Saint Raphael - Stained Glass Religious Medal "EXCLUSIVE"

As early as the fourth century, stained glass windows, originally used by wealthy Romans in their homes, were used in Christian churches. The designs in glass depicted Biblical characters and the saints. In such shapes, the windows could do more than simply add light and beauty to the church. Stained glass windows were a way to add beauty and to provide narrative information to those who looked at them. Churches often had stained glass windows because they were both sites of worship and learning.

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 archangel's 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 John's 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 Raphael's 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; archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa; eye disease; eye problems; guardian angels; happy meetings; insanity; love; lovers; mental illness; mentally ill people; nightmares, nurses; pharmacists; physicians; archdiocese of Seattle, Washington; shepherdesses; shepherds; sick people; sickness; travellers; young people