Raphael
Intention: Ask for healing and companionship through a difficult journey
Offerings & Symbols
- Healing herbs
- A green candle
- A fish image (from the Book of Tobit)
Culture: Jewish and Christian tradition (named directly in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit) Domain: Healing, guided journeys
Raphael ("God heals") appears by name chiefly in the Book of Tobit, where, disguised as a human traveling companion, he guides and protects young Tobias on a journey and ultimately heals both his father's blindness and a woman troubled by a demon, making him a patron of healers, travelers and guides.
Associations
Healing, safe and guided travel, companionship through hardship.
Ways people honor him (modern)
- Read the Book of Tobit, a genuinely engaging narrative and his primary scriptural source
- Support real medical healing alongside any spiritual practice
- Keep healing herbs on the altar
- Offer real, present companionship to someone on a difficult journey
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.
