Raphael the Archangel
![[Raphael and Tobit]](saintr02.jpg "13kb jpg Raphael the Archangel appearing to Tobit on a holy card, date unknown, artist unknown; please do not write to ask about the image")
- Also known as
-
Azariah
Angel of Love
Angel of Joy
- Memorial
-
29 September
formerly 24 October
- Profile
- Archangel.
One of the three angels mentioned by name in Scripture, and one of the seven that stand before God's throne.
Lead character in the deutero-canonical book of Tobit in which he travelled with (and guarded) Tobiah, and cured a man's blindness; hence his connection with travellers, young people, blindness, healing and healers.
Traditionally considered the force behind the healing power of the sheep pool mentioned in John 5:1-4.
- Born
- wasn't
- Died
- hasn't
- Name Meaning
- God has healed or Healer of God
- Patronage
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against nightmares;
apothecaries;
blind people;
bodily ills;
doctors;
druggists;
archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa;
eye disease;
eye problems;
guardian angels;
happy meetings;
insanity;
love;
lovers;
mental illness;
mentally ill people;
nightmares, against;
nurses;
pharmacists;
physicians;
archdiocese of Seattle, Washington;
shepherdesses;
shepherds;
sick people;
sickness;
travellers;
young people
- Prayers
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Prayer I to...
Prayer II to...
Litany to...
Prayer for the Protection of...
Prayer to...
- Representation
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angel holding a bottle or flask;
angel walking with Tobias;
archangel;
young man carrying a fish;
young man carrying a staff
- Images
- Gallery of images of Raphael
- Storefront
- Commercial Links related to Raphael
- Additional Information
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Book of Tobit
Catholic Encyclopedia
Tom Kreitzberg's site
New Cathlic Dictionary
- Translate
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- Readings
- You should be aware that the word "angel" denotes a function rather than a nature.
Those holy spirits of heaven have indeed always been spirits.
They can only be called angels when they deliver some message.
Moreover, those who deliver messages of lesser importance are called angels; and those who proclaim messages of supreme importance are called archangels.
Raphael means...God's remedy, for when he touched Tobit's eyes in order to cure him, he banished the darkness of his blindness.
Thus, since he is to heal, he is rightly caused God's remedy.
from a homily by Pope Saint Gregory the Great