Feast of St. Michael, The Archangel, September 29th

This is one of those Feast Days I mentioned in previous articles that falls on a Sunday and because it is the Lord’s Day it isn’t celebrated this year. However, it is an important day in the Church calendar that I decided to write about it.

Actually, this day would have been celebrated as the Feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. In the pre-Vatican 11 calendar, each of these Archangels had their own day: Michael, September 29; Gabriel, March 24, and Raphael, October 21. The celebration of these Archangels has been celebrated by the Church since 745 A.D. when it was approved by the Lateran Council.

Incidentally, there have been five Lateran Councils. As stated before, the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D. gave us the seven sacraments. Please recall, that the Lateran Basilica is the pope’s Cathedral as the Archbishop of Rome. The name “Michael” means: who is like God. The name “Gabriel” means: Power of God and the name “Raphael” means: God has healed.

In the Mass prayers for this day these Archangels are referred to as the “Princes of The Angels”. They are protective and watch over the faithful. In heaven they who serve God constantly, keep our life safe from harm on earth. Pope St. Gregory, The Great (590-604) writes that they have a special function of protecting us. This is attributed, he writes, to Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, most especially.

Of course, the angels and Archangels are definitely associated with Divine Worship (Mass). In the seminary we were taught that the angels are present during the celebration of the Mass. Please witness this in Eucharistic Prayer I … “we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in Heaven.”

Would we have celebrated this Feast today, the importance of it is that the angels ceaselessly sing: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven
and earth are filled with your glory!” When we sing this at Mass we join them for that moment. We are one with them and the liturgy taking place in Heaven. Here are the words of Jesus in John 1:5, “ I solemnly assure you, you shall see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Of course, Mass will be celebrated at 12:10pm on the Feast of the Guardian Angels, October 2nd. This was first celebrated in Valencia, Spain in 1411 A.D. Pope Sixtus V (1585-1590) in the year 1590 granted a special Mass in honor of the Guardian Angels. Since the year 1608, the Guardian Angels have been celebrated on October 2nd, placed in the Roman (Catholic) Calendar by Pope Paul V (1605-1621). The Angels eternally sing the praises of the Lord. Please join us for Mass on October 2nd.