Gilded wooden figure of St. Michael, patron of soldiers and the sick, Spanish, 1700-1850

This statue shows St Michael the Archangel. The Christian church venerates St Michael the Archangel as the guardian of the Kingdom of Christ on Earth and as the heavenly leader in the fight against evil. For this reason he was the special patron saint of Christian soldiers fighting against ‘Pagan’ armies. Other martyrs were also patron saints of soldiers, especially during the Crusades. These included St George and St Theodore. At a time when St George and St Theodore were venerated as patron saints of soldiers, St Michael was considered the patron saint of the sick.