The Archangel Michael is a warrior angel who keeps watch over people and countries. He is God’s messenger and the leader of God’s army. For that reason, he is shown in icons holding a sword. He is called the Prince of the Heavenly Hosts. November 8th is Saint Michael’s special day.

In the old times near the city of Chonae that is located today in Turkey, people who didn’t believe in God, called pagans, worshipped a huge and horrible snake. They built a temple in its honor. Every day the pagans brought sacrifices to the snake to show their respect.

Christians didn’t approve of the snake worship. They thought that people should worship God, not a snake.

Three of Christ’s disciples, who had been sent out to teach the Gospel, decided to destroy the snake. They were John the Theologian, Phillip, and Bartholomew. The disciples prayed, and their prayers caused the snake to die. After the death of the snake, John, Phillip, and Bartholomew promised that the Archangel Michael would visit the spot where the snake had lived and that many miracles would occur there. It happened just as they predicted.

After the disciples left, a miraculous spring appeared. Both believers and non-believers came to be cured of their illnesses by bathing in the spring’s waters. Among them was a wealthy Greek man whose daughter had never been able to speak. The man loved his daughter dearly and hunted everywhere for a cure for her to no avail.

One day the Archangel Michael came to the man in a dream and said, “If you want your daughter to be cured, let her drink from the spring at Chonae.”

The father rushed to the spring at Chonae with the girl. “Help me, Saint Michael. Please cure my daughter,” he said. Then, he scooped some water from the spring into his daughter’s mouth. The girl spoke for the first time in her life.

The Greek was so happy that he had a church built over the spring in honor of the Archangel Michael. After decorating the church grandly and after giving prayers of thanks to God, the Greek returned to his own country.