As soon as you get up, look out the window and pray for health, and whatever day it is, it will be the same all year.

Arandjelovdan, Photo: Printscreen / YouTube

Tomorrow the Serbian Orthodox Church and its believers celebrate the celebration of the Council of the Holy Archangel Michael.

The festival is better known to people as Arandjelovdan. It is marked with a red letter on the church calendar and is always celebrated on November 21. Christians established this feast at the Council of Holy Fathers, which was celebrated a few years before the First Ecumenical Council.

According to the number of believers who celebrate it, Arandjelovdan is the second most common holiday among Serbs after Saint Nicholas. The day is dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael, who is considered the leader of the heavenly armies. It always appeared in the places where the Mother of God also appeared, so it represents heavenly power and protection on earth, and today a large number of Serbs celebrate it as the baptismal glory and protector of the family.

Does Arandjelovdan celebrate?

Michael, the first among the archangels, is featured as a fighter in the icon. The icon sometimes shows how he defeated Denica, chained him up, and stood with his foot around her neck. He is considered a guardian of the Orthodox faith and a fighter against heresy.

Archangel Mihailo is the protector of the Nemanjić family and one of the saints who enjoys great respect in our people. Many popular beliefs are related to this holiday and to Archangel Michael himself.

Our elders stated that he visits all patients and if he stands at their feet, it is not good, and if he stands at the head, the patient will recover. Supposedly he comes and takes human souls when someone knocks on the door at the last minute.

According to popular belief, Arandjelovdan is celebrated in the fall because when the saints shared the roles, Archangel Michael got the fall and winter schedule, a time of winter and wintry difficulties.

It is said that at this time the Archangel roams the world dressed as a beggar to reprimand unbelievers and help those in need.

Another popular belief says that according to the weather conditions in Arandjelovdan, what the year will be like can be determined. Whatever the weather on the holidays, it will be the same during winter and spring! Therefore, if it is clear in the morning, a sunny year awaits us, and if it is cloudy and gloomy, there will be a lot of precipitation and years without many sunny and beautiful days.

The archangel Michael is also celebrated in some parts of Serbia as the protector of cattle herders because it is believed that only he can drive away wolves.

There is a belief and custom among many Christians who celebrate Saint Michael that, as they consider him a living saint, they do not prepare grain, which is unjustified and incorrect. It is necessary to prepare the grain for glory, because all the saints and all the dead are alive before God.

He was the first to fight the evil spirit

According to church tradition, Archangel Michael was the first to fight the evil spirit.

According to the church’s interpretation, his name means “one who is like God.” In Greek, the word “archi” means chief or first, while “angelos” means messenger or angel.

Prayer to Saint Archangel Michael

For the salvation of the soul and health on the night before Arandjelovdan, say this prayer:

“Lord God, great King of Beginners, send, Lord, Your Archangel Michael to help Your servants (names), deliver us from our enemies, visible and invisible.

O Lord Great Archangel Michael, pour out peace and prosperity on Your servants (names). O Lord Great Archangel Michael, who destroys demons, threatens all our enemies who fight against us, make them like sheep and destroy them like dust before the wind.

O Great Archangel Michael of the Lord, the Six-winged First Princes and Duke of the Celestial Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim and All Saints! Oh beautiful Archangel Michael, guardian of the unspoken mysteries of God, be our Great Helper in everything: in insults, in pains, in pain, in deserts and at crossroads, in rivers and seas, a haven of peace.

Deliver us, Great Archangel Michael, from all the lies of the devil, always listen to us, Your sinful servants (names), praying to You and invoking Your Holy Name, hurry to help and hear our prayer.

O Great Archangel Michael! Defeat all our opponents with the Power of the Honorable Cross of the Life-giving Lord, the Prayers of the Holy Mother of God and the Holy Apostles, and Saint Nicholas the Wonder Worker, the Holy Prophet Elijah, Saint Andrew the Fool, the Holy Great Martyrs Nikita and Eustace, and the Holy Saints and All Saints and Martyrs. Heavenly forces. Amen.

O Great Archangel Michael, help us, your sinful servants (names), deliver us from earthquakes, floods, fire, swords, from sudden death and from all evil and from all false enemies that the storm inflicts and deliver us from cunning, Great Michael. Archangels of the Lord, now and forever and ever. Amen “.