Raphael the Archangel
Saint Raphael the Archangel is the patron of travelers, of the sick, and of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists because of all he does in the Book of Tobit: his very name means “God heals,” and there he walks the long road as the secret guardian of young Tobias, then heals the blindness of old Tobit with the gall of a fish (Tobit 11:7-13) — the first divine prescription, as it were. The blind invoke him for that same healing. He is the patron of happy meetings and of those seeking a spouse because in the same story he leads Tobias to Sarah and frees her from the demon, bringing about a blessed marriage (Tobit 6–8). Travelers have prayed to “Raphael, guide of Tobias” on every journey ever since.
Saint Raphael the Archangel is one of the three archangels named in Scripture. In the Book of Tobit, he accompanies young Tobias on his journey, heals his father’s blindness, and drives away the demon Asmodeus. His name means “God heals,” and he is the patron of travelers, the sick, and those seeking a spouse.
