Icon Archangel Michael slaying a dragon

Archangel Michael has long protected people from injustice and evil. He was a fierce enemy of criminals and those who defiled the name of God. His name translates as “What is the Lord?”. He was the head of the Heavenly host, fighting against the darkness and its main Offspring-Lucifer. Michael went against the son of Aurora and cast him out of heaven. John the Theologian noted in one of his manuscripts that the Archangel defeated the Devil, who appeared in the form of a serpent. He also crushed the servants of the Dawn - Angels who devoted themselves to Darkness. Satan often appears in the form of a serpent or a dragon on icons and in sacred texts. Victorious and overthrowing the Unclean, Michael is depicted in armor and with weapons in his hands. The sword is most often engulfed in flames.

Israel’s defender

According to legend, when the Israelites fled Egypt, they were led by a strange pillar of fire. It is believed that this is one of the incarnations of the Archangel Michael. Who was militant, but sensitive to the sorrows of the offended and destitute. The angel not only showed the way to the unfortunate fugitives, but also fought with their enemies. In particular, he drowned the enemies of the Israelis in the depths of the sea. In the time of the prophet Isaiah, Michael helped the people of Israel to survive in battle with the Assyrians. When Babylon fell, the Archangel appeared to the prophet Daniel. That Daniel’s vision said that Michael would lead the Heavenly Host and protect the Christians from enemies and misfortunes. And now Michael ruthlessly fights against the distortion of Christian truths and protects the human soul from the dark forces. No wonder you may see his image on many images and crosses body-crosses. For example, Russian soldiers wore helmets with the face of a Terrible Angel. He helped them to fight the enemy on the blood-soaked ground. The saint is worshipped by relatives of soldiers and people going through dark times. They also send him prayers for souls wandering in the dark. Churches are named after him, especially those that stand among crosses and tombstones. The angel is commemorated on the twenty-first of November and the nineteenth of September. These days are also associated with the faithful helpers of Michael:

• Gavriil;
• Raphael;
• Uriel;
• Shealtiel;
• Yehudiel;
• Barachiel

Heavenly Warriors with no flesh and blood appear to some Christians. Most often, these visions occur at crucial moments in a person's life. They are some kind of prophecy or warning. Christians should pay close attention to these signs given by the Heavenly Warriors, and their words.