The Feast of the Archangels — Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael — is celebrated on September 29 in the Roman Catholic Church. In the English-speaking world the day is also known as Michaelmas, from "Michael's Mass," a name it has carried since the Middle Ages. It is one of the oldest and most beloved feasts of the autumn.
When Is the Feast of the Archangels?
The feast falls on September 29 every year. In the current General Roman Calendar it is the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels. The three are celebrated together because they share one mission: they are the messengers and servants of God whose names Scripture records.
Before the calendar reform of 1970, September 29 was kept as the feast of St. Michael alone, under the title of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel. When the calendar was revised, the Church added Gabriel and Raphael to the same day, honoring all three archangels together. The date itself did not change — it is one of the most ancient in the Roman calendar.
Why September 29?
The date is connected with Rome. A basilica dedicated to St. Michael stood on the Via Salaria, and its dedication was remembered on September 29; from Rome the feast spread across Europe and became, by the Middle Ages, one of the most popular days of the year. The proximity of the autumn equinox also made it a natural turning point — in much of Europe, Michaelmas marked the beginning of the darker half of the year.
Michaelmas Traditions
Because the feast was so widely kept, it gathered customs around itself:
- A quarter day. In Britain and Ireland, Michaelmas was one of the four "quarter days" — the dates when rents were paid, contracts began, and servants were hired. The "Michaelmas term" at universities like Oxford and Cambridge still carries the name today.
- The Michaelmas goose. A roasted goose was the traditional Michaelmas dish in England and Ireland — a harvest-season feast before winter set in.
- Harvest and light. In many places the feast closed the harvest and opened the season of shorter days; the archangel who defeats the dragon was a natural patron for the turning of the year.
The customs vary from country to country, but the heart of the day is the same everywhere: gratitude to God for the ministry of the angels who guard and guide his people.
The Archangels in the Liturgy
On September 29 the Church reads from Daniel 7 — the vision of the Son of Man coming with the clouds, served by thousands upon thousands — or from Revelation 12, the war of Michael against the dragon. The Gospel is John 1:47–51: "You will see the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." The archangels are also invoked by name in the Confiteor at every Mass: "I confess to almighty God... and to you, my brothers and sisters, and to blessed Michael the Archangel..." — a reminder that their service surrounds the liturgy itself.
In the traditional prayer to St. Michael, composed in 1886 and still prayed by many Catholics today, the faithful ask the archangel to "defend us in battle" and protect souls. The feast is the day above all to pray it.
How to Celebrate the Feast at Home
The Feast of the Archangels is a family-friendly day. A few ways to keep it:
- Place an archangel icon on your home altar. September 29 is the perfect day to add an icon of St. Michael, Gabriel, or Raphael to a prayer corner — our hand-gilded icons are made in Poland on alder wood, from $48.
- Pray the Prayer to St. Michael together in the evening, and the traditional prayer to your guardian angel.
- Teach the children the three archangels. Our guide to archangel symbols explains the sword, the lily, and the fish in a way children can follow.
- Give an icon as a gift. Michaelmas is a traditional day for name-day gifts and for godparents to give a first icon.
- Remember the guardian angels too. The sacred icons collection includes more than 40 guardian angel designs for children and adults, from $29 — the natural companion to the archangel feast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the Feast of the Archangels?
A: The Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, is celebrated on September 29 every year in the Roman Catholic Church. In the English-speaking world the day is also called Michaelmas.
Q: Is Michaelmas the same as the Feast of the Archangels?
A: Yes. Michaelmas is the traditional English name for the September 29 feast — "Michael's Mass." Before 1970 the day honored St. Michael alone; the current calendar celebrates all three archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, on the same date.
Q: Why is the feast called Michaelmas?
A: The name comes from the Old English Michaeles mæsse, "Michael's Mass." In medieval England the feast was one of the most important days of the year — a quarter day for rents and contracts — and the name survived in the calendar of universities and law courts as "Michaelmas term."
Q: Which archangels are celebrated on September 29?
A: All three archangels named in Scripture: St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. The Church celebrates them together because they share the mission of serving God as his messengers — from the Annunciation to the protection of the faithful.
Q: What is a traditional gift for the Feast of the Archangels?
A: An icon of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, or St. Raphael is the classic Michaelmas gift. Our hand-gilded archangel icons — made on alder wood with gold leaf applied by hand — start at $48 and come with a certificate of authenticity; guardian angel icons for children start at $29.
