Archangel question

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How many archangels are there? And why are they refered to as saints? e.g. St Michael, the Archangel?
This question was posed to me and dummy that I am when it comes to particulars about Catholicism had no answer.
Then I heard “how can you believe in something you can’t explain or understand?”

Thanks in advance.
Kathy
 
Archangels are named such because they are the princes of the other angels. Church fathers dispute whether they are over all the angels or just certain of the 9 angelic orders. They are saints because they are in heaven with God and can intercede for us in our needs. They are Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael. All are mentioned in Scripture: St Michael in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation; St Gabriel in Daniel and Luke; St Raphael in the Book of Tobit.
 
deacondev said:
Archangels are named such because they are the princes of the other angels. Church fathers dispute whether they are over all the angels or just certain of the 9 angelic orders. They are saints because they are in heaven with God and can intercede for us in our needs. They are Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael. All are mentioned in Scripture: St Michael in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation; St Gabriel in Daniel and Luke; St Raphael in the Book of Tobit.
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Was Lucifer an archangel?
I know I should know this. But like I said, I may be Catholic, but I am ignorant.
Kathy
 
I believe Lucifer was one of the angel of the Choir of Seraphim - the top choir.

I was wondering who told you “how can you believe in something you can’t explain or understand?”"
 
water said:
…I was wondering who told you “how can you believe in something you can’t explain or understand?”"
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Someone very close to me. I was not offended. It was an honest question on their part. It’s hard to explain “faith” to someone. Kinda like trying to explain what “love” means.
Kathy
 
Katie1723 said:
. . .Then I heard “how can you believe in something you can’t explain or understand?”

Thanks in advance.
Kathy
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Can you explain or understand what electricity is? Magnetism? Gravity? Not what they do, or how do they act, but what are they.
 
deacondev said:
All are mentioned in Scripture: St Michael in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation; St Gabriel in Daniel and Luke; St Raphael in the Book of Tobit.
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2nd Esdras (a work not Canonical to Catholics, but is in the Orthodox OT), gives the name of a fourth Archangel, St. Uriel.

According to Jewish tradition, that was the angel that Jacob wrestled
 
For those not inclined to follow links (although some cited above are wonderful!) I will provide a summary of the order of Angels. There are many places in the Bible where I believe the subject is an order of Angel, where instead people mis-interpret the name. Here is the order:

"St. Thomas (Summa Theologica I:108), following St. Denis (De Coelesti Hierarchia, vi, vii), divides the angels into three hierarchies each of which contains three orders. Their proximity to the Supreme Being serves as the basis of this division.

In the first hierarchy he places the

Seraphim
Cherubim, and
Thrones

in the second, the

Dominations
Virtues, and
Powers

in the third, the
Principalities
Archangels, and
Angels

We can see from this that the Seraphim are those closest to God., they are the highest group And ordinary Angels are the furthest away from God, the lowest group.

In between there are Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, and Principalities which I have to wonder, when read in scripture, if these words are interpreted in terms of today’s understanding of the words, and not as one of the Angels in heaven?

Do we need to go back and read those parts again and reinterpret the words we read?
 
I realize that in posting the link to New Advent I really did not answer your question 🙂

How many Archangels are there?

There are three revealed to us in the BIble which the Church recognizes as Archangels, they are Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. In regards to angels in general we know that there are “legions of them” (Matthew 26:53) and many myriads (thousands) of them (Revelation 5:11), but the exact number is not known on earth. In terms of Archangels-who knows? I do not think God has revealed this to us.

Why are they Archangels called Saints?

From ancient times when used for angels, the word “saint” was simply a translation for the Latin word “sanctus” which means “holy.” All rational creatures who share God’s life and nature (sanctifying grace) have been called “holy.” The term was applied correctly to the good angels and to the souls of those who are in heaven . Later on in history, the word “saint” became more restricted and was applied with a certain exclusivity to creatures of body and soul, whose souls were united to God in heaven. Canonically, the word can only be used for those souls who have been “canonized” .
 
I don’t know much, but I’ll help you as much as I can. Read the last chapter of Daniel, and you will see that “Michael will stand up”, and Gabriel of course revealed to Mary what was going on. Lucifer is also said to have been an archangel, the famous quote of Isaiah is good, but for clearer understanding maybe Ezekiel: 28 might be better. Supposedly there was a cherub who walk amid-st the fiery stones in the garden of Eden until God found iniquity in him and cast him to ash upon the earth. Those are the only three archangels I know of, but there are more, as a scriptures in all religions tries somehow to know God. Look up archangels in wikepedia. 🙂
 
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