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 Angels—messengers from God—appear frequently in Scripture,
but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.
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.
Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he
appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures
which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the
healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.
The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to
the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their
feasts to Michael's.
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