Icon of the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael

[Gamliel]

Hi
    From Skete.com I bought a 17th century Cretan icon of the Archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. St. Michael is standing on somebody and is holding up somebody in his left hand.   St. Raphael. is standing on a big fish.  Does anyone know the meaning of this symbolism?  Can anyone read the scrolls that each are holding?  http://skete.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=562

[akimori makoto]

Edit: I see a link now but it doesn't seem to lead directly to the icon??

[Gamliel]

Nuts.  I can't get it to go directly to the icon.  If one goes to skete.com and searches for, "Michael, Gabriel, Raphael," and picks the icon that has all three Archangels, that is the one I am inquring about.

[FormerReformer]

The only view of the icon I can get is the tiny thumbnail they show on the page, so I can't help out with the writing.  I'd guess the fish under the Archangel Raphael is the one from Tobit, while off the top of my head the man under the Archangel Michael might represent Satan?

[deusveritasest]

Somehow you dropped the www in your link and for some reason that seems to have effected its ability to lead to a particular page. Try this:

http://www.skete.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=562

[Fabio Leite]

Hi
    From Skete.com I bought a 17th century Cretan icon of the Archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. St. Michael is standing on somebody and is holding up somebody in his left hand.   St. Raphael. is standing on a big fish.  Does anyone know the meaning of this symbolism?  Can anyone read the scrolls that each are holding?  http://skete.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=562

Raphael appears in the book of Tobit in the Bible, and the angel recomends the use of fish to aid Tobias in his quest:

The main narrative is dedicated to Tobit's son, Tobiah or Tobiyah (Greek: Τωβίας/Tobias), who is sent by his father to collect a sum of money that the latter had deposited some time previously in the far off land of Media. Raphael represents himself as Tobit's kinsman Azariah, and offers to aid and protect Tobias on his journey. Under the guidance of Raphael, Tobias makes the journey to Media, accompanied by his dog.
Along the way, he is attacked by a giant (or little) fish, whose heart, liver and gall bladder are removed to make medicines.
Upon arriving in Media, Raphael tells Tobias of the beautiful Sarah, whom Tobias has the right to marry, because he is her cousin and closest relative. He instructs the young man to burn the fish's liver and heart to drive away the demon when he attacks on the wedding night.
The two are married, and the fumes of the burning organs drive the demon away to Upper Egypt, while Raphael follows him and binds him. Meanwhile, Sarah's father has been digging a grave to secretly bury Tobias (who he assumes will be dead). Surprised to find his son-in-law alive and well, he orders a double-length wedding feast and has the grave secretly filled. Since he cannot leave because of the feast, Tobias sends Raphael to recover his father's money.
After the feast, Tobias and Sarah return to Nineveh. There, Raphael tells the youth to use the fish's gall to cure his father's blindness. Raphael then reveals his true identity and returns to heaven. Tobit sings a hymn of praise.
He tells his son to leave Nineveh before God destroys it according to prophecy. After the prayer, Tobit dies at an advanced age.[2] After burying his father, Tobias returns to Media with his family.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Tobit

[biro]

That's good to know.  I like icons with 'unusual' imagery in them.

[Gamliel]

Somehow you dropped the www in your link and for some reason that seems to have effected its ability to lead to a particular page. Try this:

http://www.skete.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=562

Oops.  Sorry about that.

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