September 29th is Michaelmas Day, the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, when everyone with the moniker of Michael will feel the roots extending from our favorite saint.
Greeks often celebrate their name days, and September was a special time for us boys, as well as girls with the names of Michelle, Michaela and Michelena. Michael was a saint elevated by the early Christians, and may even have roots in other religions. He had defeated Lucifer and is depicted with either a sword or a spear in one hand and a scale of justice in the other.
Patron saint of police and all of us veterans
Some say he will help at Judgment Day whenever that may occur, but most focus on the weapon in his right hand as he vanquished the most beautiful angel the Almighty ever created and set the heavens straight for humans in the lower realms with whom angels were designed to serve.
Michael is the patron saint of the sea and maritime lands, of ships and boatmen, of horses and horsemen as well members of the United States military and police officers. During the Middle Ages the Feast of St. Michael was celebrated as a Holy Day of Obligation, but this tradition was abolished in the 18th century.
It was during Michaelmas Day that Francis of Assisi received the Stigmata, the markings of Christ on his hands and feet as well as on his side. An angel had appeared to him, a Seraph, a member of the highest order of angles with three pair of wings known as the Seraphim. St Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment, died some two years later, never revealing to the public or his fellow monks the injuries he sustained.
Michael is the name of my very own Guardian Angel. I learned that after reading a book by Lorna Byrne –an Irish lass — who has seen and spoke with angels since she was a child. She suggests that you “suspend your disbelief” about angels and, ask them to give you a sign. My sign appeared in less than 24 hours after requesting the angelic ones to do their duty.
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You have to be open to the signs, however. Open your eyes, your ears and your heart. Your mind will follow, particularly on the Feast Day of St. Michael the Archangel.
Contoveros 
The following are comments this post received at Move-On.com
libera nos Sep 29 · 11:19:27 AM
And the start of one of the three terms for English Universities: Michaelmas, Trinity, and Hilary.
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Wee Mama libera nos Sep 29 · 01:50:27 PM
And do you which Hilary that is? 🙂
libera nos Wee Mama Sep 29 · 02:02:25 PM
St. Hilary of Poitiers—although admittedly I had to refresh my memory on the Internet.
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Wee Mama libera nos Sep 29 · 02:19:32 PM
A major trinitarian scholar, as it happens.
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Clarygrace1 Sep 29 · 11:26:39 AM
As someone who is of Italian descent and has lived there, I understand the celebration of patron saints which is prevalent in Catholic European nations. Have already sent many Auguri to friends and family named Michele and Michela! Enjoy Michaelmas everyone!
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TheFlairRick21 Sep 29 · 11:36:37 AM
One of My all-time favorite pieces of classical music is for the feast of St. Michael, Written by Johann Sebastian Bach’s great Uncle- Johann CHRISTOPH Bach, called “Es Erhub Sich Ein Streit I’m Himmel”
Others have written settings of it, and JS Bach himself wrote a cantata, BWV50 “Nun ist Das Heil Uns die Kraft” which has texts identical to starting halfway into “Es Erhub…Himmel.”
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Wisper Sep 29 · 12:19:34 PM
Huh… I thought Michaelmas corresponded with the pagan feast day of Lammas (or Lughnasadh) but those are early August (the halfway point between the solstice and the equinox).
Just like Roodmas was used to supplant the celebration of Beltane (Early May) and Candlemas was used to replace Imbolc (Early Feb).
Is there another Michael-related day around Aug 1-3?
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ThePhlebob Wisper Sep 29 · 12:31:08 PM
And Christmas was moved to December (from, I think, June) to counter the Roman Saturnalia.
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Wisper ThePhlebob Sep 29 · 01:10:38 PM
Which was based on Yule and the Winter Solstice.
Feast of Saint John is the Summer solstice.
All Saints Day subs in for Samhain.
Oddly though, they kept the actual pagan scheduling of Easter. Its the only Christian holiday still based on lunar cycles and the Equinox rather then pinned straight to the Gregorian Calendar. (1st Sunday after the 1st Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox)
But I could have sworn Michael’s Feast Day was the proxy for Lammas. Clearly Im wrong, as this diarist points out, but I wonder what I am mis-remembering then?
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ThePhlebob Sep 29 · 12:29:59 PM
“An angel had appeared to him, a Seraphim, a member of the highest order of angles with three pair of wings. “
Slight correction: “Seraphim” is plural, in fact, the name of the order. “Seraph” is the singular. The link uses it correctly.
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IndieGuy Sep 29 · 01:15:51 PM
I grok this diary.
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Fishtroller01 Sep 29 · 01:52:12 PM
After reading this, I think I’ll keep my disbelief firmly attached to the ground of reason. The ground this saint is attached to is purely pagan. Another story borrowed by the Christians… in fact, there isn’t one that hasn’t pagan roots.
pagan-place.blogspot.com/…
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Wee Mama Sep 29 · 01:52:20 PM
This brings back sweet memories. My Episcopal day school gave us a half holiday for Michaelmas — we went to a park, had a picnic lunch and frolicked on the grass under sapphire skies. Good times.
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mush Sep 29 · 02:23:18 PM
i’m trying to share this to no avail. hum. st. Michael is my man.
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Happy birthday, Miguel!
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Nice article, Michael J. Hmmmmm, I’ve never had an encounter with an angel. 😢
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