Why Saint Michael

[PoliSciProf]

Why is Michael the Archangel SAINT Michael? We don’t customarily call Gabriel or Rapheal Saint. It seems at least to be a reduntant designation. Is calling Michael Saint Michael a pious custom, an honorific or an official act of the Church? I would appreciate your insights.

 

[malphono]

If one looks at the Litany of the Saints, one sees that indeed there are invocations to **Saint **Gabriel and **Saint **Raphael. FWLIW, the title is also used in all the Syriac Churches as well.

 

[R_C]

Actually, we *do *customarily call them saints, as malphono said

On September 29 we celebrated the Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels.

Remember that neither “angel” nor “saint” refer to someone’s nature.

CCC 329 St. Augustine says: “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel.’”

Now, to your second question:

“Why do we call angels saints?”

Answer by Catholic Answers on 8/29/2007:
Hi,

To be in heaven is to be a saint. St. Michael is in heaven and is therefore a saint.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.

You would be correct that there would be redundancy if all angels were in heaven…that is not so, though: after the fall, some (unfortunately, quite a lot) of them are in hell (including the archangel Lucifer), thus no redundancy.

 

[virginknitter]

Saint is the English translation of the Latin word for Holy. (Sancta, Sanctus), an ADJECTIVE used to describe both the angels and the humans that are in heaven: The original litany of saints in Latin would be "Sancta Cecilia, Sancta Maria, etc. (Holy Cecilia, Holy Mary) and the same adjective to describe the angels. When used as a NOUN the word refers to humans only. e.g. “The pope canonized seven saints this month.” So in English the word saint is used as both an adjective an a noun.

 

[Chatter163]

There are plenty of churches named after St. Gabriel and St. Raphael.

 

[poche]

Actually you can and maybe should refer to them as saints also. You can say Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

There is quite a devotion to Saint Raphael in many places. From the story of Tobit, he (it) is known as the patron saint of those looking for a spouse. In Spain there is a bridge which has a beautiful, huge statue of St Raphael halfway across. People walk across and stop to say prayers for their future spouse.
tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187430-c96082/Cordoba:Spain:The.Roman.Bridge.Puente.Romano.html

 

[Rich_C]

Actually, we *do *customarily call them saints, as malphono said

Good point.

Unlike St. Michael the Archangel, those angels are not mentioned several times in the Mass and in the Leonine prayers. I think that’s why we are most familar with calling Michael a saint and not the others.

 

[GangGreen]

St. Michael is referred to a lot because he is referred to in the Bible as fighting and defeating Satan. There are quite a few prayers that ask for St. Michael to defend us in battle against evil.

Here’s a little Wikipedia knowledge (feel free to correct anyone who knows more).

In the 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 the angelic model for the virtues of the spiritual warrior, with the conflict against evil at times viewed as the battle within.

In his second role, Michael is the angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven. In this role, at the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the devil and his minions. Catholic prayers often refer to this role of Michael.

In his third role, he weighs souls in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales).

In his fourth role, St Michael, the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament, is also the guardian of the Church; it was thus not unusual for the angel to be revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages. This role also extends to his being the patron saint of a number of cities and countries.

With all of that in mind, of course he’s referred to a lot in Mass (well the EF anyway). In the OF, he (nor any of the other archangels) is never mentioned which is kind of a shame.

 

[M-Dent]

Why is Michael the Archangel SAINT Michael?

Of all the created beings, besides the Virgin Mary - the Angel called Michael has been given a great task from God. From the Old Testament, the present day, until the future Saint Michael is given the gift of a critical part in a battle that God has allowed us all to partake.

 

[PazzoGrande]

Why is Michael the Archangel SAINT Michael? We don’t customarily call Gabriel or Rapheal Saint. It seems at least to be a reduntant designation. Is calling Michael Saint Michael a pious custom, an honorific or an official act of the Church? I would appreciate your insights.

An explanation I once heard was that if we knew the names of the other angels, we’d call them Saint too. Since we don’t know their names, we can’t call them Saint anything.

But yeah the other ones we know (Gabriel and Raphael, plus there supposedly are names for the other Archangels too, like Uriel) are also called Saints.

Would be nice if I could call my Guardian Angel buddy by his name. I feel silly calling him Angel.

Though NB we aren’t supposed to try to figure out the names of the other angels (except for demons and only by an exorcist within the context of an exorcism), for some reason. I don’t think the angel at Fatima even gave his name.

 

[Megan7]

Actually, we *do *customarily call them saints, as malphono said

On September 29 we celebrated the Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels.

Remember that neither “angel” nor “saint” refer to someone’s nature.

Now, to your second question:

You would be correct that there would be redundancy if all angels were in heaven…that is not so, though: after the fall, some (unfortunately, quite a lot) of them are in hell (including the archangel Lucifer), thus no redundancy.

 

[Pat_the_elder]

Here in the UK St Michael is known as the patron saint of underwear LOL

 

[Pat_the_elder]

Just waiting for those fish to bite!

 

[tbtcom1213]

Currently and commonly used prayer to Saint Michael (after Mass, devotions, etc…)

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into Hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who wander throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.

Source: fisheaters.com/prayers.html#5

Long Form of Prayer to Saint Michael

“O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Source: traditioninaction.org/religious/b009rpMichael.htm