This gilded image of St Raphael was commissioned in 2002 by St Raphael’s Primary School, South Hurstville. My painting is on a gessoed board 450 mm high x 380 mm wide and it has been painted with a beautiful dutch gold leaf background and acrylic paint. The image was copied from a small stained glass window in the adjoining church. The painting sits in the entrance to the school office.
St Raphael is one of the seven Archangels, but one of only three mentioned by name in the canonical scriptures (the others are St Michael and St Gabriel). Raphael’s name means “God has healed”, “God is Healing” or “Healing one of God”.
St Raphael is referred to in Judaism (Enoch 10: 5-7), Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christianity (Tobit 12:15) and Islam. In the Quran, Raphael is Israfil, the Angel responsible for signaling the coming of Judgment Day by blowing the horn and sending out a “Blast of Truth”, but he is not mentioned by name. Some say that Raphael is also the Angel of the Lord mentioned in John 5:4 of the New Testament.
St Raphael’s feast day is September 29/24 October. He is the patron saint of travellers and doctors.