Angels, or messengers from God,appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.
On Friday, Romanian Orthodox faithful celebrated two of those angels_ Michael and Gabriel.
Romanians called Mihai, Mihait, Mihaela, Gabriel and Gabriela, in all 1.5 million Romanians were celebrating their name day on this occasion.
Michael appears in Daniel’s vision as “the great prince” who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God’s armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.
Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel’s visions, announcing Michael’s role in God’s plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.
The memorials of Gabriel and Raphael were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their individual feasts to Michael’s.
Each of the archangels performs a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces. Earlier belief that inexplicable events were due to the actions of spiritual beings has given way to a scientific world-view and a different sense of cause and effect. Yet believers still experience God’s protection, communication, and guidance in ways which defy description. We cannot dismiss angels too lightly.
Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the Patron Saints of:
Death
Germany
Grocers
Police Officers/First Responders
Radiologists
Saint Gabriel is the Patron Saint of:
Broadcasters/Communicators
According to popular custom, on the day of Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel, candles are lit for both the living and the dead.
More on the two angels:
Michael, which means “who is like God,” is one of the principal angels. His name was the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against the enemy and his followers. Following the scriptural passages, Christian tradition gives to St. Michael four offices: To fight against Satan. To rescue the souls of the faithful, from the power of the enemy, especially at the hour of death. To be the champion of God’s people, the Jews in the Old Law, the Christians in the New Testament. Therefore, he was the patron Saint of the Church; He is considered to be the protector of Christians against the devil. Regarding his rank in the celestial hierarchy, opinions vary; St. Basil in his homily angels and other fathers, place St. Michael over all the angels; They say he is called “Archangel” because he is the prince of the other angels.
Gabriel, which means “strength of God,” is one of God’s chief messengers. In the Christian tradition, Gabriel is ever the angel of mercy while Michael is rather the angel of judgment. He was God’s messenger to Daniel to explain his vision (Dan. 8:16-26) and prophecy (Dan. 9:21-27). He also foretold the birth of John the Baptist and was chosen to announce the forthcoming birth of Christ (Luke 1:11-21). At the same time, even in the bible, Gabriel is, in accordance with his name, the angel of the power of God, and it is worthwhile noting the frequency with which such words as “great”, “might”, “power” and “strength” occur in the bible. It is he who appeared to St. Joseph and to the shepherds, and also that it was he who “strengthened” our lord in the garden prior to the crucifixion.
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