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| +Master of Pratovecchio, The Three Archangels Italian, c. 1450 Berlin, Gemäldegalerie der Staatliche Museen |
September 29th was once known as Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. Then, in 1969 when the revised list of feast days was released, it became the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels. This is a wise reminder that Michael is not the only archangel whose name we know from the Bible. There are two others whose activity on God's behalf within the mortal world has been thought worthy of notice and remembrance.l
The names of the Archangels suggest the sphere of activity in which they take part.
Michael
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| Jean Bourdichon, Saint Michael the Archangel From the Grandes heures d'Anne de Bretagne French (Tours), c.1503-1508 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9474, fol. 163v |
Michael is often depicted wearing armor and holding either a sword or lance, which he wields in defeating Satan, who is often depicted as a serpent or a demon. Michael also is the just judge who weighs the good and bad deeds of each individual upon their death.
The fate of each soul rests in the balance scales in Michael's hands. Too few good deeds will doom the soul to torment, while abundant good deeds open the door to heaven. An ambiguous result leads to temporary punishment in Purgatory.
Gabriel
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| Jean Bourdichon, Saint Gabriel the Archangel From Grandes heures d'Anne de Bretagne French (Tours), c. 1503-1508 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9474, fol. 167v |
He is usually shown in action, especially as one half of an image of the Annunciation (as here, for instance). If shown on his own he will usually bear some reference to that supreme moment, a lily, perhaps, or a scroll bearing the words of his greeting to Mary "Hail, full of grace!"
Raphael is the least well-known of the three Archangels of today's feast. His name means "God has healed" and he is associated with works of corporal mercy. Most importantly he is remembered as the angel who, in the guise of a young man, accompanies young Tobias on his journey to collect money owed to his blind father, Tobit. It is through Raphael's advice that Tobias successfully makes the journey, gaining a wife (whom he frees from the interference of a demon by following Raphael's advice), and curing his father of his blindness on his return (also by following the angel's advice).
Raphael
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| Jean Bourdichon, Saint Raphael the Archangel From the Grandes heures d'Anne de Bretagne French (Tours), c. 1503-1508 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 9474, fol. 165 |
His iconography usually includes the figure of Tobias and his dog and, also usually, the fish. He may carry jars of ointment or even a full medical kit, with a pilgrim staff or a sword used to protect his charge from harm.
Group Portraits
While images of the three Archangels involved in the tasks that they have been assigned are very frequent in the history of art, images of the Archangels as portraits are rarer. Rarer still are images in which two or more of them are shown together as a group. I have assembled a group of these images here to celebrate the feast day of the three great Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.1 |
| Fastolf Master, Three Archangels From the Hours of William Porter French (Rouen), c. 1420-1425 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M105, fol. 22v |
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| Archangels Michael and Raphael From a Book of Hours Flemish (Ghent), c. 1420-1430 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M439, fol. 19v |
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| +Francesco Botticini, The Three Archangels with Tobias Italian, c. 1470 Florence, Gallerie degli Uffizi |
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| +Domenico Ghirlandaio, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Archangels Michael and Gabriel, Saints and Angels Italian, c. 1483 Florence, Gallerie degli Uffizi |
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| +Marco d'Oggiono, The Three Archangels Italian, c. 1500 Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera |
There appears to have been an increase in interest in the archangels as a group, rather than as individuals, during the eighteenth century, especially in the Catholic regions of Germany, as there are a number of important depictions of the three together.
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| *Joseph Amonte, Angels Adoring an Image of the Virgin Mary Italian, c. 1745-1750 Rein, Abbey Church |
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| *Otto Gebhard, Raphael, Gabriel and Michael German, 1751 Regensburg, Church of the Holy Cross All three archangels are represented here. Raphael is seen with Tobias at the upper left. Gabriel, carrying a branch of lily and holding a mirror is below them. In the center of the composition is Michael, dressed in his armor and holding a banner with the cross in his right hand and the globe of the earth in his left. |
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| *Thomas Christian Scheffler, The Assumption of the Virgin Mary with Saints and Angels German, 1751 Dillingen, Church of the Assumption This is the central group of figures painted on the dome of the church of the Assumption in Dilligen. The crowned, enthroned figure of Mary, who wears the monogram of Jesus on her chest, is surrounded by angels and two young Jesuit saints, Aloysius Gonzaga and Stanislaus Kostka. Michael, in gold and holding the scales of judgment, is on the left and Gabriel, in blue, holding lilies, is on the right. |
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| *Felix Anton Scheffler, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael German, 1757 Baumberg, Church of Saint Margaretha |
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| *Johann Jakob Zeiller and Franz Anton Zeiller, Creation and the Heavenly Dominion German, c. 1757-1760 Ottobeuren, Church of Saints Theodore and Alexander At the top of this cropped image is the Holy Trinity in the act of creation. At the lower edge, starting at the center and to the right are the three named archangels. Michael has pride of place at the center as he and his lieutenants battle the fallen angels, to his right is the image of Raphael with Tobias and above them is Gabriel, wearing a blue mantle, who holds the branch of lilies. |
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| *Josef Adam Mölk, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Austrian, 1766 Rein, Abbey Church Michael, in a red cloak and armor, holds a thurible for incense, while an assisting cherub holds his sword and scales. At the center, Gabriel, wearing a teal mantle and with blue wings, also holds a smoking vessel of incense. At the right, Raphael, wears a golden tunic under a fawn colored cloak which sports a pilgrims cockle shell. Just below him, a small figure with a teal mantle and a halo, holds a pilgrim staff. Since this little figure does not have wings, it does not appear to represent a cherub. However, the halo suggests that it is a holy figure. The most probable identification is with Tobias, the youth guided through his biblical quest by Raphael. |
© M. Duffy, 2017. Updated images and additional material added 2024.
+ Indicates updated image.
* Indicates new material.
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- Pope, Hugh. "Angels." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 29 Sept. 2017
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