Quis ut Deus? (or Quis sicut Deus?), a Latin sentence meaning "Who [is] like God?", is a literal translation of the name Michael (Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל, transliterated Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl).

Statue of Archangel Michael slaying a dragon (interpreted to be Satan). The inscription on the shield reads: Quis ut Deus. Hallway in the headquarter of the former Military Order of Saint Michael in the Electoral Palace (now University of Bonn, Germany main building).

The sentence Quis ut Deus? is particularly associated with Archangel Michael.[1][2] In art, St. Michael is often represented as an angelic warrior, fully armed with helmet, sword, and shield, as he overcomes Satan, sometimes represented as a dragon and sometimes as a man-like figure. The shield at times bears the inscription: Quis ut Deus,[3] the translation of the archangel's name, but capable also of being seen as his rhetorical and scornful question to Satan.[4]

The Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel also bears this phrase.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ John Elven, 1854, The book of family crests Henry Washbourne Publisher, page 112
  2. ^ Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices ISBN 0-87973-910-X page 520
  3. ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Michael the Archangel". www.newadvent.org.
  4. ^ Studies in Revelation by Hampton J. Keathley, 3rd, J. Hampton Keathley III 1997 Biblical Studies Press ISBN 0-7375-0008-5 page 209
  5. ^ John F. Sullivan, 2009 The Externals of the Catholic Church ISBN 1-113-71408-5 page 202
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