Origins of St Michel?

[Fox of the Oaks]

I found in The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. Evans-Wentz a reference to St Michel relating to the Sun and thus replacing the Celtic God of Light and Life (Lugh?) when Christianity grew.
I am wondering about the origins of St Michel, for like most Christian figures, he seems tied in with an older strata of the Celtic ways, and perhaps earlier. I know there are a few sites in the UK bearing his name, and I also recall some of the writings by John Michell on Earth Mysteries relating to these.

Does anyone have any knowledge to share around this figure in relation to Celtic and Druid origins (if any)?

[DaRC]

AFAIK St Michael is placed as a Saint in places where Paganism was strong. St. Michael is God's sword-arm in this respect - the only more powerful one is St. John the Baptist. So the Christian church placed him as Saint to stop the return of the pagan deities or because St. Michael was the christian equivalent to the pagan deity replaced.

In the Gaelic world it is thought by some that St. Michael replaces Lugh / Lleu because St. Michael battles demons whilst Lugh battled the Fomori therefore if you find a place dedicated to St. Michael it was likely to be originally dedicated to Lugh such as with St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall.

[Heddwen]

I read somewhere that St Michael was attributed to staking out the dragon (ley) lines rather than killing dragons with his sword. This may or may not be connected to the standing stones and other sacred sites staking the leys.

[skydove]

Just wondering if you are referring to the Archangel Michael, I've a book by Michael Howard called the Book of Fallen Angels. In it he says that the archangels including Michael are also called the Watchers - they watched over the human race and were symbolised by stars or had stellar origin. Certain religious groups also associated the archangels with planets.
In the Cabbala the Archangels Michael Gabriel and Raphael represent 3 columns or pillars on the Tree of Life ~Glyph. Michael has a powerful image as a warrior. They were often associated with the 4 winds and compass points these winds came from- this may have led in medieval times to magicians and later occultists as the guardians of the 4 quarters of the magical circle.
Michael is regarded as leader and captain of the angelic hosts after the fall of Lucifer (Lumiel). He is also known as the gatekeeper of heaven and hell, the angel of justice and repentance the guardian of Israel and the conqueror to Satan.
In the burning bush incident in the Bible the bush was thought to be Michael as a manifestation of the 'angel of the Lord'.
Although not in the bible some scholars believe that Michael is the famous angel with the flaming sword who guards the gate to Eden and also the one who escorts Adam and Eve from it. Some Cabalistic sources say he is a psychopomp who guides the souls of the dead to heaven and is also a mediator between humanity and God. In Jewish Law it is said that as each soul departs it appears before a heavenly court of justice - Michael is often depicted in stained glass overseeing this court.
His most famous role is fighting against The Dragon. The early church identified the dragon and the "old Serpent' with the tempter of Eden and with Satan and therefore by default with Lucifer. Many medieval representations show St Michael slaying Satan in the form of a dragon. Many former pagan sites which had churches built on them were dedicated to St Michael eg the one on Glastonbury Tor. The archangel was regarded by many Christians as a powerful enemy of the pagan gods whose influence lingered on. Many Neo -pagans new agers and Earth Mystery people claim that the ancient image of the dragon symbolises the earth energy they believe flows in ley lines. Believers in ley lines accept the idea that there is a major alignment crossing southern England from Cornwall to East Anglia and this is called the St Michael Line or the Dragon Line. After the battle with Lucifer Michael took on many of the attributes of Lucifer eg at LLansteffan churchyard in Carmarthenshire there is a statue of St Michael as a winged figure with a pentagram (the Morning Star) on his forehead. In the painting of Michael and Lucifer by Lorenzo Lotto, Michael and Lucifer are the same -the same body and face complimentary souls quite a druidic concept!

[Fox of the Oaks]

Thanks everyone.

I find it interesting on an archetypal level how the names of certain deities/saints are changed, yet the qualities seem to flow on regardless.
Thank skydove for sharing your understanding. I did consider Archangel Michael as a connection to this. I've come across a range of writings lately about Celtic Christianity and surrounding topics, and the transition between Pagan times and Christian times is seeming more and more just a new form of the old, like a new incarnation of that cultural-soul, or a new song by the same musicians. I feel this deeper harmonic cohesion to contain great healing, yet it is also mixed with the many wounds of humanity.
I had not considered St. Michel much, and have not had much connection in working with Archangels, yet the other night I found myself calling upon the protection of St. Michel in a dream, for a monstrous wild boar was nearby! The dream seemed one of those which are more than just my own personal microcosm, i.e. the energies were not all my own. This led to my interest in understanding the roots of this being/archetype/deity.

So Lucifer seems to 'rhyme' with Archangel Michael... which would also seem related to Lugh (light, luminous, lustrous...). Lucifer relates to Venus as the light-bringer as I understand it. Lucifer is originally a Latin word, so was he an ancient Roman deity? Perhaps a pagan deity, which Roman Christianity overthrew in their typical way? I am really interested in these connections, because Christ is also known as a Solar-Rebirth figure, which is the return of the light, the light-bringer? Though Lugh is thought to have a different meaning than being a rebirth figure as I understand.

[skydove]

Hi Whytefox,
Not my thoughts but from the Fallen Angels book by M. Howard
'In relation to the origins of Lucifer, it says at the begining of Genesis that God created the Heaven and Earth from the void of the darkness' Let there be light and there was light' symbolically this Light was the first born of creation Lumiel or Lucifer the Light bringer. Blavatsky described Lucifer as a representative of the active energy of the universe identifying him with fire, light, struggle, effort, consciousness, civilisation, independence - the spirit of the intellectual, enlightenment and freedom of thought. She also describe Lucifer as a saviour from pure animalism an angel of intellect whose role was to raise the consciousness of the proto humans. However he challenged God's plan and suggested that the progress should be accelerated - this led to a dispute and the War in Heaven as sides were taken for and against the 'rebel' angels idea. Lumiel decided to open the minds of Adam and Eve to encourage them to eat the fruits of knowledge of Good and Evil thus loosing the primal state of innocence (after being forbidden by God to eat from the tree of Knowledge) - humanity was given Knowledge too soon when they did not have the faculties to absorb it.
Lucifer was then banished to Earth doomed to be incarnated again and again on Earth, a scapegoat figure taking on the sorrows pain and suffering of mankind, until by becoming fully human once more and realising what he once was can he return to Heaven again.'
There seems much in this story that corresponds to druid thought - that humanity has gained knowledge quickly but without the capabilities to use it wisely in many cases and the other strand that we are spiritual beings learning to become human rather than human beings striving to become spiritual. Also the scapegoat view of Lucifer tying to Christ's death and resurrection and links to other solar gods stories of death and rebirth.
(sorry I can't write more as I'm away now for a week).

[Fox of the Oaks]

Wow thanks skydove,

This whole story seems deeper than I once thought. Many things there relevant to druidry and also the world today I think; The idea of self-responsibility vs. another's authority on the spiritual path, the pre-mature awakening vs. trusting the wisdom of 'God', and then the rebirth through christ, the human representation of God on Earth. Suffering seems an important thread in this story also. Myths are revealed on many layers also; as creation, as humanity, as one's own life, as the wheel of the year, as every day, and every breath etc... Interesting.

Peace,
Whytefox.

[MPutnam]

Alright, I have read everyone's posts and the thing that is missing is a Catholic understanding of Saint Michael, the Archangel, and as I used to be a Catholic Sunday School teacher (before coming home to paganism) and was very closely associated with Saint Michael, I would like to contribute to this.

According to Christian Tradition:
Saint Michael, along with the other eight archangels (Lucifer, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, Baruchiel, Jehudiel, and Sealtiel) were created prior to the creation of mankind. The archangels are one of nine chiors (spheres) of angels. The word "archangel" means "chief/first angel/messenger".
Saint Michael is the patron of exorcists, priests, soldiers, warriors, and generally anything that protects other people. It is told that at the end of days Michael with battle with "the great serpent" (a manifestation of evil often thought to be The Satan) and he will bind and shackle him and cast him into oblivion.
Part of the reason that Michael was so revered in Celtic lands is because of his ability to protect from evil and "keep out the devil" (which the Christians assume is everything that isn't subjugate to their god). Also, in Ireland, Saint Patrick was a devotee to Michael and thus Michael's name got plastered around on that island as well.

Just a quick note on some of the things I read in other people's responses:
@Skydove: you might want to check the validity of the book you are reading because the bible states specifically that the angels that guarded the gates of Eden after the expulsion were Cherubim (another sphere of angels). Further, if the "burning bush experience" is attributed to any angel in Christianity it is Metatron, the voice of YHWH.

Okay, that's it for this young bard's Christianity lesson....

[Bart]

If you are looking for a replacement for the sun god, you have to look at Jezus. His life has been modeled after Egyptian beliefs of the sun god.

[skydove]

Hi Michael,
In defense of Michael Howards book and trying harder to quote it exactly he does say,
" Although he is not named in Genesis, some Biblical scolars believe that Michael is the famous 'angel with a blazing sword' who guarded the gates of Eden. Several paintings exist showing Michael escorting Adam and Eve from the Garden and some Cabbalistic sources also name him as the psycopomp who guides the souls of the dead to Heaven".
In this the words ' some scolars believe' and 'several paintings exist' show he is not trying to quote from the Bible but that it is from his researches into what others have read - he does have an exhaustive Bibliography at the back of the book.
Again with the burning bush incident I quote again
"In Saint Jude there is a description of how Michael and Satanael fought over the possession of the body of Moses. This link with the Old Testament
patriarch and law giver was because of the 'burning bush 'on Mount Sinai and was a manifestation of the 'angel of the Lord' who is said to have been Michael."
Again it is all scholarly debate and I just quoted out of interest from this fascinating book, I am not in anyway a religious expert, nor have I had a Catholic upbringing, so cannot answer your remarks with genuine knowledge.

[MPutnam]

Skydove,
I definitely understand where the author is coming from with those remarks now. I am still not sold on the validity of the scholarly belief in Michael guarding the gates of Eden but oh well.
On the psycopomp idea, Michael is said, within the Catholic church, to lead people to heaven (and even down the isles for Eucharist) if said person prays the chaplet of the angels every day.
Hope you don't think I'm nitpicking, I just know that a lot of "new age" books on angels are completely out there and have no basis in any theology nor angelology...
anyways...cheers!

[DJ Droood]

I found in The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries by W. Y. Evans-Wentz a reference to St Michel relating to the Sun and thus replacing the Celtic God of Light and Life (Lugh?) when Christianity grew.
I am wondering about the origins of St Michel, for like most Christian figures, he seems tied in with an older strata of the Celtic ways, and perhaps earlier. I know there are a few sites in the UK bearing his name, and I also recall some of the writings by John Michell on Earth Mysteries relating to these.

Does anyone have any knowledge to share around this figure in relation to Celtic and Druid origins (if any)?

There seem to be many churches and monasteries throughout Europe dedicated to St. Micheal that sit atop high hills, or like at Carnac, France, on an ancient tumulus mound. St. Micheal is sometimes depicted throwing the Devil off the mountain. Images of St. George slaying a serpent or dragon can be seen in some of these churches, as if the two characters or ideas are closely related. Perhaps a memory of Christian triumph over formerly pagan holy places?

Sacra di San Michele, Piedmont

sacra-st..jpg (15.24 KiB) Viewed 1693 times

[Kima]

There's also Mont Saint-Michel in Northern France, which is inaccessible at high tide: http://mont-saint-michel.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/
I was too young when I visited the site to remember anything but the way in which the road that leads to the mount was quickly flooded by the sea after our departure.

[D'Arzhur]

I am also interested in St Michel for its connection to the Mont St Michel. I have a house in Brittany, 15 mn from the Mont and I visit it every time I go to Brittany... So much mystery and so much beauty around this place...

Here is an extract in english from one of the sites on the Mont St Michel:
"...The Mont St Michel and its abbey on the border between Normandy and Brittany, one of the first site to obtain Unesco world heritage listing. Be amazed by the prodigious accomplishements of medieval architecture, by the forces of nature, and the ever-changing light..."

There are lots of legends and myths around the Mont and I am looking forward to explore them and find out more about "Archange Michel"

[DJ Droood]

Video on Sacra di San Michele, Italy
http://youtu.be/mmhkbOGCRCc

[andromeda]

I did some research about St Michael some time ago and he is ridden with contradictions. Regretfully my old computer died and I lost the citations but I can remember that Mount St Michael was not dedicated to the archangel but the general that won the war against the British garrison there in or around the 7th century. It appears that at the same time there was a church dedicated to him in Rome

Otherwise the first church dedicated to him in Britain appears to be in South Hamptom in 1070 after the Norman conquest http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Michae ... outhampton which is a tale tale sing that it was place to replace something that probably was pagan. It is very difficult to find information about anything pre-norman sometimes
Also there is a question about when the term arch-angel became popular as there are no mention of archangels in the Bible or other religious texts.

Considering that the bible is a collection of text selected by the Nicaean council in 325 CA is safe to assume that the arch was added to angel at a later date

There are plenty of contradictory stories about Michael, at the end is what one choses to believe. Being a born catholic I reject most of their stuff because my experience as catholic was rather unsavoury and hence my conclusion is that most priests/nuns do not practice what they preach