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According to the Catechism of the Catholic "The existence
of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually
calls "angels" is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture
is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition." Angels are pure,
created spirits.
The name 'angel' means 'servant or messenger of God'. Angels
are celestial or heavenly beings, on a higher order than human
beings. Angels have no body and does not depend on matter for
this existence or activity. Angels have intellect and will, and
are immortal. They are a vast multitude, yet each is an individual
being. Archangels are one of the nine choirs of angels listed
in the Bible. In ascending order, the choirs or classes are 1)
Angels, 2) Archangels, 3) Principalities, 4) Powers, 5) Virtues,
6) Dominations, 7) Thrones, Cherubim, and 9) Seraphim.
The feast day of St. Raphael the Archangel was first included
to the Roman Calendar in the year 1921 on the day of October 24th.
The Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints was reformed in 1969 when
St. Raphael's feast day was changed to include the feasts of St.
Michael and St. Gabriel on September 29. The Church of England
also chose September 29 to celebrate 'Michael and All Angels.
The liturgy celebrates the feast of these three archangels
who are venerated in the tradition of the Church. Saint Michael
(Who is like God) is the archangel who fought against Satan and
all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the
protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Saint
Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zachariah the forthcoming
birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His
greeting to the Virgin, "Hail, full of grace," is one
of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people.
Saint Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care
of Tobias on his journey.
In ancient times the day in which we now celebrate the feast of
the three archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael fell on October
11 or according to some sources on October 10. According to
a legend of the United Kingdom blackberries should not be picked
after this date because, according to traditional folklore, on
this day when Satan was banished from heaven he fell into a blackberry
bush and cursed the brambles he fell into. It is even said Satan
spit on those brambles.
September 29th is commonly called Michaelmas Day (correctly
pronounced "MICKel-mus"). At this time of year the Aster
blooms and is traditionally called the 'Michaelmas Daisy. An old
custom with the Michaelmas Daisy is that one plucks off the petals
one by one chanting, 'She/he loves me' with the first petal, 'She/he
loves me not' with the second and alternating so on with all remaining
petals. The last word at the last petal will determine whether
a person is loved or not.
An old verse is written as: 'The Michaelmas Daisies, among dead
weeds; Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds. And seems the last
of flowers that stood; Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude'.
The feast of Saints Simon and Paul falls on October 28.
Michaelmas (the feast of the Archangels) as well as several
other feast days occur during the fall Equinoxes or Solstices
and mark the beginnings of new natural seasons (i.e., Spring,
Summer, Winter, Fall). In medieval times these days were used
to mark "quarters" for legal purposes, such as settling
debts.
As it is autumn (fall) foods were plentiful. According to Irish
and English folk lore eating roast goose on this day is said to
protect against financial hardship. In Ireland because it is fall
when the fishing seasons ends and the hunting season begins and
apples are harvested, eating apples with goose was considered
a special treat.
The recipe below has been updated to today's standards
Roast Goose with Apples (serves 8)
1 13-lb. goose, giblets and neck discarded (you'll need 1 lb
per person)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 golden delicious apples, peeled, each cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup calvados (apple brandy)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F.
Rinse goose inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle
inside and out with salt and pepper. Using knife, cut small slits
all over goose; place garlic slices into slits. Place goose on
rack, breast side down, in large roasting pan. Roast goose 2 hours
45 minutes, basting occasionally with drippings and removing excess
fat; reserve 6 tablespoons fat. Turn goose over. Roast until brown
and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers
175°F, basting occasionally with drippings, about 45 minutes
longer. Meanwhile, toss apples and lemon juice in large bowl.
Pour 6 tablespoons goose fat into 15 x 10 x 2-inch glass baking
dish. Using slotted spoon, transfer apples to baking dish; toss
apples in goose fat. Add sugar, Calvados and cinnamon to apples;
toss. Bake apples alongside goose until very tender and golden,
about 1 hour. Serve goose with caramelized apples and a Bordeaux
wine.
Additional Recipes:
St. Michael's Bannock
Ingredients:
1 1/3 C. barley flour
1 1/3 C. oat meal
1 1/3 C. rye meal
1 C. flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 scant tsp baking soda
2 1/2-3 C. buttermilk
3 TBSP honey or brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C. cream
4 TBSP melted butter
Mix the barley flour, oat meal, and rye meal. Add flour and salt.
Mix the soda and buttermilk (start with the 2 1/2 C) and then
add to the dry mixture. Stir in honey. Turn out onto floured board
and mix (don't over-mix), add more buttermilk if too dry, or more
flour if too sticky.
Divide dough in half, and roll each, on a floured board, into
an 8" circle (about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick). While heating
a lightly greased skillet, mix the eggs, cream, and melted butter.
Spread onto one of the bannocks and place the bannock, egg-side
down, in the skillet and cook until the egg-side is brown. Put
the egg mixture on the top side, flip the bannock and cook until
the second side is golden. Repeat this application egg wash, flipping
and cooking until each side has been cooked three times. Do the
same with the second bannock. Serve warm with butter and honey.
Blackberry Crumble (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 cups washed blackberries (thawed if frozen)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Place blackberries in a 1-quart baking dish with half of the
sugar. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cream butter, remaining sugar,
flour, and salt together; sprinkle over berries. Bake at 350°
for 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with cream, ice cream, or dessert
sauce.
The following is taken from Dorothy Gladys Spicer's "The
Festivals of Western Europe" published in 1958):
On September 29, feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St.
Raphael, the city of Augsburg holds an annual autumn fair
to which hundreds of peasants from far and near come for trade
and pleasure. Chief among the day's attractions is the hourly
appearance of figures representing the Archangel and the Devil.
The figures are built in the foundation of Perlach Turm, or Tower,
(called Tura in local dialect). The slender structure rises upward
two-hundred-and-twenty-five-feet and stands next to the Peter's
Kirche, north of the Rathaus which originally was a watch tower.
In 1615 the watch tower was heightened and converted into a belfry.
Almost a hundred years earlier the group depicting the saint
and the devil had been installed in the tower's understructure.
Annually on his feast day the archangel's armor-clad figure, holding
a pointed spear, appeared whenever the tower bell struck, and
stabbed at the devil writhing at his feet.
During World War II the historic figures were destroyed. Since
then a new group has been made and installed. Today, as for over
four centuries, spectators continue to gather about the Tura and
to watch the symbolic drama of Michael, head of the Church Triumphant,
dealing death blows to the dragon which brings evil and destruction
to the world of men
Another Michaelmas and fall tradition
Apple Dolls
Peel an apple, cutting away any bruises (coring the apple is
optional). Carve a face (as lifelike as possible into the apple--don't
cut too deep). Don't forget to add humanlike characteristics like
the little lines running from nose to mouth, the hollows of the
eyes, the cheekbone depressions. Depending on the desired "skin"
tone desired, soak the carved apple for about 45 minutes in a
mixture of lemon juice (or cider vinegar) and water (the longer
the soak, the lighter the skin tone).
Hang the apple up in a dark dry room. In 3 to 4 weeks it should
shrink by about two thirds its original size, darken some, and
will resemble the wizened features of an old woman or man. When
the apple is thoroughly dry, decorate it by using diluted food
colorings for rouge; corn silk, cotton, or yarn for hair; cloves
or food colorings for eyes; fabric triangles for scarves, etc.
Secure it onto a body made of a bottle, styrofoam cone, wooden
dowel, etc., and make clothes as desired.
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