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The Archangel Raphael is mentioned a total of twenty-three
times in the Bible, most of those time in the book of Tobit. He
is the patron saint of physicians, all healers, the blind, lovers
and travelers.
The name Raphael means 'God's remedy'. As he healed Tobit's
eyes he is said to heal…or to rightly have caused God's remedy.
Archangels are members of the second choir of angels or
those who stand before the throne of God. They are found in a
number of religious traditions including Christianity, Islam,
Judaism, and Zoroastrianism.
The only angel clearly named as being 'of the order' in the Bible
is St. Michael but St. Gabriel is named in the Gospel of Luke.
Saint Raphael is mentioned in Tobit, Enoch and the Book of Revelations.
The feast days of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24)
were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of
the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's on Sept. 29th.
Each of the three archangels perform a different mission
in the Holy Scripture. Michael is the protector; Gabriel is the
announcer and Raphael is the one who guides.
Over the years inexplicable events once believed do to the actions
of spiritual beings had given way to a scientific world view or
a different sense of cause and effect. Yet, the faithful still
believe they experience God's protection, or communication and/or
guidance from Him in ways defying explanation. The existence of
saints and angels cannot be dismissed so easily.
St. Raphael Patron Saint protects the blind; helps to cure
bodily ills and eye problems; counselors; druggists; happy meetings;
healers; health inspectors; health technicians; love; lovers;
mental illness; nurses; pharmacists; physicians; shepherds; against
sickness; therapists; travelers; young people; young people leaving
home for the first time.
St. Raphael Patron is symbolized by a staff; wallet and
fish; staff and gourd; archangel; young man carrying a staff;
young man carrying a fish; walking with Tobias; holding a bottle
or flask. His symbolic colors are gray or yellow.
Saint Raphael the Archangel has also been made patron of
many places, cities or countries Saint Raphaël, France and
Saint Raphaël, Quebec, Canada; San Rafaels in Argentina,
Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines
and in Venezuela as San Rafael de Mohán and San Rafael
de Orituco. In the United States, San Rafaels in California is
near the San Rafael Mountains. In New Mexico and Utah the San
Rafael River flows seasonally in the San Rafael Desert. He is
also patron of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa and the Archdiocese
of Seattle, Washington.
Whose Patron is St. Raphael?
St. Raphael is the Patron Saint of:
Patron Saint of against bodily ills
Patron Saint of against eye disease
Patron Saint of against eye problems
Patron Saint of against insanity
Patron Saint of against mental illness
Patron Saint of against nightmares
Patron Saint of against sickness
Patron Saint of apothecaries
Patron Saint of blind people
Patron Saint of doctors
Patron Saint of druggists
Patron Saint of Dubuque, Iowa, archdiocese of
Patron Saint of guardian angels
Patron Saint of happy meetings
Patron Saint of love
Patron Saint of lovers
Patron Saint of mentally ill people
Patron Saint of nurses
Patron Saint of pharmacists
Patron Saint of physicians
Patron Saint of Seattle, Washington, archdiocese of
Patron Saint of shepherdesses
Patron Saint of shepherds
Patron Saint of sick people
Patron Saint of travellers
Patron Saint of young people
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