Why Christians Celebrate St. Michael and All Angels
On September 29, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, traditionally known as Michaelmas (pronounced MIK-uhl-mus), a shortened form of “Michael’s Mass.”
This is the day the Church sets aside to honor St. Michael the Archangel, captain of the heavenly armies, and to celebrate the ministry of all the angels, those powerful and awe-inspiring creatures who worship God and carry out His purposes in heaven and on earth.
For many Christians, this feast can feel unfamiliar or even a little uncomfortable. Angels have been so distorted by popular culture, and the biblical teaching about the unseen world so often ignored or sensationalized, that we may not know what to make of a day devoted to them. Some worry that honoring angels distracts from the worship of God, while others associate them with sentimental decorations or strange spiritual speculation. But Michaelmas is not about worshiping angels or becoming preoccupied with them. It is about praising God for His whole creation, seen and unseen, and recovering a biblical understanding of the mysterious beings who worship and serve Him.
Although Michaelmas is unfamiliar to many Christians today, it was once one of the great landmarks of the year. During the Middle Ages, it was observed as a holy day when Christians attended Mass, and because it fell near the end of harvest, it also became an important marker in the agricultural and civic calendar. Rents were paid, accounts were settled, workers were hired, university and legal terms began, and families gathered for a traditional meal. Even the autumn term at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge is still called Michaelmas Term. As the days shortened and winter approached, the Church celebrated St. Michael’s victory over the dragon and remembered that, however real the powers of darkness may be, they remain subject to the power of God.
Why Do We Call Him “Saint” Michael?
The title saint might sound strange when it is applied to an angel, but the word simply means “holy one,” someone set apart for the purposes of God.
We most often associate the word with holy men and women, particularly those formally recognized by the Church. However, the Church has long used the title for Michael because he is one of God’s holy angels, entirely devoted to His worship and service.
Why Celebrate Angels?
When we celebrate the angels, we are not worshiping them. We are joining the Church in thanking and praising God for everything He has created, including these mysterious and mighty beings who faithfully serve Him.
Throughout Scripture, angels bring messages from God, guide and protect His people, war against evil, carry out His judgments, and continually worship before His throne.
What the Bible Really Says About Angels
Much of what popular culture has taught us about angels bears little resemblance to what we encounter in Scripture.
The angels of Scripture do not resemble the chubby, winged babies floating sweetly on clouds that we often see in art and decorations. Biblical angels are startling, mysterious, mighty, and frequently fear-inducing.
Some appear in the form of men, while others are described in ways that are almost impossible to imagine.
The heavenly beings in Ezekiel’s visions are covered in eyes. Some angels appear with blazing swords, while others move invisibly through the world. Human beings who encounter angels in Scripture are often terrified, which is why an angel’s first words are so frequently, “Do not be afraid.” These are not harmless decorative figures. They are powerful servants of the living God who exist to worship Him and carry out His will.
Types of Angels in Scripture
Scripture gives us glimpses of several different kinds of angels and heavenly beings.
Archangels
The word arch means “chief” or “principal.” Michael is the only angel explicitly called an archangel in Scripture, in Jude 1:9. An archangel is also mentioned, although not named, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
Gabriel is never specifically given the title of archangel in the Bible, but he is often understood to be one because of his prominent role in delivering some of God’s most important messages. He appears to the prophet Daniel, to Zechariah before the birth of John the Baptist, and to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation.
Cherubim
Cherubim appear throughout Scripture in connection with the holiness and presence of God. They are stationed at the entrance to Eden after the Fall, guarding the way to the tree of life in Genesis 3:24. Images of cherubim overshadowed the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant, and they also appear prominently in Ezekiel’s extraordinary visions.
Far from the sweet, chubby “cherubs” of popular art, biblical cherubim are strange and formidable heavenly beings associated with the throne, presence, and glory of God.
Seraphim
The seraphim appear in Isaiah 6, standing before the throne of God. They have six wings and continually proclaim:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Their unceasing worship is echoed in the Church’s Eucharistic prayers whenever we join “angels and archangels and all the company of heaven” in singing the Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy.”
The Angel of the Lord
The Angel of the Lord is a unique and mysterious figure in the Old Testament. At times, He appears not only to speak for God but to speak as God Himself.
Because of this, Christians and biblical scholars have long debated His identity. Some understand the Angel of the Lord as a theophany, a visible manifestation of God, or even as a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. Others understand Him as a distinct angelic messenger who speaks with the full authority of God.
Unnamed Angels
Many of the angels who appear in Scripture are not given names. They are sent as messengers, guides, protectors, and agents of God’s purposes.
We encounter them throughout the biblical story. Angels visit Abraham, rescue Lot’s family from Sodom, announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds, minister to Jesus, open prison doors, and carry out countless other works on God’s behalf.
Although their names are unknown to us, their anonymity tells us something important about the nature of angelic ministry. The faithful angels do not draw attention to themselves. Their messages, power, and work always direct us beyond them to the God they serve.
Fallen Angels
Scripture also speaks of angels who rebelled against God. Satan and the fallen angels rejected God’s authority and became enemies of God and His people. Although they are spiritual powers opposed to God’s purposes, they remain created beings whose power is limited.
What Do the Angels Teach Us?
The faithful angels show us something about the life every creature was made to live. They worship God, obey His commands, carry His messages, and direct all glory toward Him. Although they possess astonishing power, they never claim that power as their own. Everything they are and everything they do points beyond themselves to the God who created them.
Their presence also teaches us to see the world more truthfully. In the Nicene Creed, we confess our belief in God as the maker “of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.” Yet we live in a time that encourages us to believe that only what we can see, measure, and explain is real. Scripture gives us a much larger vision. Around our ordinary earthly lives is an unseen creation in which angels worship, serve, protect, carry messages, and participate in the mysterious providence of God.
This is particularly important when we gather for worship. Every Sunday, when we sing “Holy, holy, holy,” we join the song of the seraphim. Our worship is united with that of angels, archangels, saints, martyrs, and all the company of heaven. We are not beginning a song of praise that did not exist before we arrived but joining the worship already taking place before the throne of God. Michaelmas reminds us that Christian worship is never merely earthly and that the congregation we can see is only one part of the great company gathered in God’s presence.
The angels also remind us that spiritual conflict is real. Scripture does not present evil as merely an idea, a metaphor, or the unfortunate result of human ignorance. Yet Michaelmas does not encourage us to become fascinated with evil or frightened by it. Instead, it directs our attention toward the sovereignty of God.
We celebrate the angels, then, not because they turn our attention away from God, but because their worship and ministry direct our attention more fully toward Him.
Why Do We Celebrate St. Michael in Particular?
Of all the angels, Michael holds a special place in Scripture and in the tradition of the Church.
His name means “Who is like God?” It is a question whose answer is clear: no one is like God. No creature, however glorious or powerful, can compare with the Creator.
Michael’s name expresses the very heart of faithful angelic service. Satan’s rebellion is rooted in pride and self-exaltation, but Michael’s name rejects the possibility that any creature could rival God. His power lies not in independence from God but in his complete faithfulness to Him.
The Book of Daniel describes Michael as “one of the chief princes” and as the great prince who protects God’s people. In Jude 1:9, he contends with the devil over the body of Moses. In Revelation 12:7–9, Michael and his angels fight against the dragon, who is identified as Satan, and cast him down.
Christian tradition has also associated Michael with other moments of angelic protection and intervention, including the angel who stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Although Scripture does not name that angel as Michael, the association reflects the Church’s long understanding of Michael as a guardian and defender.
Michael is also traditionally remembered as the captain of the heavenly armies who led the faithful angels against Lucifer and the angels who joined his rebellion. He is honored as a defender of heaven, of God’s people, and of truth, faithfully carrying out the will of God.
Michaelmas takes the reality of evil seriously without ever suggesting that evil is equal to God. The dragon is terrible, but he remains a creature. Michael and the faithful angels overcome him through the power and authority of God. The spiritual battle is real, but its final outcome is not uncertain.
Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
As always, there are many simple and meaningful ways to mark this feast in your home. Michaelmas has accumulated some especially charming traditions over the centuries, many of them tied to the arrival of autumn and the foods that were traditionally harvested at this time of year.
Seasonal Foods: Carrots and Blackberries
In the British Isles, carrots and blackberries were traditionally in season around Michaelmas, making them natural additions to the feast-day table.
There is also a wonderfully colorful Irish legend surrounding Michaelmas and blackberries. According to the story, when Lucifer was cast out of heaven, he landed in a blackberry bush. Angry at his thorny landing, he cursed, or in some versions spat upon, the berries, making them sour after September 29.
Because of this legend, Michaelmas was traditionally considered the final day of the year to gather and enjoy blackberries. Whether or not you take the story too seriously, it gives us a wonderful excuse to enjoy them while we can, so try making my Blackberry Hand Pies during Michaelmas week!
Roast Chicken—or Goose!
In medieval Europe, roast goose was the traditional centerpiece of the Michaelmas meal.
The custom may have been connected to the agricultural calendar and the payment of rents around Michaelmas, when tenants sometimes presented their landlords with a goose. Over time, eating goose on Michaelmas became associated with prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.
If goose is difficult to find, or simply more ambitious than you want your Michaelmas celebration to be, a roast chicken makes a delicious and fitting substitute.
My Perfect Roast Chicken is an easy way to bring this old tradition to your family table.
Want more ways to bring Michaelmas to life in your home? In the next post, I’ll share more fun and festive ways and recipes perfect for this heavenly feast!
the recipe -
Blackberry Hand Pies
Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and cold
3/4 cup sour cream
Egg wash (1 egg and 1 teaspoon water)
Granulated sugar
Filling
3 cups of blackberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
To prepare the dough
Blend the flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Add sour cream and pulse until the dough starts to form a ball.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a rectangle.
Divide the dough in half, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
To prepare the filling
Combine the blackberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat until they start to break down slightly.
Cook until the blackberries are tender and have released their juices, about 5 minutes.
Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, then add to the blackberries.
To assemble the hand pies
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. When you are ready to prepare the hand pies, roll one of the chilled doughs out on a floured surface. As you are rolling, you can straighten out the edges with your hands to create a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Using a pastry wheel, cut the dough into 12 equal squares by cutting 4 strips along the length and 3 strips along the short side. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in each center of half the squares. Lightly brush the edges of the filled squares with egg wash. Cover with the remaining squares.
Press the dough together then use a fork to gently adhere the hand pies around the edges. Cut a cross on each top. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. If baking both baking sheets at once, rotate top to bottom after 15 minutes.
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