Saint Raphael the Archangel is the angel of healing and of the good path. His name, from Hebrew רפאל (Refāʼēl), means “God heals.” His story is told in the Book of Tobias: sent by God, he accompanies the young Tobias on his journey, liberates Sarah from a demon, and restores Tobit’s sight. He himself reveals: “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in the presence of the Lord’s glory” (Tob 12:15). Therefore, he is invoked as the patron of the sick, travelers, and happy encounters.
Saint Raphael, the ArchangelSaint Raphael, whose Hebrew name means “God heals” (Rafa-El), is the third Archangel mentioned in Sacred Scripture. His presence is primarily focused in the Book of Tobias, where he accompanies the young Tobias on his journey and heals both the blindness of his father and the soul of the bride Sarah, possessed by the demon Asmodeus.
Table: Saint Raphael| Hebrew Name | Rafael (Rafa-El), “God heals” |
| Type | Archangel |
| Role | Angel of healing, marriage, travelers, exorcism |
| Feast Day | September 29 (Three Archangels), October 24 (traditional feast) |
| Patron | Sick, travelers, couples, exorcists, blind, ophthalmologists |
Saint Raphael in the Book of TobiasThe Book of Tobias (deuterocanonical, 2nd century BC) contains the only complete biblical narrative where Raphael plays a leading role. Its narrative stages are as follows:
1. Tob 5, 4: The Disguised IntroductionThe young Tobias needs to travel from Nineve to Ecbatana to borrow money from his blind father. Upon seeking a travel companion, he meets “Raphael” (disguised as “Azarias, son of Ananias”), without revealing his angelic nature.
2. Tob 6, 7-8: The Fish CureDuring the journey, Tobias is attacked by a giant fish. Raphael teaches him to use the heart, liver, and gall of the fish as remedies: the heart to expel demons, and the gall to cure blindness.
3. Tob 6, 14-18: Healing SarahTobias marries Sarah, daughter of the relative Raguel. Sarah had lost seven husbands before consummating the marriage, each killed by the demon Asmodeus on the wedding night. Raphael instructs Tobias to burn the fish’s heart on the wedding night, driving Asmodeus away to Egypt, where he was chained.
4. Tob 11, 13: Healing the BlindnessUpon returning home, Tobias uses the gall of the fish to cure his father’s blindness. The father, having regained his sight, glorifies God.
5. Tob 12, 11-15: The Revelation of Identity“Latin (Vulgata): ‘I shall reveal the truth to you… I am Raphael, an angel among the seven who stand before the Lord.’ ‘When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and hid your meal, and buried the dead by day in your house, and by night buried them… I heard your prayer before the Lord.'”
English:«I will manifest to you the truth… I am Raphael, an angel, one of the seven who stand before the Lord» (Tobias 12:15). «When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left your meal, and hid the dead in your house during the day, and buried them at night, I presented your prayer to the Lord» (Tobias 12:16).
The «Seven Angels» of Revelation
Raphael identifies himself as «one of the seven who stand before the Lord» (Tobias 12:15). This tradition of seven primary archangels is echoed in Revelation:–
Rev 1:4: «The seven spirits that are before his throne»
–
Rev 4:5: «Seven torches burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God»
–
Rev 8:2: «The seven angels who stood before God»The apocryphal tradition (especially the Book of Enoch, 2nd century BC) names the seven archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jephiel, and Baraquel. The Catholic Church officially recognizes only the three named in the canonical Scriptures (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael).
Saint Raphael and Exorcism
The story of Sarah and Asmodeus (Tobias 6-8) is the oldest biblical account of explicit exorcism (preceding the exorcisms in the New Testament). Therefore, Saint Raphael is revered as:–
Patron of exorcists: His healing of Sarah prefigures Christ’s liberation.
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Model of the Christian couple: Protector of the wedding night and marriage.
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Angel of marriage: The Jewish-Christian tradition invokes him in the matrimonial rite.
Catholic Magisterium on Saint Raphael
Saint Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica I, q. 113, a. 4)
Thomas analyzes the passage from Tobias and asserts that angels can temporarily assume visible bodies to serve humanity. Raphael serves as the paradigmatic example of this angelic action.
Pope Benedict XV (1921)
Officially approves Saint Rafael as the specific patron of those suffering from diseases, especially blindness and eye conditions.Pius XII (1959)*Confirms Saint Rafael as the patron of pharmacists, ophthalmologists, and health care workers.*
John Paul II (1986)*In his *Catecheses on the Angels*, JP2 highlights Saint Rafael as a model of God’s providential action in daily life:*> «*Saint Rafael teaches us that God does not distance Himself from the details of our lives. The Angel of Healing accompanies our journeys, protects our marriages, heals our spiritual and physical wounds. His presence is a sign of the Father’s paternal care.*»
Traditional IconographySaint Rafael is depicted:* Accompanying the youth Tobias, with a traveler’s staff and water gourd
* Holding a fish, directly referencing healing
* Wearing traveler’s clothes
* In landscapes with curative waters
Masterpieces: *Tobias and the Angel* by Pollaiolo, Verrocchio (with Leonardo da Vinci), Filippino Lippi, and Rembrandt.
Devotions to Saint Rafael*
Feast Day: October 24th, celebrated in the old Tridentine liturgy
*
Feast Day (current calendar): September 29th, Three Archangels
*
Novena: Nine days before October 24th
*
Prayer for Travel: «Saint Rafael, faithful companion of Tobias, be my protector…»
*
Prayer for the Sick: Traditional invocation in pastoral care for the sick
The Three Archangels: The Three Aspects of Angelic MediationThe three canonical archangels represent three aspects of angelic action:| Archangel | Name Meaning | Function |
|—|—|—|
| Saint Michael | “Who is like God?” | Combat against evil |
| Saint Gabriel | “Strength of God” | Communication of God’s Word |
| Saint Rafael | “God heals” | Healing, daily providence |
Further Reading* Saint Michael the Archangel
* Saint Gabriel the Archangel
* John Paul II *Catecheses on the Angels* (1986)
* *Ritual of Exorcism* (1999, Roman Rite)
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See also:
What is Angelology? Angels in the Bible and the MagisteriumFrequently Asked Questions about Saint Raphael the Archangels
What does the name “Rafael” mean?From the Hebrew Refāʼēl, “God heals” (or “remedy of God”).In what book of the Bible does Saint Rafael appear?In the Book of Tobias, he accompanies the young Tobias, cures Tobit’s blindness, and liberates Sarah from the demon Asmodeus.What is Saint Raphael the patron saint of?Of the sick and the doctors, of travelers and happy encounters (on the marriage of Tobias and Sarah).Who are the “seven angels” that Raphael mentions?In Tobit 12:15, Raphael declares himself to be “one of the seven angels who stand before the Lord” – the seven spirits who are before the throne of God (cf. Revelation 1:4; 8:2).When is Saint Raphael celebrated?On September 29th, the feast of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.
FAQ: Saint Raphael
Q: What does the name “Raphael” mean?A: From the Hebrew Refāʼēl, meaning “God heals” (or “remedy of God”).
Q: In which book of the Bible does Saint Raphael appear?A: In the Book of Tobias, where he accompanies the young Tobias, heals Tobit’s blindness, and delivers Sarah from the demon Asmodeus.
Q: Who is Saint Raphael the patron saint of?A: The sick and doctors, travelers, and happy meetings (especially through marriage, as seen in the story of Tobias and Sarah).
Q: Who are the “seven angels” Raphael mentions?A: In Tob 12:15, Raphael states he is “one of the seven angels who stand before the Lord” – the seven spirits who are before God’s throne (cf. Revelation 1:4; 8:2).
Q: When is Saint Raphael celebrated?A: On September 29, the feast day of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.Do you want to study angelology with academic rigor?This article arises from the works in the Locus Mariologicus library. Angelology is one of the disciplines of the Graduate Program in Mariology, within a 360-hour curriculum that ranges from Scripture to the Fathers of the Church and the Magisterium.
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