Saint Michael the Archangel

[PeteZaHut]

Does anyone know how we know about St. Michael the Archangel? Is it somewhere in the Bible?

Also, how can you be a saint and an angel? Don’t humans become saints, and aren’t angels non-human? Or can angels be saints too? Or am I completely misunderstanding what an archangel is.

 

[choy]

Saints are those who are Holy, and in Catholic tradition, those who are in heaven

angels are both Holy and reside in heaven, therefore they are considered Saints

also, they intercede for man angels protect us and watchover us as human Saints would pray for us

 

[yellowantphil]

St. Michael, like the other angels whose names we know (Gabriel, Raphael, maybe one or two that I missed), is mentioned in the Bible. Here are the references to St. Michael:

[BIBLEDRB]Dan 10:13[/BIBLEDRB]

[BIBLEDRB]Dan 10:21[/BIBLEDRB]

[BIBLEDRB]Dan 12:1[/BIBLEDRB]

This verse refers to the non-canonical book The Assumption of Moses:
[BIBLEDRB]Jude 1:9[/BIBLEDRB]

[BIBLEDRB]Rev 12:7[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[MarcoPolo]

Here’s more from the Catholic Encyclopedia about some of the tradition on St. Michael.

 

[Cachonga]

I’ve also wondered how it is that angels became saints. Seems to me (based on the scripture references that have been provided so far) that the Bible makes a clear distinction between angels and saints. I’d be very interested to see what scriptural evidence is provided, and would suggest that if no clear scriptural evidence can be provided, this is nothing more than a “tradition of men”.

 

[NHInsider]

The word “saint” comes from “sanctus” which means “holy.”

Everything God created was good - Angels and humans and all of creation.

Angels had to choose whether to remain obedient to God (and so accept the Incarnation) or to follow Satan in his rebellion. Those who remained faithful to God are still holy and so they are known as “St. Name-of-Angel” (if named) or “the Holy Angels” - meaning all the rest of them.

Humans inherit Original Sin from our first parents and so become holy only by grace. As long as we remain in the state of grace we are saints - though St. Paul wisely refers to “those who are becoming saints,” recognizing that until we die we still have free will and could reject God’s grace. Those who have passed into eternity in the state of grace are called “St. Name-of-Saved-Person” (if known) or “All the saints” - meaning all the rest of the faithful departed.

You will occasionally run into old references to “St. Jesus” - confusing unless you remember that the word “Saint” can be simply a synonym for “Holy.”

 

[Benadam]

Angels fell when they rejected God’s will and angels became sanctified (sancti) when they served God’s will.

 

[Cachonga]

NHInsider:

Angels had to choose whether to remain obedient to God (and so accept the Incarnation) or to follow Satan in his rebellion. Those who remained faithful to God are still holy and so they are known as “St. Name-of-Angel” (if named) or “the Holy Angels” - meaning all the rest of them.

What is your evidence for this claim? If it’s true, why are angels NOT referred to as Saints in the Scriptures? I find the Greek word used for Saints is agios, which does mean “Holy”, but the word for angel is aggelos, which means “Angel” (as found in Rev 8:3-4). Even the DR makes a distinction between saints and angels, so when (and how) did angels become saints?. And what do you mean by “and so accept the incarnation”?