When Is the Feast of the Archangels in 2026? Michaelmas, Meaning, and Bible References
The Feast of the Archangels falls on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Also traditionally called Michaelmas, the feast honors Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the three angels named in the Catholic Bible. Catholics honor them as faithful servants through whom God protects, guides, heals, and announces his saving work. The feast directs all praise toward God, whom the angels worship and obey.
- When Is the Feast of the Archangels in 2026?
- What Is Michaelmas and Why Is It Celebrated?
- Where Are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael Mentioned in the Bible?
- What Is an Archangel and How Many Archangels Are Named in the Bible?
- Can Catholics Pray to Angels and Archangels?
- How Is the Feast of the Archangels Celebrated?
- Further Reading
When Is the Feast of the Archangels in 2026?
The Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, falls on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. It is a fixed feast, which means that the Church observes it on September 29 every year rather than calculating its date from Easter. The weekday changes annually, but the calendar date remains the same.
In the Roman Catholic calendar, the celebration has the liturgical rank of a feast. The prescribed liturgical color is white, which is commonly used for celebrations of angels and saints who were not martyrs. The official 2026 liturgical calendar confirms the Tuesday date, feast rank, color, and proper readings. (USCCB)
Feast of the Archangels Date at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Tuesday, September 29, 2026 |
| Type | Fixed feast |
| Annual date | September 29 |
| Common name | Michaelmas |
| Liturgical rank | Feast |
| Holy day of obligation | No |
| Liturgical color | White |
What Day of the Week Is the Feast of the Archangels in 2026?
The Feast of the Archangels falls on a Tuesday in 2026. Because September 29 is a fixed date, no special calculation or relationship to Easter is involved.
Is the Feast of the Archangels Celebrated on the Same Date Every Year?
Yes. Catholics celebrate the feast on September 29 every year. Only the weekday changes.
The feast may also be known by different traditional names, especially Michaelmas or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels, but the modern Roman Catholic celebration honors Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael together.
Is the Feast of the Archangels a Holy Day of Obligation?
No. The Feast of the Archangels is not a universal holy day of obligation in the Latin Catholic Church. It is an important liturgical feast, but Catholics are not normally required to attend Mass unless September 29 falls on a Sunday or a local Church has established a particular observance.
The universal list of holy days of obligation does not include the Feast of the Archangels, although local rules should always be followed. (Vatican)
What Is Michaelmas and Why Is It Celebrated?
Michaelmas is the traditional English name for the September 29 feast. The name developed from “Michael’s Mass” because the day was historically associated particularly with Saint Michael the Archangel. In the modern Roman calendar, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are honored together as the three angels named in Sacred Scripture and commemorated by the Church.
The feast celebrates the work God accomplishes through his angelic servants. Angels do not act through independent divine power. They belong to God, worship him, carry out his commands, and assist in his saving plan. The Catechism describes angels as spiritual creatures who glorify God, serve him, and act as his messengers. (Vatican)
The celebration therefore should not lead Christians into speculation about angels detached from Scripture. It should deepen trust in God’s providence. Michael’s defense against evil, Gabriel’s announcement of salvation, and Raphael’s guidance and healing all reveal different ways in which God cares for his people.
Is Michaelmas the Same as the Feast of the Archangels?
Yes. Michaelmas is the traditional name for what Catholics now commonly call the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels.
The older name remains widely used because September 29 was historically centered on Saint Michael. In earlier Roman calendars, Gabriel and Raphael were celebrated separately. The present calendar unites the three named archangels on Michael’s traditional feast day. (Catholic Culture)
Why Are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael Celebrated on One Day?
The Church celebrates them together because Scripture presents all three as heavenly servants involved in God’s work of salvation. The Bible presents Michael as a defender, Gabriel as the bearer of good news, and Raphael as a companion who guides and helps God’s people. (Vatican)
Uniting them on one feast emphasizes what they share: they are creatures and messengers of God whose entire mission points beyond themselves to the Lord.
Where Are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael Mentioned in the Bible?
Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael appear in different biblical settings, but each is shown serving God rather than seeking honor for himself. Michael appears in Daniel, Jude, and Revelation. Gabriel appears in Daniel and the Gospel of Luke. Raphael is a major figure in Tobit, one of the deuterocanonical books included in Catholic Bibles.
Their biblical missions differ, yet all three direct attention toward God’s authority, revelation, protection, and mercy. The Church honors them because Scripture identifies them by name and shows them participating in God’s plan.
Who Is Saint Michael the Archangel in the Bible?
Michael is presented as a defender of God’s people and an opponent of evil. In Daniel, he is described as a great prince who stands over God’s people and comes to their aid during spiritual conflict (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1).
Jude 9 explicitly calls Michael the archangel and describes his dispute with the devil. Michael does not claim authority independent of God but appeals to the Lord’s judgment.
Revelation 12:7–9 portrays Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon, identified as the devil and Satan. The passage is not teaching that Michael defeats evil through power separate from Christ. Revelation immediately places the victory within the salvation, authority, and kingdom of God and the triumph of the Lamb. (USCCB)
Who Is the Angel Gabriel in the Bible?
Gabriel is the biblical messenger who announces crucial events in God’s saving plan. He first appears in Daniel, where he helps the prophet understand visions concerning future events (Daniel 8:16–26; 9:20–27).
In Luke’s Gospel, Gabriel announces the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah and identifies himself as one who stands in God’s presence (Luke 1:11–20). He is then sent to Mary in Nazareth to announce that she will conceive Jesus, the Son of the Most High, through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26–38).
Gabriel’s greatness comes entirely from the message God gives him. He does not replace Christ or become the center of the Annunciation. His task is to announce that God’s promised salvation is being fulfilled in Jesus.
Who Is the Archangel Raphael in the Bible?
Raphael appears in the Book of Tobit. He accompanies Tobias on a dangerous journey, protects him, helps bring healing to Tobit, and assists in freeing Sarah from the demon Asmodeus.
Raphael initially appears in human form and does not reveal his identity until the conclusion of his mission. He then explains that he is one of the seven angels who stand before God and enter his glorious presence (Tobit 12:15).
The story consistently makes clear that the healing and deliverance come from God. Raphael is the servant through whom God answers prayer. His mission shows divine guidance, protection, healing, and care for families. Raphael is described as a traveling companion who helps believers remain on the right path. (USCCB)
What Is an Archangel and How Many Archangels Are Named in the Bible?
An archangel is an angel entrusted with a particularly important mission under God’s authority. Scripture does not provide a detailed explanation of every angelic rank, and Christians should not build elaborate teachings from speculation.
The Catholic Bible names three angels whom the Church honors as archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. However, only Michael is directly given the title archangel in the biblical text, in Jude 9. Gabriel is identified as an angel and messenger, while Raphael identifies himself as one of the seven angels who stand before God.
The title applied to all three reflects the Church’s biblical and liturgical tradition. The important point is not their exact position within a heavenly hierarchy but their faithful service to God. The Church’s official teaching warns against assigning names to angels beyond Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, whose names are found in Scripture. (Vatican)
Are Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael the Only Archangels?
The Catholic Church does not teach that only three archangels exist. Tobit refers to seven angels who stand before God, and Revelation also speaks of seven angels standing before him (Tobit 12:15; Revelation 8:2).
Nevertheless, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are the only angels identified by name in the Catholic canon whom the Church publicly venerates as archangels. Names such as Uriel appear in some noncanonical or later religious writings, but they are not used in the Roman Catholic liturgy as names revealed in canonical Scripture.
Catholics should therefore remain within the Church’s biblical discipline rather than seeking hidden angelic names or constructing speculative devotions.
Why Is Raphael Found in Catholic Bibles but Not Some Protestant Bibles?
Raphael appears in Tobit, one of the seven deuterocanonical books included in the Catholic Old Testament. Catholic Bibles contain 46 Old Testament books, while most Protestant Bibles contain 39. Tobit is therefore absent from many Protestant editions or placed in a separate section called the Apocrypha. (USCCB)
The Catholic Church receives Tobit as inspired Scripture. The book was known and used within the wider biblical tradition inherited by early Christians, and ancient manuscripts of Tobit have survived in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin forms. The Catholic canon was not created merely to defend Raphael or later Catholic devotion; it reflects the collection of Scripture received and used by the Church. (USCCB)
Can Catholics Pray to Angels and Archangels?
Catholics may ask the angels for their assistance and intercession, but worship and ultimate trust belong to God alone. The angels are not gods, sources of grace, or rivals to Jesus Christ. They are created spiritual beings who serve God and participate in his providential care.
Catholic prayer to an angel means asking that angel to pray, protect, guide, or assist according to God’s will. The Catechism teaches that the Church joins the angels in adoring God and invokes their assistance. It also states that human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. (Vatican)
This practice remains Christ-centered when Christians recognize that every good gift, protection, and grace comes from God. Genuine devotion to angels should increase obedience to God, resistance to evil, and faithfulness to the Gospel.
Do Catholics Worship Angels?
No. Catholics do not worship Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, guardian angels, or any other created being. Worship belongs to the Triune God alone.
Scripture itself rejects the worship of angels. When John falls before an angel in Revelation, the angel tells him not to do so and directs him to worship God (Revelation 19:10; 22:8–9). Catholic devotion agrees with this command.
Honoring an angel means recognizing God’s work through one of his servants. It does not place the angel on the same level as the Creator. Even the greatest angel depends entirely upon God for existence, authority, holiness, and power.
What Is the Saint Michael Prayer?
The Saint Michael Prayer is a Catholic prayer asking Michael’s help in spiritual conflict. Its familiar opening asks Saint Michael to defend Christians in battle and protect them against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
The prayer was composed under Pope Leo XIII and continues to be used privately, in families, and in many parishes. It does not ask Michael to defeat evil through his own divine power. It explicitly asks that he act by the power of God. (Vatican Press)
The prayer should be understood within the Gospel call to resist temptation, remain faithful to Christ, and depend upon God. It is not a magical formula or a substitute for repentance, prayer, the sacraments, and Christian obedience.
Can Christians Ask Angels for Protection?
Yes. Christians may ask the holy angels to protect and guide them, while placing their faith in God as the true source of protection.
Scripture repeatedly shows God sending angels to guard, deliver, warn, and guide his servants. Catholic teaching describes their care as part of God’s providence, not as independent activity outside his authority.
Christians should avoid superstition or the belief that every success and difficulty can be explained through direct angelic or demonic intervention. Authentic devotion remains sober, biblical, and centered on God’s will. The Church encourages gratitude for the angels while warning against imaginative practices that distract from Christ. (Vatican)
How Is the Feast of the Archangels Celebrated?
The Feast of the Archangels is celebrated principally through the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. Priests wear white vestments, and the prayers give thanks to God for the ministry of the angels.
The liturgy does not glorify the archangels independently of God. It joins the earthly Church with the angels in worship and presents their service as a reflection of God’s glory. Catholics may also pray the Saint Michael Prayer, read the biblical accounts of the three archangels, or ask for their intercession. (Vatican)
What Are the Liturgical Color and Catholic Mass Readings?
The liturgical color is white. The Mass readings appointed for September 29 are:
- Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14 or Revelation 12:7–12ab
- Psalm 138:1–5
- John 1:47–51
The first readings present either the heavenly court surrounding God’s throne or Michael’s battle against the dragon. The Gospel records Jesus’ promise that his disciples will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. All the readings ultimately direct attention to God’s kingdom and the authority of Christ. (USCCB)
What Michaelmas Traditions Are Still Observed?
Traditional Michaelmas customs vary widely. In parts of Europe and the British Isles, the day became associated with the end of the harvest, communal meals, roast goose, blackberries, seasonal flowers, and the beginning of legal or academic terms.
Some Catholic families mark the feast by preparing a special meal, praying to the archangels, reading Tobit or Revelation 12, or placing an image of Saint Michael in the home. These customs are optional and should support, rather than overshadow, the Church’s liturgical celebration. (Catholic Culture)
The Feast of the Archangels falls on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Through Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Scripture reveals angels who defend, announce, guide, and heal as obedient servants of God. Catholics may honor them and ask for their intercession, but they worship God alone.
Michaelmas therefore does not direct believers toward fascination with angels for their own sake. It points toward the Lord whom the angels praise and serve, reminding Christians that God’s providence surrounds his people and that every angelic mission leads ultimately to Jesus Christ.
