Let us praise the heads of the angels of the Trinity, Michael and Gabriel, all we lovers of the feast, who cover ourselves with the wings of both of them, and are delivered from many kinds of need, the one saying to the one, Rejoice, O servant of the law, and to the other, Rejoice, O angel of the gift. (Kontakion 1)
The Church of Christ celebrates on 8/21 November the Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel with the Synaxis (choir) of all the angels. The Archangels are seven in number, who stand before the throne of the glory of God, as St. John the Evangelist himself says: John, of the seven Churches which are in Asia … and of the seven Spirits who stand before His throne (Revelation 1:4). And these are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriil, Salatiil, Egudiil and Varahiil.
His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, celebrated the Holy and Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel and of the other Heavenly and Bodiless Powers at the Metropolitan Cathedral “Nativity of the Lord” in Chisinau.
Together with the Arch-pastor of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, prayers were offered by the Metropolitan Secretary and Cathedral Dean, Protopriest Vadim Cheibaș, together with the clergy and parishioners present.
Angels are ministering powers, messengers of God, who proclaim God’s plans and will to the people. At baptism each of us receives a guardian angel to protect us from the arrows of the devil enemy, and after we leave this world, our angel will accompany our soul through the veils of heaven, guarding it from the evil one.
The angelic song of the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, full is heaven and earth of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3), is a hymn which the Church has taken up in public divine worship and which we believers sing together with the angels.
Photo gallery: the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, at the Metropolitan Cathedral “Nativity of the Lord” in the capital.
Synodal Sector for Institutional Communication and Media Relations