Saint Michael (and All Angels)
|
The Bible tells us that St. Michael is one of the three angels who stand before the throne of God. Michael is described in the Book of Revelation as the leader of the victorious heavenly armies in their battle against Satan and his forces (hence his invariably being associated with 'All Angels'). God sent him to cast out Lucifer who led a rebllion among the angels, and he is generally identified with the Old Testament "Angel of the Lord," the protector of Israel. Michael is also the angel who receives risen souls and weighs them in the balance — the basis of his patronage of grocers. Many visions of him have been seen, the first recorded one being on Monte Gargano in Italy in the fifth century. An appearance in the eighth century led to the foundation of Mont-Saint-Michael Abbey in Normandy. |
|
