Archangels are high-ranking celestial beings who serve as God’s primary messengers and protectors in Abrahamic traditions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. While many different names appear across various religious texts, nearly all traditions agree on the first three or four figures as the “chief” among angels.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The Core Archangels

Most major religious traditions recognize these primary figures:

Michael (“Who is like God?”): Often depicted as a warrior in armor with a sword, Michael is the leader of God’s heavenly armies and a protector of the faithful.

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Gabriel (“God is my strength”): Known as the supreme messenger, Gabriel revealed the birth of Jesus to Mary and transmitted the Quran to Muhammad.

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Raphael (“God heals”): A healer and guide, Raphael is prominent in the Book of Tobit for curing blindness and guiding travelers.

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Uriel (“Light of God”): Frequently cited as the fourth archangel, he is often associated with wisdom, inspiration, and guarding the gates of Eden. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Variations Across Traditions

The total number of archangels varies significantly depending on the specific faith or scripture being used: [1, 2, 3, 4]Tradition [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]NumberNotable FiguresCatholicism3Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (only these three are officially named in the Catholic Bible).Islam4Jibra’il (Gabriel), Mika’il (Michael), Israfil (Raphael), and Malak al-Mawt (Azrael).Eastern Orthodoxy7–8Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and Jerahmeel.JudaismVariesMichael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel are common; Metatron is prominent in mystical Kabbalah.

In many modern spiritual practices, as many as 15 archangels are called upon for specific purposes, such as Ariel for nature, Jophiel for beauty, and Zadkiel for mercy. [1, 2]