Saint Raphael the Archangel

Feast Day

• 29 September and 24 October

Profile

Saint Raphael the Archangel, Raphael is one of the seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord, and one of the only three mentioned by name in the Bible, together with Gabriel and Michael (Luke 1:9–26; Jude 1:9). He appears, by name, only in the Book of Tobit. Raphael's name means "God heals".
 
Although only the archangels Gabriel and Michael are mentioned by name in the New Testament, the Gospel of John speaks of the pool at Bethesda, where many ill people rested, awaiting the moving of the water. "An angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water was made whole of whatsoever infirmity he lay under" John 5:1-4. Because of the healing powers often linked to Raphael, the angel spoken of is generally associated with Saint Raphael the Archangel.

Venerated in

• Judaism, Christianity (Roman Catholic Church,Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Lutheran Churches,Anglican Communion), Islam

Attributes

• holding a bottle or flask, walking with Tobias, sounding a trumpet, carrying a fish or a staff

Patronage

• travelers, lovers, the youth, finding one's spouse, ordained marriage, mental health, healing, guardian angels, shepherds, pharmacists, druggists, nurses, physicians, illness, eye afflictions, the sick, the blind, against nightmares

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