re: Trump: "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle."

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Today is St. Michael's day

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Michaelmas (/'m?k?lm?s/ MIK-?l-m?s; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in many Western Christian liturgical calendars on 29 September, and on 8 November in the Eastern Christian traditions

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In times past, the streets of the Catholic West rang with this greeting on the 29th of September. Just like Christmas—the “Mass of Christ”—so too does the term Michaelmas denote the “Mass of Michael,” that is, St. Michael the Archangel.

In the current calendar, we celebrate all three Archangels this day—Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael—and all the holy angels. But in former times, the three archangels had their own feast days, with today being the great and ancient feast of St. Michael the Archangel. Alone among the Archangels he possesses a first-class feast.


In the Middle Ages, the September feast of St. Michael was actually a Holy Day of Obligation, though this hasn’t been the case since the 1700s. Many and varied cultural celebrations existed—and still exist!—to honor this day, its importance extending even to secular affairs. In Great Britain, Michaelmas was one of the four “quarter days” of the year where debts and rents would be settled. The autumn term at many British universities is traditionally called “Michaelmas term,” as it commences on or near this feast day.

Today is, therefore, a day of immense historical significance in the Church and society at large, and reflects the high esteem in which she has always held this Archangel—and his singular role in the life and defense of God’s people throughout the ages.

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