CHAIN IS NOT INCLUDED PicturesOnGold.com Saint Raphael Round Filigree Religious Medal Unisex Female Adult - 3/4 inch Size of a Nickel in Solid 14K Yellow Gold, The name of the archangel Raphael appears in the Deuterocanonical Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is considered canonical by Roman Catholic, Orthodox and some Protestant Christians. Raphael first appears disguised in human form as the travelling companion of the younger Tobias, calling himself "Azarias the son of the great Ananias". During the adventurous course of the journey the archangels protective influence is shown in many ways including the binding of the demon in the desert of upper Egypt. After the return and the healing of the blindness of the elder Tobias, Azarias makes himself known as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" Tobit 12:15. Compare the unnamed angels in Johns Revelation 8:2. Regarding the healing powers attributed to Raphael, we have little more than his declaration to Tobit (Tobit, 12) that he was sent by the Lord to heal him of his blindness and to deliver Sarah, his daughter-in-law, from the devil (Asmodeus) that was the serial killer of her husbands. Among Catholics, he is considered the patron saint of medical workers and matchmakers, and may be petitioned by them or those needing their services. Among Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and some Protestant Christians Saint Raphaels feast day is kept on 29 September, along with that of Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel. Raphael was included for the first time in the Roman Catholic calendar of saints in 1921, for celebration on 24 October. This continued until 1969, when 29 September became the day for the joint celebration of the three archangels. He is patron saint of against nightmares; apothecaries; blind people; bodily ills; doctors; druggists; arch Dio.
