The Synaxis of the Archangels honors the angels in heaven, especially the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. It is also known as the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers.

This Holy Orthodox observation mirrors Western Catholicism’s Michaelmas feast on September 29th, which consolidated the archangels feast days. Old Michaelmas falls in mid-October due to the lag between Julian and Gregorian calendars, and traditions have continued to diverge in other ways. Orthodoxy retains the latin term synaxis, from the Ancient Greek synagein, which means “to bring together.” Like the term “mass”, it describes an assembly for worship, especially to celebrate the Eucharist.