According to the Holy Bible, angels are sent by God in a visible form (angels are invisible good spirits close to God) in important historical circumstances, when some great divine will is to be manifested or executed.
THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
Archangel Michael is an angel, i.e. a created, invisible and perfect spirit, which is not limited by time or space. In addition, he is the only one who is called an Archangel according to the Holy Bible as well as "one of the first lords" and "archons" and his name means "Who is like God?".
He is an angel, who appears in the Old Testament, when Lucifer, whose name means "he who brings light", while occupying the highest position in created perfection, led a small group of rebellious angels (later demons), who wanted to disobey God's commands, and rebelled.
At that moment, the until then Archangel Michael, assumed an important role in the suppression of his rebellion, thus earning the title of Archangel. In fact, he was the one who announced to Abraham the need to sacrifice his son, Isaac, while he was also the one who led the people of Israel to flee from Egypt.
In the New Testament, Archangel Michael is the one who will announce the second coming of Jesus Christ and the rapture of His church, while he is also present in Joshua, the fall of Jericho, as well as in the stories of Emmanuel, David and Elijah. He always holds a dagger, which gives fiery punishment to God's enemies.
Archangel Michael, we also meet him in the descent of Christ to Hades, as well as in the Apocalypse of John, where as the head of the Angels he fights Satan.
According to popular tradition, Michael is considered by the people to be the soul-transporting angel, i.e. he transports souls to heaven. In fact, in some areas, such as Thrace, there are some precautions and people do not leave their shoes outside the house on this day, so that the Archangel does not see them and "remember them and take over from life".
The miracle of the Archangel Michael at the Colossi of Phrygia is also known. In the area of the Colossi, a spring of holy water had gushed forth that cured every disease. A church was built there in the name of Archangel Michael. The pagans turned against the priest of the temple, but he was protected by the Archangel and saved. The pagans then tried to divert the flow of a river to drown the priest and destroy the temple. Then the Archangel Michael intervened and with his dagger tore the earth in two and the waters melted inside. To this day the waters of the rivers are digested, that is why the place was called Chonai.
Archangel Michael (Brigadier General and Commander-in-Chief) is also the Patron Saint of the Air Force and his memory is celebrated with great pomp in all Air Force Units.
THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL
Archangel Gabriel is one of the countless angels. His name means "hero of God" and he is one of the few angels mentioned by name in the Holy Bible.
Archangel Gabriel is the angel who appeared to the prophet Daniel, to the wife of Manoe, and announces to her that she will give birth to Samson, to Joachim and Anna, and announces to them that they will give birth to the Virgin Mary, to the priest Zacharias, to announce to him that will give birth to Saint John the Forerunner.
Archangel Gabriel is also the one with whom all the events related to the birth of Christ are connected.
Archangel Gabriel is the one who gave the lily to the Virgin Mary and announced to her that she will give birth to the Son of God and he presented himself to the shepherds. He told Joseph to take Mary and the baby and leave for Egypt and after a while, return to the land of Israel.
In recent years, in the Holy Temple of Protato, in the Karyes of Mount Ag. Oros, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to a monk and in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary he began to sing "Axion Esti". The monk liked this hymn, but he was saddened because he would he was forgetting Archangel Gabriel, however, engraved the hymn on a marble slab with his finger. Thus the icon of the Virgin Mary was named "Axion Esti" and this miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary "Axion Esti" exists to this day, reminding us that the existence of angels is a reality, as well as the Archangel Gabriel himself.
Many of the holy scholars and astrologers agree that Uncle Gabriel was the Angel who rolled the rock from the monument of Jesus. And he was the one who brought the message to the Myrobearers about the Resurrection of the Lord. Archangel Gabriel was the one who ministered the Mystery of the incarnate economy of God's Word from beginning to end.
Today, according to the calendar, the following are celebrated:
Angeliki, Angela, Angie, Angela, Angelina, Angelos, Aggelis*
Gabriel, Gavril, Gavril, Gabriela, Gavrila, Gavrielitsa, Gavrilitsa, Arabela
Michael, Michelle, Michalis, Michalos, Michaelis, Michaela, Michaela, Michalista
Seraphim, Seraphimia, Seraphima, Serafina, Seraphim, Seraphimula, Seraphimitsa*
Efstratia
Metaxia, Silky, Metaxoula, Taxoula
Raphaela, Raphaella, Raphaela, Raphaelia, Raphael, Raphael, Raphael*
Stamatis, Stamatios, Stamos, Stamoulis, Stamelos, Stamelis, Stamelas, Stamatia, Mata, Matoula, Matina,
Stamatina, Stamata, Stamela, Stamoula, Stamati, Mato, Stamatella*
Strategos, Stratis, Stratigoula
Taxiarchis, Taxiarchoula
* There are other dates that this name has a holiday.
Apolitikion
letter d
Commander-in-chief of the heavenly armies, we, the unworthy, beseech you, protect us, protect us with your wings, the light of your glory, guarding us by falling, standing and shouting, from dangers you have redeemed our God, as Commander of the Higher Powers.
