Archangels Michael and Gabriel: The feast of the Archangels that Orthodoxy celebrates today

Every year on November 8, the Church honors them Archangels Michael and Gabriel and generally all angels. On this day they bear the names Michael, Gabriel, Angel, Seraphim, Raphael, Stamatis, General, Taxiarchis and Panormites. Archangel Michael is the patron saint of the Hellenic Air Force.

It is about the gathering, that is, the gathering of the faithful, which the Orthodox Church reasonably instituted, in order to pay due respect to the ministers of God and our own protectors and guardians in a common holiday for them.

The archangels Michael and Gabriel are usually shown with a sword or scepter in their right hand, a symbol of the authority given to them by God. In their left hand, they usually hold a sphere, which symbolizes the world. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews mentions that all God's angels "are ministering spirits sent forth for those who are to inherit salvation".

Angels are incorporeal and intangible. They praise God incessantly. They surround the Throne of God in Heaven, but stand in awe and fear and reverence, unable to look upon God face to face. God and Creator of the universe, in addition to the visible and material world, also created the immaterial and invisible angelic world, as the Poet of "all things visible and invisible", as we confess in our Creed.

Angels are divided into nine orders: Cherubim and Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels. There was also a tenth command because he followed his leader, Lucifer, who was too proud before God, fell from the glory he had and from being bright (Lucifer = he who brings the dawn, the light) became a dark devil and these angels dark and evil demons, having turned away from the light and love of God.

Tradition says that the archangel Michael was the one who stopped the fall of the angels by shouting with courage: "Come forward!". That is, "let us be careful what we are going to do, because we are not gods, but God's creatures and therefore let us stand humbly in the position that He has placed us in and let us glorify Him".

Since then those who were not drawn into the fall, but "in unison, united and fearing God" remained firm, remained at the same time and now unstoppable in the good and in obedience to their Maker and Creator. For this unique contribution, Michael holds the first and dominant position among the archangels, which stands out in both the Old and New Testaments.