Feast of Archangel Michael and All Angels (Bodiless Hosts)
As excerpted from the Orthodox Church of America website.Icon of Archangel Michael
Commemorated on Nov. 21 (old calendar).
The feast of St. Michael (known as Michaelmas in the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches), is actually not just a celebration of Archangel Michael but of all heavenly hosts - i.e. all the angels.
The feast was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the Council of Laodicea, which met several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The 35th Canon of the Council of Laodicea condemned and denounced as heretical the worship of angels as gods and rulers of the world, but affirmed their proper veneration.
A feast day was established in November, the ninth month after March (with which the year began in ancient times) since there are Nine Ranks of Angels. The eighth day of the month was chosen for the Synaxis of all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven since the Day of the Dread Last Judgment is called the Eighth Day by the holy Fathers. After the end of this age (characterized by its seven days of Creation) will come the Eighth Day, and then “the Son of Man shall come in His Glory and all the holy Angels with Him” (Mt. 25:31).
We’ll share more about the different ranks of angels later.
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