raphael, an angel sent by God. Raphael helps Tobias through dangers on the road. At the journey’s end, he reveals who he is.

Raphael tells Tobit and Tobias that he is one of the angels who stand before God. He has guided Tobias and helped restore sight to Tobit. The story ends with praise to God. The Church later joined Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael in one celebration rooted in Scripture and Roman tradition.

What can we learn from Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels today?

• When fear rises, ask God for Michael’s courage to stand with what is true.
• Before sharing important news, follow Gabriel’s example and speak with care.
• Offer practical guidance to someone facing an unfamiliar journey, as Raphael guided Tobias.

Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael remind us that God’s work reaches into real human stories: courage in danger, a message that changes a life, and guidance along an uncertain road. Scripture shows them serving God. Their feast invites us to praise the One whom they serve.

When is the feast day of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels?

Saintly remembers Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels on September 29, when the story above is the saint of the day in the app. Read how the Church declares someone a saint, or how to choose a patron saint.

Sources

• Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha, Synod of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
• Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
• A Catechism of Christian Doctrine (The Baltimore Catechism No. 3), Third Plenary Council of Baltimore
• Römisches Messbuch, Heiliger Stuhl
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Roman Martyrology (2004), Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
• 29 September 2007: Holy Mass with Episcopal Ordinations, Pope Benedict XVI
• Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy (9 April 2002), Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

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