The first and highest place in the entire ladder of created existence is occupied by pure and incorporeal spirits. They are not only comparatively higher and most perfect beings, but they have a very important influence on people’s lives, although they are invisible to us. What has been revealed to us about them? How and when did they happen? What nature is given to them and is it the same for everyone? What is the purpose and way of their existence?
The name "angel" means "messenger". This word mainly defines their service to the human race. And humanity, from the days of its paradise, knew about their existence. We see a reflection of this fact in other ancient religions, not only Jewish.
After the expulsion of people who had fallen into sin from paradise, the Cherubim was placed with a flaming sword to guard the doors of paradise (Gen. 3). Abraham, sending his servant to Nahor, encouraged him with the conviction that the Lord would send His Angel with him and prosper his way (Gen. 24:7). Jacob saw Angels both in a dream (in a vision of a mysterious staircase, on the way to Mesopotamia, - Gen. 28) and in reality (on the way home, to Esau, when he saw the “militia” of God’s Angels, – Gen. 32:1-2) . The Psalter speaks many times about Angels (for example, praise Him, all His Angels - Ps. 148:2; for He will command His Angels about you - to guard you in all your ways - Ps. 90:11). Likewise, we read about them in the book of Job and in the prophets. The Prophet Isaiah saw the Seraphim surrounding the Throne of God; the prophet Ezekiel saw the Cherubim in a vision of the House of God (Ezek. 10; And p. 6). The New Testament Revelation contains many messages and references to Angels. An angel announced to Zechariah the conception of the Forerunner; The angel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary the birth of the Savior and appeared to Joseph in a dream; a large army of Angels sang the glory of the Nativity of Christ; An angel preached the birth of the Savior to the shepherds and kept the Magi from returning to Herod; Angels served Jesus Christ after His temptation in the desert; An angel appeared to strengthen Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; The angels announced to the myrrh-bearers about His resurrection, and to the apostles, during His ascension to heaven, about His second coming. The angels loosed the bonds of Peter and the other apostles (Acts 5:19) and one of the apostle Peter (Acts 12:7-15); An angel appeared to Cornelius and instructed him to call the Apostle Peter to him for instruction in the word of God (Dean.10: 3-7); An angel announced to the Apostle Paul that he must appear before Caesar (Acts 27:23-24). The vision of Angels lies at the basis of the revelations given by St. John the Theologian, in the Apocalypse.
CREATION OF ANGELS
archangel Michael
In the Creed we read: “I believe in one God... Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.” The invisible, angelic world was created by God, created before the visible world, With the general rejoicing of the morning stars, when all the sons of God shouted for joy, the Lord said to Job (Job 38:1). The Apostle Paul writes: ... for by Him all things were created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers... (Col. 1:16). Some Church Fathers in the first words of the book of Genesis: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) - by heaven they mean not the physical heaven formed later, but the invisible heaven, or the dwelling of the heavenly powers. Many teachers of the Church express the idea that God created Angels far before the visible world (St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Gregory the Great, St. Anastasius of Sinai) and that when the latter was created, they already stood before the face of the Creator and served Him. St. Gregory the Theologian reflects on this as follows: “Since for the goodness of God it was not enough to engage only in contemplation of oneself, but it was necessary that the good spread further and further, so that the number of those blessed was as large as possible (because this is characteristic of the highest goodness ), - then God invents first of all the angelic Heavenly powers: and thought became a deed that is filled with the Word and completely with the Spirit... Since the first creatures were pleasing to Him, He invents another world, material and visible, or the harmonious composition of heaven and earth and that, what is between them." Thoughts of St. Gregory the Theologian follows St. John of Damascus.
View of angels on icons
It is impossible to understand what angels are in heaven, but how did you manage to convey their image in the icons? It's easy to explain. The symbols are simply transferred to the icon, each of them has its own designation.
For example:
- wings represent penetration and serve as a symbol of speed;
- the presence of a staff on the icon is conveyed by a messenger;
- a sphere in the hand on which a cross is depicted: this is a mirror denoting the gift of clairvoyance;
- gold ribbons in the hair mean obedience to the will of God and are a symbol of special listening;
- the face of a handsome young man conveys perfection; they were often depicted in light clothing.
THE NATURE OF ANGELS
Archangel Gabriel
By their nature, Angels are active spirits with reason, will and knowledge. They serve God, fulfill His providential will and glorify Him. They are incorporeal spirits, and since they belong to the invisible world, they cannot be seen with our bodily eyes. “When the Angels,” instructs St. John of Damascus, “according to the will of God, if they appear to worthy people, then they appear not as they are in themselves, but in such a transformed form in which the carnal can see them.” In the narration of the book of Tobit, the Angel accompanying Tobit and his son told them about himself: these days I was seen by you, but I did not eat or drink, and only with your eyes did this appear (Tob. 12:19).
“However,” says John of Damascus, “an Angel is called incorporeal and immaterial only in comparison with us. For in comparison with God, the One incomparable, everything turns out to be gross and material; the Deity alone is entirely immaterial and incorporeal.”
About angels in Islam
Father Renzo described the messengers of God and said that earthly angels are like fragments of light. This light falls on you and passes through you, as if through a crystal. And the chief specialist of the Catholic Church in the field of demonology at a conference in the Vatican united his words. You may not see angels, but you can feel their presence.
There were images at the conference. According to the organizers, it is the picture that allows us to trace how the celestial beings were created. The paintings made it possible to develop thoughts of a religious and philosophical direction and express everything artistically.
However, the image of the angels is not reliably known, explained Father Renzo. There is room for the author's imagination, but it should be understood that in reality they may look different. An angel has no wings.
DEGREE OF PERFECTION OF ANGELS
Archangel Yehudiel
Angels are the most perfect spirits, they surpass humans in spiritual powers; however, they too, as created beings, bear within themselves the stamp of limitation. Being incorporeal, they are less dependent on space and place than people and, since they quickly pass through vast spaces, they appear where they need to act. However, it cannot be said that they exist completely independently of space and place or that they are omnipresent. The Holy Scripture depicts Angels either descending from heaven to earth, or ascending from earth to heaven, and it is necessarily assumed that they cannot be both on earth and in heaven at the same time.
Immortality belongs to angels, as Scripture clearly testifies to this, teaching that they cannot die (Luke 20:36). However, their immortality is not divine immortality, that is, original and unconditional, but it depends, like the immortality of human souls, entirely on the will and mercy of God. Angels, as disembodied spirits, are highly capable of internal self-development, their mind is more sublime in comparison with the human mind; in power and strength, as explained by the Apostle Peter, they surpass all earthly principalities and authorities (2 Pet. 2:11). The nature of an Angel is higher than the nature of man, as the psalmist expresses it when, in order to exalt a person, he notices that he has made him a little lower than the Angels (Ps. 8:6).
However, their high qualities have their limits. Scripture indicates that angels do not know the depth of the being of God, known only to the Spirit of God: No one knows God except the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:11), they do not know the future, which is also known to God alone: No one knows about that day or hour , neither the heavenly Angels, nor the Son, but only the Father (Mark 13:32), and also do not fully comprehend the mystery of redemption, which they want to penetrate: what the Angels want to penetrate (1 Pet. 1:12), and do not even know all thoughts of men (3 Nar. 8:39); finally, they cannot work miracles on their own, without the will of God: blessed is the Lord God... the only one who works miracles (Ps. 71:18).
What do angel wings look like?
In paintings and icons we can see large wings located behind our back. They are made of feathers that fit together perfectly. However, real angels do not have wings.
This hypothesis was put forward by scientists and confirmed by the Vatican. They make sure their wings are not suitable for real flapping and flying. British professor Wotton agreed with these arguments. He studied a large number of paintings of angels, after which he came to the conclusion that none of them could fly. Angel feathers are found only on the wings, and the rest of the body is large and unsuitable for flight.
In the painting by Italian artist Giotto de Bondone you can see an angel with an airplane in the center of his wings.
If so, then we can assume that real angels can plan jumps. But, according to the biologist, they could not, because they needed high speed, but even if they gained it, the wings simply folded from the air flow. He also said this at a Vatican conference, which we will talk about later.
NUMBER OF ANGELS. ANGEL DEGREES
Archangel Raphael
The angelic world appears to be unusually great in the Holy Scriptures. When the prophet Daniel saw in a vision the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:9), it was revealed to his gaze that thousands of thousands served Him and darkness stood before Him (Dan. 7:10). The numerous host of Heaven praised the coming to earth of the Son of God (Luke 2:13).
“Imagine,” says St. Cyril of Jerusalem - how numerous are the Roman people; imagine how numerous other rude peoples currently exist and how many of them have died in a hundred years; imagine how many are buried in a thousand years; Imagine people, starting from Adam to the present day: their multitude is great, but it is still small in comparison with the Angels, of whom there are more. There are ninety-nine sheep; and the human race is only one sheep. The vastness of the place should also judge the number of inhabitants. The earth we inhabit is, as it were, a certain point located in the center of the sky: therefore, the sky surrounding it has as much more inhabitants as the space is larger; the heavens of heavens contain an immense number of them. If it is written that thousands of thousands served Him and ten thousand thousand stood before Him (Dan. 7:10), then this is only because the prophet could not speak more.” With such a large number of Angels, it is natural to assume that in the world of Angels, as in the material world, there are different degrees of perfection, and therefore different levels, or hierarchical degrees, of the heavenly powers. Thus, the word of God calls some “Angels” and others “Archangels” (1 Thess. 4:15; Jude 1:9).
Archangel Barachiel
The Orthodox Church, guided by the views of ancient church writers and fathers of the Church, and in particular, the essay “On the Heavenly Hierarchy,” bearing the name of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, divides the angelic world into nine faces, or ranks, and these nine into three levels of hierarchy, three ranks in each. The first hierarchy consists of those closest to God, namely: Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. In the second, middle, hierarchy: Power, Dominance, Strength. In the third, closer to us: Angels, Archangels, Principalities (Orthodox Confession). We meet the calculation of the nine faces of angels in the “Apostolic Constitutions”, in St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, at St. Gregory the Theologian, at St. John Chrysostom; later - at St. Gregory Dvoeslov, St. John of Damascus and others. These are the words of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov: “We accept the nine ranks of angels, because from the testimony of the word of God we know about Angels, Archangels, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. Thus, almost all pages of Holy Scripture testify to the existence of Angels and Archangels; As is known, the prophetic books speak more about the Cherubim and Seraphim; the names of four more ranks are counted by the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians, saying: above all principality, and power, and Power, and Dominion (Eph. 1:21); and he writes in the Epistle to the Colossians: Whether thrones or dominions, principalities or powers—all things were created by Him and for Him (Col. 1:16). So, when we add Thrones to those four about which he speaks to the Ephesians, that is, to the Principalities, Powers, Powers and Dominions, five ranks will be separately designated; and when Angels, Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim are added to them, then there will clearly be nine ranks of angels.”
And indeed, turning to the books of Holy Scripture, we find the names of the nine ranks listed, and more than nine are not mentioned. Thus, we read the name of the Cherubim in the book of Genesis chapter 3, in psalms 79 and 98, in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10; Seraphim - in Isaiah, ch. 6; Silas - in the epistles to the Ephesians ch. 1 and Romans ch. 8; Thrones, Principalities, Dominions, Powers - Colossians ch. 1, Ephesians ch. 1 and 3; Archangels - 1 Thessalonians ch. 4 and Jude verse 9; Angels - 1 Peter chapter 3, Romans chapter 8. etc. On this basis, the number of angelic faces in the teachings of the Church is usually limited to nine.
Archangel Uriel
Some Church Fathers, however, express their private pious opinions that the division of Angels into nine faces embraces only those names and faces that are revealed in the word of God, but does not include many other names and faces of angels that are not revealed to us in this life, but will become known in the future. This idea is developed by St. John Chrysostom, Blessed Theodoret, St. Theophylact. “There are,” says Chrysostom, “truly there are other Powers, whose names we do not even know... Not only Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Powers are the inhabitants of heaven, but also countless other genera and unimaginably many classes that are not able to depict any word. How can we see that the Forces are greater than those mentioned above, and that there are Forces whose names we do not know? The Apostle Paul, having spoken of one thing, mentions another when he testifies of Christ: having set (Him) above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the Future (Eph 1, 21). Do you see that there are some names that will be known there that are not known now? That’s why he said: a name that is named not only in this age, but also in the Future.” These judgments are accepted by the Church as private.
In general, the ancient shepherds considered the doctrine of the heavenly hierarchy mysterious. “How many orders of heavenly beings,” says St. Dionysius in the “Heavenly Hierarchy”, what they are and how the secrets of the hierarchy are carried out among them - only God, the Author of their hierarchy, knows exactly; They also know their own strengths, their light, their sacred and worldly order. And we can be told as much about this as God has revealed to us through them, as those who know themselves.” Blessed Augustine argues in a similar way: “I unshakably believe that there are Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Powers in the Heavenly abodes, and that they differ from each other, I undoubtedly maintain; but what they are and in what way exactly they differ from each other, I don’t know.”
In the Holy Scriptures, some higher Angels are given proper names. There are two such names in the canonical books: “Michael” (who is like God, Dan. 10, 13; 12, 1; Jude 1, 9; Rev. 12, 7-8), “Gabriel” (the man of God, Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19-26). Three names of Angels in non-canonical books: “Raphael” (God’s help, Tov.Z, 16; 12, 12-15), “Uriel” (fire of God, 3 Ezra 4, 1; 5, 20), “Salafiel” ( prayer to God, 3 Ezra 5, 16). In addition, pious Tradition assigns names to two more Angels: “Jehudiel” (praise of God) and “Barachiel” (blessing of God); these names are not found in the Holy Scriptures (only in the Third Book of Ezra is “Jeremiel” (the height of God, 3 Ezra 4:36). Thus, the names are assigned to the seven highest Angels, according to the words of the Apostle John the Theologian in Revelation: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).
Queen of Angels and the Magic Circle
The Queen of Angels sends seraphim to collect human prayers and convey them to the deity. All the angels are deeply devoted to her and she has her own angelic retinue. Thus, when you draw a magic circle and invoke a Master or Mistress, you also invoke an angelic host that moves with them regardless of your belief system and regardless of whether you think about them or believe in them. If you acknowledge the presence of angelic beings when you draw your circle, you will see a difference. If you don't believe me, try it and find out for yourself.
Indeed, many of us feel the presence of angels in our lives especially keenly when things go wrong. I'll use myself as an example. I persistently pored over this angelic book, sometimes feeling tired and empty, but thinking that my life was in order, when suddenly professional discord overtook me in the midst of a difficult period. Feeling very unhappy and acutely aware that my whole life was going downhill, I went to my angelic altar and lit two white candles. I called my guardian angel and asked that this transition in my life be as painless as possible and that I find out what caused it without being blinded by human emotions and selfishness. .
I once read that mortals are conductors of spiritual energy into the material world, and angels are conductors of material energy into the spiritual world. Together we create a bridge between the material and spiritual world. I also understood that in order to continue my work, I had to get rid of negative emotions - doubts, anger, dissatisfaction with myself and soul-searching, which were boiling in a terrible cauldron of endless reasoning.
The first thing I did was take a shower and visualize how the water cleanses both my physical body and my soul. Then I took a glass of cold water (any drink will do) and imagined that with each sip I was filling my body with angelic and universal energies. Then I took a deep breath, imagining the healing energy entering my body. I exhaled, throwing away all doubts, fears or thoughts of unhappiness.
I summoned the Lady with the help of Edgar Allan Poe's poem:
In the morning, at noon, at dusk, Lady, you hear my hymn: In joy and sorrow, in health and sickness, Mother Goddess, be with me. When the bright hours fly by and there is not a cloud in the sky, my soul, no matter how idle it may be, is led to you by your mercy. Now that the storms of fate have covered my present and future with darkness, May my hope in you Make my future shining.
Then I recited Gabriel’s prayer several times, turning it into a power-enhancing mantra:
O Lady, full of mercy, God is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Spouse and Son. Holy Goddess, Mother of the Earth, perform the sacrament for your children, now and in our time of need. Let it be so.
The problem was resolved within 24 hours.
