The Catholic Church venerates three archangels by name: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael — the only angels named in Scripture. Michael is the defender of the faithful, Gabriel the messenger of the Incarnation, and Raphael the healer and guide. Their common feast is celebrated on September 29.
The Three Archangels Named in Scripture
Angels appear on almost every page of the Bible, but only three are named: Michael (in the Book of Daniel), Gabriel (in Daniel and Luke), and Raphael (in the Book of Tobit). The Church venerates exactly these three in her liturgy — they are the archangels of the Roman calendar, and they are celebrated together on one day.
The word "archangel" itself is rare in Scripture: it appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ("the voice of an archangel") and Jude 9, where St. Michael is called "the archangel" by name. The title means "chief messenger" — an angel entrusted with a mission of special weight in the story of salvation.
St. Michael — Defender of the Faithful
Michael's name is a question and a battle cry: Mi-ka-El, "Who is like God?" He appears in the Book of Daniel as "the great prince who stands guard over your people" (Daniel 10:13; 12:1). In Revelation he leads the heavenly hosts against the dragon: "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon" (Revelation 12:7–9). In Jude 9 he contends with the devil over the body of Moses — calmly, invoking the Lord's authority.
The Church honors him as the protector of the faithful, and in 1886 Pope Leo XIII composed the famous prayer to St. Michael that Catholics still pray today. He is the patron of soldiers, police officers, and firefighters, and a companion of the dying in their final trial. His icons show him with sword, scales, and banner — the attributes explained in our guide to archangel symbols.
St. Gabriel — Messenger of the Incarnation
Gabriel, "the strength of God," is the great messenger. He appears to the prophet Daniel to explain the vision of the ram and the goat (Daniel 8:16) and the prophecy of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:21). In the Gospel of Luke he announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah — "I am Gabriel, who stand before God" (Luke 1:19) — and then brings the message that changed history: the Annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:26–38).
Because his mission is to announce, his attributes are the lily (the purity of the one he greets), the trumpet (the herald's instrument), and the cross-staff (the messenger's staff). He is the patron of messengers, postal and communication workers, and expectant mothers.
St. Raphael — Healer and Guide
Raphael, "the medicine of God," appears in the Book of Tobit. He travels disguised as a companion of young Tobias on the road to Media, protects him on the journey, drives out the demon Asmodeus from Sarah, and heals the blindness of Tobit with the gall of a fish (Tobit 6; 11). At the end of the story he reveals himself: "I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord" (Tobit 12:15).
His attributes — the fish, the staff, the pilgrim's flask — all come from that journey. He is the patron of travelers, the sick, physicians, pharmacists, and young people leaving home for the first time.
The Seven Archangels in Christian Tradition
Raphael's words in Tobit 12:15 — "one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord" — gave rise to the tradition of the seven archangels. Alongside Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Christian tradition (especially in the East) remembers Uriel, Barachiel, Jehudiel, and Sealtiel, each with a traditional attribute: a flame, a rose, a crown, and a censer.
Two clarifications keep the devotion in perspective. First, only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are named in Scripture and celebrated in the Roman calendar — their feast is September 29. Second, the names and attributes of the other four are a matter of pious tradition, not of Church teaching, and they vary between East and West. Catholics are free to honor the seven archangels; the Church's official veneration is fixed on the three named in the Bible.
Archangel vs Guardian Angel — What Is the Difference?
The two are often confused. Archangels are the chief messengers with named missions in salvation history: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Guardian angels are the angels assigned to watch over each person: "their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my Father" (Matthew 18:10; Catechism of the Catholic Church §336). Every person has a guardian angel; the three archangels are protectors of the whole Church. The Church celebrates the guardian angels on October 2, and the archangels on September 29.
Both are honored in Catholic homes with icons: our icons of the archangels and the guardian angel designs in the sacred icons collection, where more than 40 guardian angel icons for children and adults are available from $29.
The Archangels in Catholic Art and Icons
Catholic and Orthodox iconography gives each archangel the attributes of his mission, and the inscriptions of their names make each icon identifiable at a glance. A traditional archangel icon is not a portrait of an unknown spirit — it is a confession of what Scripture says Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael do.
In our workshop in Lublewo Gdańskie, Poland, we make hand-gilded archangel icons on alder wood — the image applied to the board and finished by hand with gold leaf, in four sizes from 10.5 × 14 cm to 29 × 39 cm, from $48, each with a certificate of authenticity. See the full set in Icons of the Archangels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who are the archangels?
A: The three archangels named in Scripture and venerated by the Catholic Church are St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. Michael is the defender of the faithful, Gabriel the messenger of the Incarnation, and Raphael the healer and guide. They are celebrated together on September 29.
Q: How many archangels are there?
A: Scripture names three archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Christian tradition speaks of seven angels who "stand before the Glory of the Lord" (Tobit 12:15) and remembers four more names — Uriel, Barachiel, Jehudiel, and Sealtiel — but the Roman calendar celebrates only the three named in the Bible.
Q: Is Uriel an archangel in the Catholic Church?
A: Uriel is venerated as an archangel in Eastern Christian tradition, and his name appears in traditional lists of the seven archangels. He is not, however, named in Scripture, and he is not celebrated in the Roman Catholic calendar, which honors only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
Q: Where do archangels appear in the Bible?
A: Michael appears in Daniel (10:13, 12:1), Revelation (12:7–9), and Jude 9. Gabriel appears in Daniel (8:16, 9:21) and Luke (1:11–38). Raphael appears in the Book of Tobit, where he accompanies Tobias and reveals himself in Tobit 12:15. These are the only three angels named in the Bible.
Q: What is the difference between an archangel and a guardian angel?
A: An archangel is one of the chief angels with a named mission in salvation history — Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. A guardian angel is the angel assigned to protect and guide an individual person (Matthew 18:10). Every person has a guardian angel; the Church celebrates them on October 2 and the archangels on September 29.
