Portalatín Fontanez Nieves
Puerto Rican, born 1955
Saint Michael Archangel / San Miguel Arcángel, 2000
Polychromed wood
13 1/16 x 9 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches
Lent from a private Florida collection

Along with Gabriel and Raphael, Saint Michael is considered one of the three major archangels, or chief messengers of God's will on earth. The most powerful defender of God's people and prince of a heavenly army, Saint Michael's attributes are a sword, a scale to weigh souls and determine their destination, and the figure of a devil. Saint Michael is the protector of chemists, judges, gilders, fencing instructors, merchants, radiologists and manufacturers of scales. He is the patron saint of the towns Cabo Rojo, Naranjito and Utuado where his feast day is celebrated on September 29.