The pentacle of the Archangel Raphael features a name formed from interlaced letters. The engraving belongs to a family of angelic monograms in which writing itself becomes a figure. Julio associates it with a request for intercession, aid, and protection, continuing a Christian tradition much older than his work.
The reproduced plate comes from the third volume, while the note refers to an explanation concerning an earlier version. These two passages must be read together to avoid attributing one version's inscriptions to the other. Their similarity of theme does not make the drawings identical.
Essential points
| Tradition | Monogram of the archangel Raphael |
|---|---|
| Figure | Name RAPHAËL in interlaced letters |
| Applications | Aid and spiritual accompaniment |
| Source | Abbé Julio, 1908, note no. 75 |
Reading the symbolism
The name Raphael must first be recognized in the lines of the composition. Once the letters have been identified, the surrounding inscription makes it possible to understand who is invoked and for what intention. This relationship between name and prayer distinguishes the monogram from a purely decorative geometric figure.
The note identifies the name RAPHAËL at the center and an invocation asking Saint Raphael to pray for the person who bears the sign. The explanation of the first version refers to Tobit and develops the role of the archangel as a figure of aid.
Raphael is linked to the Book of Tobit, in which he acts as a companion and helper to a troubled family. Julio takes up this image of a guide and associates it with the applications described in his notes.
Origins and traditions
In the Catholic tradition, Raphael is an archangel named in the Book of Tobit. His role in the story nourished an iconography in which he accompanies Tobiah and intervenes on behalf of his family. Julio takes up this story in the language of printed pentacles and blessed objects.
The presence of several figures of Raphael in the corpus makes it necessary to distinguish their sources, inscriptions, and numbering. An image of the same archangel is not enough to identify a specific note.
The iconography of Raphael takes on particular meaning when one remembers the journey recounted in the Book of Tobit. The archangel accompanies the young Tobiah without immediately revealing his identity and intervenes in several trials faced by his family. This presence throughout a journey sheds light on the protective purpose Julio attributes to the monogram. The sign does not represent only a force invoked at the last moment, but spiritual assistance requested over time.
In the third-volume version, the invocation around the name remains essential to identification. It prevents the monogram of Raphael from being confused with the Eye of God, whose inscription and image refer to a more specific biblical episode.
Attributed effects
Julio refers to the applications of note no. 41: support during illnesses he describes as moral, defense in adversity, and protection against numerous perils. This broad set of attributions belongs to his religious interpretation of Raphael.
Julio mentions support during illnesses he describes as moral, adversities, and numerous perils. These uses reflect the religious attributions of the period. They do not authorize presenting the monogram as a medical treatment or adding prescriptions absent from the work.
The general meaning remains the accompaniment of a person undergoing hardship. The story of Tobit sheds light on this interpretation, while the peripheral formula expresses it as a prayer.
Usage according to Julio
The object is described as blessed and consecrated. The prayer may concern a particular ordeal or a request for accompaniment. The note for this version explicitly refers to the one in the second volume rather than prescribing a new rite.
Preparing the object follows the practical advice in the work. This version refers to prescriptions already set out, without introducing a new technique. Faithfully restoring the old letters and the exergue is therefore a condition for accurate reading.
The Eye of God also bears Raphael's letters, but its note has a particular purpose. Michael and Gabriel provide comparisons with other angelic monograms.
Understanding the sign's place
Look for the letters in the monogram, then read the invocation surrounding it. For a personal reading, formulate a request for accompaniment for yourself or a loved one, with an intention of gentleness and presence.
Sources and variants
Abbé Julio, The Secret Book of Great Exorcisms and Blessings, Vincennes, published by the author, 1908. Explanation and application no. 75, p. 456; cross-reference p. 436. Practical advice on blessed and consecrated objects: pp. 462–463.
Classical directory numbering: 14 out of 44. This numbering differs from the inventory of engravings in the old volumes.
Read the note in the 1908 edition
Engraving taken from the copy digitized by the Divinity School Library, Duke University / Internet Archive, at 360 dpi. Composition, lettering, and colors preserved.
