Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael… how many are there?
Archangels are the messengers of the first rank: three named by the Bible, the others by ancient books or recent lists.
The twelve archangels
From oldest to most recent: who names them, at a glance.
- Michael“Who is like God?”In the Bible
- Gabriel“God is my strength” (or “strength of God”)In the Bible
- Raphael“God has healed”Catholic Bible
- Uriel“God is my flame” (the variant Oriel reads “God is my light”)Outside the canon
- Raguel“God shepherds,” from the Hebrew root for shepherd (meaning debated)Outside the canon
- Sariel“God is my prince”Outside the canon
- RemielLinked to Jerahmeel, “God will have mercy”Outside the canon
- MetatronUnknown etymology (several hypotheses, no agreement)Later sources
- Jophiel“Beauty of God”Later sources
- ChamuelDebated: two proposed Hebrew roots (“heat” or “to rise”)Later sources
- Raziel“God is my mystery” (also read as “secret of God”)Later sources
- Zadkiel“God is my righteousness”Later sources
How many archangels, and according to whom?
The word “archangel” appears only twice in the New Testament. The Catholic and Orthodox Bible names three figures, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; the Book of Enoch counts seven, including Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Remiel; the Talmud and Jewish mysticism speak of Metatron; Jophiel, Chamuel, Raziel, and Zadkiel come mostly from Kabbalah and from later lists. The number therefore changes with the tradition: three, seven, sometimes more. Each page below says who names the archangel, and what is unknown.
| Tradition | What it holds |
|---|---|
| New Testament | The word “archangel” appears only twice in the New Testament: 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9. |
| Book of Enoch | The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch 20) names seven holy angels who watch: Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel (Saraqael), Gabriel, and Remiel. |
| Orthodox Churches | The Orthodox Churches venerate seven by name (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel), celebrated on November 8. |
| Catholic Church | The Catholic Church celebrates Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael together on September 29; its Directory on Popular Piety (2001) advises against giving angels other names. |
| Pseudo-Dionysius | Pseudo-Dionysius (Celestial Hierarchy, 5th or 6th century) places the archangels in the second-to-last of the nine angelic ranks. |
Archangels and Lenain’s angels
The archangels are not Lenain’s 72 angels. He calls a group of angels the “choir of archangels” (Nemamiah, Ieialel, Harahel…), and his 42nd angel, Mikael, bears the Hebrew name of Michael without being the archangel. Two traditions, two lists.
Traditions reported with their sources: no predictions, no messages attributed to the archangels.
Archangels: your questions
How many archangels are there?
It depends on the tradition. The Catholic Church venerates three by name, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; the Book of Enoch names seven; the Orthodox Churches venerate seven, celebrated on November 8. Modern lists go further, adding figures drawn from Kabbalah.
Which archangels are in the Bible?
Michael and Gabriel in all Bibles, Raphael in the Book of Tobit, which Catholics and Orthodox read. Uriel appears in books left outside most canons, the Book of Enoch and the Second Book of Esdras.
What is the difference between an angel and an archangel?
In Christian angelology, derived from Pseudo-Dionysius, angels are divided into nine ranks; archangels occupy the second to last, just above the angels. In everyday language, the word mostly designates the great named messengers, such as Michael or Gabriel.
Your three angels according to Lenain
The archangels have their tradition; Lenain’s 72 angels have theirs: find the three tied to your birth.
Find my three angels Calculated in your browser · nothing is sent or stored · no predictions.