Guardian Angel - he is credited with good luck, success in business or promotion... There are many legends about our heavenly protectors. We have selected for you the most common prejudices, which we have found a reasonable refutation. What is the real concern of the Guardian Angels? What can you do to get their loving attention? You will find answers to these and other questions in our article.
The name, gender and age of the Guardian Angel can be found out by date of birth
Some sites say that you can find out information about Guardian Angels by your date of birth. To do this, you need to add up all the numbers on your day of birth to get one number. For example, you were born on July 12, 1998. You need to add 1, 2, 7, 1, 9, 9 and 8. You get 37. Now add 3 and 7. You get 10. If you add 1 and 0, you get 1. This is an odd number, which supposedly indicates that your An angel is a representative of the fair sex. An even number indicates a male heavenly protector.
If you add 4 to the day of the month of birth, you can find out your age. In this case, Angel will be only 16 years old (12+4).
Such calculations may be fascinating, but they have no bearing on the truth about Angels as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The Bible reports that Angels were created before the creation of the earth. In addition, Angels are not divided into ladies and gentlemen, do not fall in love, do not get married and do not give birth to children.
The Orthodox Church says that, unfortunately, the name of the personal Guardian Angel in our reality is impossible to find out. This is clearly seen from the dialogue between the Angel and Father Samson:
“And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord: What is your name? so that we may glorify you when your word is fulfilled.
The angel of the Lord said to him: Why do you ask about my name? it’s wonderful.”
(Jd.13:17,18)
Angels are depicted with wings because they are a symbol of speed.
Images of angels are strictly canonical and therefore cannot be painted as the artist wants. Their iconographic images are a set of symbols that are defined by the Church.
Their task is to convey the idea that angels are messengers of God, and since they are incorporeal beings, images of angels in this regard can be quite free. Usually the image of such a being in human perception is a beautiful, luminous young man in a white robe.
In the world, angels are depicted in different ways, for example, in the form of cupids.
Archangel Michael Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, 2010. On the icon the Archangel is depicted with wings, as an attribute of God's messenger
Wings are an integral attribute of the image of a representative of the Heavenly Forces and the Heavenly Host. They are a symbol of the speed and all-pervasiveness of the messenger of God.
In addition, usually a staff is depicted together with them as a symbol of the messenger, as well as a mirror, which is a sphere in the hand, on which a cross or an abbreviation of the name of the Savior is depicted. It symbolizes the gift of foresight that the angels received from God.
Also, without fail, God’s messengers in the images have gold-colored toroki or “ribbons” in their hair. This is a symbol of special obedience to the will of God and hearing Him.
As a symbol of all-seeing, many angels have a third “eye” depicted on their foreheads. By the way, the appearance of an angel as the appearance of a beautiful young man is also not accidental, because it is a symbol of perfection.
The iconographic canon prescribes depicting only those angels that are described in the Holy Scriptures. An example of such works is the book of the prophet Ezekiel, as well as the Revelation of the holy Apostle John the Theologian. These works became the basis of the iconography of the angelic ranks, as follows:
- Seraphim are depicted as having six wings;
- Cherubim - four-winged;
- Thrones - in the form of wheels that have many eyes on the rims.
The canon of depicting the Archangels is special, with special attention paid to the rules for depicting the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. They are depicted in full growth, as angels of the presence, as they stand before God.
The image is waist-length or shoulder-length. An example of such an image is the icon “Angel of Golden Hair”.
Archangel Gabriel (“Angel of Golden Hair”). End of the 12th century. 48.8 X 38.8 cm. Timing belt. Inv. DRZh 2115
In some cases, angels may be depicted “all together” or in connection with an event. It is worth noting that images of angels are found not only in Christian churches, but also in the homes of Orthodox Christians.
You can pray to angels as guardians of the soul, intercessors and protectors from attacks and temptations, protectors and intercessors from slander, evil spirits, and also as prayer books for us before the Lord.
“Like people only with wings” - this is what Guardian Angels look like
Since ancient times, Angels have been depicted as people with large beautiful wings. But this idea in no way reflects the real appearance of the heavenly sons of God. The wings indicate their speed. Angels can instantly move from one end of the Universe to the other.
When speaking about his heavenly sons, God uses an associative method of description. It's like a sighted person describing a rainbow to someone who was born blind. Red could be thought of as warm or hot, blue as cold, and so on. This is how God describes the Angels in a language we understand.
Icons and other images
On icons, Guardian Angels are most often shown holding a sword and a cross. The cross serves to bless the believer, the sword to protect him. The angels are dressed in white, green and red clothes. They appear before us in the form of people with wings. Sometimes they hold a staff, which indicates their earthly mission.
How to choose an icon of your Guardian Angel
If we are talking about the patron saint, the namesake of a person. When choosing an icon, you need to take into account the name given at the time of baptism. It is also worth paying attention to the period of birth. To make the right choice, it is better to seek help from a priest.
Angels don't need wings, they are disembodied spirits
An angel with wings is a symbol. Naturally, they, as incorporeal creatures, do not need wings to move.
In Scripture, angels are called spirits (Heb. 1:14), but spirits do not have bodies.
Moreover, in some cases, by the will of God, they can take on visible forms, including those with wings.
A. Losenko. Abraham's sacrifice. 765
An angel sent by the Lord stops the hand of Abraham, who is about to sacrifice his son Isaac. Despite the fact that an angel is an incorporeal being, according to the Word of God he is capable of performing actions in the material world.
Angelic bodies do not belong to them and are given to them temporarily by the will of the Lord. The question of the consubstantiality of angels with each other is not clear. Some theologians express the opinion that each of them represents a special spiritual world, a unique creation of God.
Such Fathers of the Church as Tertullian and Saint Justin the Philosopher argued that a certain corporeality is present in the ethereal Forces, since all created beings must have it. Moreover, such corporeality cannot be understood as human. It is rather formless and ethereal.
Thus, the fathers of the VII Ecumenical Council confirmed the possibility that it is permissible to depict angels on icons, since only God is invisible and incorporeal. In addition, by the will of God they can appear to people and therefore they can be depicted.
Cathedral of the Archangels. Miniature of the manuscript. Byzantium. XI century. Greece. Athos. Dionysiatus. All Archangels, like ranks of angels, are depicted with wings
Angels do not eat or drink, and do not give birth to their own kind. All of them were created at once, including those that exist. The Heavenly Forces do not take up space in space; they can move at the speed of lightning, since there are no obstacles for them.
At the same time, they cannot know the depths of God’s Being, they do not have omniscience, and they know the future only because God Himself reveals it to them. Angels are just servants of the Holy Trinity and worshiping them as rulers of the world and creators is prohibited by the 35th rule of the Council of Laodicea.
That is why angels are depicted with wings, as a symbol of the messenger of God. As incorporeal beings, they are not needed and they appear with people only to show them their purpose.
They can be called in to talk openly and directly.
Although Guardian Angels help us, they are not our personal servants. They fulfill God's will and will not enter into communication with man for any reason. As a rule, they do this in those moments of our lives when no one can help with either advice or deed.
This can occur during a period of serious illness, death of loved ones, world upheavals, leading to confusion of the soul and persistent doubt in God's love and justice. Angels can give advice, comfort, or even save a person from a cruel ordeal.
But how to get in touch with them?
You can attract the immediate attention of Angels if you lead a godly lifestyle and show a prayerful attitude in the most desperate situations.
Murals of the Vladimir Cathedral, Kyiv. Victor Vasnetsov. Angel with a lamp
Icon of St. Cyril guardian angel
The name means “lord” in Greek, and “sun” in Hebrew. It is worth asking this face for help for those born from the twenty-second of June to the twenty-second of July. Kirill's name day is January thirty-first (according to the old calendar - January eighteenth).
There is a well-known fact from the life of Kirill. Once he was building the Belozersky monastery. Seeing this, the villagers thought that the man was very rich. One of the envious people gathered his servants to rob the monastery. Arriving at night, they saw warriors with drawn sabers guarding the monastery.
So the man waited until the morning, thinking that the soldiers would fall asleep, but they did not fall asleep and did not leave. It was decided to go the next day. But this time everything happened again. All the same warriors walked with sabers and no one slept. Then the envious man asked to find out what kind of warriors they were and when they retreated. The answer surprised him. There were no soldiers or even a pilgrim there. Everything became clear.
These were guardian angels who protected the monastery from robbery. The landowner repented and asked God for forgiveness for his action.
The best article for you, go to: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul: icon, prayer, day of celebration
Sometimes he appears to a person in a visible way to provide support.
Some claim to have seen an Angel in a dream, but it is impossible to verify whether this was direct contact with heavenly forces.
Most often, Guardian Angels answer differently. Indeed, even in biblical times, communication between people and Angels occurred in isolated cases.
How to ask for help?
In order for the Angels to provide assistance, you need to show them respect based on trust and humility. You should be honest about your doubts, sadness, despair, fear and other feelings.
The prayer addressed to the Angel should be simple and specific. And let's not forget to thank you! In addition to prayer, we can express our gratitude by sincere obedience to God's commandments.
You can tell fortunes and get advice from an Angel online
Some sites offer fortune telling in which Angels supposedly participate. For example, the Angel Tarot deck is used for this. It is believed that with the help of fortune telling on cards you can get advice or a forecast for the future from the Guardian Angel himself.
How reliable can this method of communication be?
Communication with otherworldly forces through magical rituals makes a person vulnerable to the effects of cruel and merciless demonic forces.
And here is what Archpriest Alexy Spassky, rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Merciful” at the Morozov Children’s Hospital in Moscow, answers to the question regarding fortune telling:
No one knows the future except God, who exists outside the categories of time. And since a person is free, he himself creates his own future, then it is impossible to find out what he will do in a particular situation... But this desire to “know the future” is used by demons - fallen spirits who, wanting to destroy a person, mislead him and deceive him . Through fortune telling, they tell a person what they need for their purposes, trying to destroy the one who begins to believe their answers to fortune telling.
Therefore, if a person takes these predictions seriously, then he can get into trouble... It’s one thing to read an astrological forecast out of nothing to do, and another thing to do special actions aimed at fortune telling, which are directly forbidden to Christians as an appeal to dark forces.
The Church directly says that fortune telling is a sin.
Angels in painting. Karl Bryullov. "Flying Angel Mourning the Victims of the Inquisition"
You can't portray an angel without a face
Sometimes there are images of angels without faces. An angel without a face is a reflection of a superstition that still exists in different places. According to him, it is forbidden to have images of human faces in the house.
They can supposedly deprive a home of family happiness, while faceless images allow, on the contrary, to ensure it. That is why superstitious people purchase and make figurines of faceless angels, using them as amulet-amulet.
Angel without a face. Ash figurine. Author unknown. A sample of souvenirs that superstitious and illiterate people use as an amulet
You can't do that. An angel is a messenger of God and that is why there is a strict canon for its image. The angels themselves, as an angelic rank, are depicted as beautiful young men, dressed in white robes and apostolic attire.
Yes, there are ranks, for example, thrones, that do not have the appearance of a person, but this does not mean that it is necessary to distort angelic images.
In any case, if you have doubts about the possibility of using a particular figurine or image of an angel, consult the priest of your local temple about this. He will give you advice.
God gives a Guardian Angel to a person at the moment of birth... or baptism
Many are sure that the Guardian Angel is given to a person at the moment of baptism, but not birth. This is due to the fact that the main concern of the Angels is our salvation to eternal life. Others believe that our holy helpers are attached to us immediately after birth.
The words of Jesus Christ help us clearly answer this question:
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.”
(Matt. 18:10)
Interesting fact
The Bible says that heavenly intercessors protect not only people, but all of God's creation. Otherwise, the demons would not have asked Christ for permission to enter the pigs after he had expelled them from the unfortunate fellow tribesman.
Images of angels can be seen on Orthodox icons
The Orthodox world is characterized by the veneration of icons depicting angels. It is worth noting that in the ancient Christian church they were not depicted, but only their names were carved on precious stones.
Although, for example, in the Old Testament there is an indication that God commanded the prophet Moses to make the Ark of the Covenant and on its golden lid to make two embossed Cherubim of gold, which have two wings spread upward, and they face each other (Ex. 25 , 19-22).
After decisions were made at the Ecumenical Council allowing the depiction of representatives of the Heavenly Host, many icons were created that are still revered by the Orthodox today. They are placed both in churches and in the homes of believers.
Wilhelm von Kaulbach, "Guardian Angel", 19th century. One of the popular subjects of both secular and religious painting, when the Guardian Angel is depicted with the soul of a person in the form of a child
In addition, they usually keep an image of the Guardian Angel in the house. Very often they depict the Cathedral of the Holy Seven Archangels and the Guardian Angel with children.
In addition, an Angel is often depicted with a child in her arms. The meaning of this image is that the child is a symbol of the Christ Child or the human soul.
It is especially recommended to have images of the archangels Gabriel and Michael at home.
Very often, the image of such an angel is an image of the Guardian Angel, who, according to God’s will, protects us from the moment of birth to death.
Images of angels are a popular subject in secular painting. Many famous artists painted pictures of guardian angels. In addition, drawings of guardian angels are often found in religious literature. In many cases, they are an indispensable attribute of Christmas cards.
On each shoulder of a person there is one Angel... or two
Popular legends say that on the right shoulder or behind it there is a righteous Angel, and on the left side there is an evil associate of Satan. Therefore, people do not spit over their right shoulder, so as not to offend their guardian, and spit over their left shoulder, in order to express contempt for the demon and to please the Angel.
Of course, literally no one is sitting on our shoulders. The Scripture says that the Lord himself is at the right hand of the righteous. This is a figurative expression meaning that he is always with us. Satan doesn't sleep either. But in order not to fall under its influence, you need to not spit over your left shoulder, but resist temptations.
Nothing is known for sure about the exact number of Guardian Angels helping an individual person. There is an opinion that only one Angel is given for life. But it is quite possible that one Angel takes care of several people at once.
Guardian Angel warns of danger through animals
Some believe that the Guardian Angel warns a person about misfortunes or upcoming events through phenomena that seem random:
- If your car keys fall before a trip, it will lead to an accident;
- a bird crashed into a window - to the death of a loved one;
- If you stumble on the beach, put off swimming, otherwise you may drown;
- your hand itches - don’t spend a lot of money, otherwise you will become poor;
- you are being chased by a homeless animal - expect a quick wedding (if you want to speed up the process, feed it).
But do Angels really hit us on the hands, trip us up, tickle and toss unfortunate animals around in order to predict the future or warn us against something?
If you attach sacramental significance to every little thing, it is easy to become superstitious and begin to rely on His Majesty chance, and not on God's wisdom.
In order for the Angel to be nearby, you need to pray to God or to him personally. But how do you know that he is nearby? After prayer, a warm feeling suddenly arises and the person feels a foreign presence near him. Joy and peace reign in the heart. Although external circumstances may not change.
The Book of Job also talks about other manifestations of angelic care:
“God says once and, if they don’t notice, another time:
in a dream, in night vision, when sleep falls on people, while dozing on a bed.
Then He opens man's ear and impresses His instruction,
to divert a person from any enterprise and remove pride from him,
to take his soul away from the abyss and his life from defeat by the sword.
Or he is admonished by sickness on his bed and severe pain in all his bones, -
and his life turns away from bread and his soul from his favorite food.
The flesh on him disappears, so that it is not visible, and his bones are revealed, which were not visible.
And his soul approaches the grave and his life approaches death.
If he has a mentor angel, one of a thousand, to show a person his straight path -
God will have mercy on him and say: free him from the grave; I have found propitiation."
(Job 33:14-24)
Do these words mean that we should attach great importance to dreams and use books on their interpretation? No. Elihu, Job's friend, most likely meant that in a dream, Angels help a person master the wisdom received during the day. In our case, this happens when we study the Bible, pray, listen to sermons in Church, read theological books and communicate with fellow believers.
Spiritual and moral growth clearly indicates Angelic help. Considering the extreme depravity of the modern world, such a change in personality can be considered a true miracle.
Iconography: Guardian Angel Dates: XIX century. Late 19th century Icon painting school or art center: Russia Material: Wood, tempera, gilding Icon dimensions: height 31 cm, width 26 cm In the middle of the icon, an angel is depicted standing on the clouds. In his left hand he holds a sword, and in his right hand a cross and instruments of passion. Above it at the top of the icon is the face of Jesus Christ on a board. © Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after M.A. Vrubel
ANGELS AND JEANS: TRANSFORMATION OF APPEARANCE
The head of the Icon Painting School of the Moscow Academy of Arts, Archimandrite Luke (Golovkov), talks about the iconography of the ethereal Heavenly Forces.
When praying in front of an icon, a person turns to the person depicted on it.
The external appearance of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, the Mother of God, and saints is usually conveyed by artists as it is captured in Church Tradition or in eyewitness accounts. However, there are also angelic ranks on the icons that do not have physical embodiment. What principles guide icon painters when creating them? – What are modern icon painters guided by when depicting the Heavenly Powers, which by definition are immaterial? – In general, everything visible can be depicted. Angelic Forces are depicted according to prophetic visions.
Cherub
– What is the oldest image of Angels? – The oldest images of Archangels are found already in the 3rd–4th centuries, for example, in the plot of the “Annunciation”. Of course, the iconography had not yet been formed by this time; the Angels there are without halos and wings. It was influenced by the fact that it was a time of persecution. But already at the turn of the 4th–5th centuries, the iconographic appearance of the Angels was taking shape. They appear in a tunic and himation, with earrings (tips) tying up their hair, and wearing sandals. The iconography has been enriched over time. From the 6th century, an image of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in expensive court clothes as close servants of the Heavenly King has been preserved. Later, from the 14th century, the image of the Archangel Michael in armor - a warrior, a Heavenly commander - begins to appear.
In Byzantium there are images of two more of the seven Archangels - Raphael and Uriel. In addition, other angelic powers were depicted: Angels of the Lord, Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim. Sometimes they are present in the composition of some sacred plot, sometimes in the host surrounding the Lord.
White Angel – Serbia
– According to the teachings of the Church, there are nine ranks of angels. What are the features of the image of each rank? – The fact is that all angelic ranks are extremely rarely depicted and their iconography, at least for me, is not fully understood. There are a number of images of nine angelic ranks from the 16th to 19th centuries as they surround the Lord. Most often you can see the seven Archangels, Angels in the guise of winged youths. A face surrounded by four or six wings (less often two) is a traditional image of Cherubim and Seraphim. Outwardly, they are often not distinguishable, and only the signature indicates which angelic rank it is. Seraphim can be reddish – fiery. The Cherubim have a peculiarity - they are sometimes depicted as “many-read” (cf. Gen. 3:24), as the Holy Scriptures say about them. In addition, in the Orthodox East there was an image of Cherubim as tetramorphs - four-headed creatures. One head, with a human face, is facing the worshippers, the other three, similar to the heads of a calf, an eagle and a lion, each look in their own direction: left, right and up. This symbolizes that Cherubim are ready to serve the Lord with all their being - to look with all their eyes and act in all directions. Such images appear starting from the 6th century, for example, in the famous Gospel of Rabbi, where at the foot of the Lord ascending to heaven such a tetramorphic Cherub is depicted, accompanying Him. Such images are very rare, found among the Greeks, in the Balkans, in Georgia, but I have not seen such images in the Russian icon painting tradition.
Sometimes on the icon you can see the resemblance of a wheel with wings, covered with eyes. This is the traditional iconography of the Thrones. There are also very few such images; one of the first is in the already mentioned Gospel of Ravbula. In Russian icon painting, Thrones are present on the icon “Savior in Power” near the foot of the throne on which God rests.
Venerable Macarius the Great of Egypt
– At what time do images of Angels and Archangels appear separately? – One of the first images of the Angels themselves is on the mosaics of the Church of St. George in Thessaloniki. This is the turn of the 4th–5th centuries. The mosaic has been partially preserved, but it is still clearly visible that the Angels are depicted there not as a group, but separately, distributed around the lost image of Christ the Savior.
Separately, the upcoming Archangels Michael and Gabriel are depicted already in the 6th century in the mosaics of Ravenna, and have been present in the Deesis rank at least since the 11th–12th centuries. Their images are also found in the minologies of the 10th–12th centuries - graphic collections accompanying the short lives of saints.
If we talk about individual prayer icons of the Archangel Michael, then since the end of the 13th century this has been a characteristic phenomenon. Such an icon, for example, is in the Tretyakov Gallery. Often the image of Archangel Michael is surrounded by stamps illustrating his participation in the life of the Earthly and Heavenly Church. This is a very characteristic phenomenon for the late Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, the icon of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael appears. Since the 13th century, there have been a number of such images.
– On temple frescoes and in Russian religious painting of the 18th – early 20th centuries you can often see well-fed babies with wings. Where did this tradition come to us from and how canonical is it? – These images, of course, are associated with Western art, but it turned to early Christian art. In the 3rd century, in the Roman catacombs there are images of such winged boys and even winged young women. These images were borrowed from ancient art and, during the era of persecution, told Christians about disembodied celestial beings. In the Orthodox East, after the Edict of Milan, such images disappear. It was only during the Renaissance that boys with wings reappeared in religious paintings in Europe. The pictorial style borrowed from the West in Russia became fashionable in the 18th century, at which time our artists, and then icon painters, began to consider such winged babies as an angelic image. This tradition, to put it briefly, is non-canonical. It is connected not so much with Christianity as with the ancient world.
– From Sacred history it is known that Angels often appeared to people in humanoid form and their clothing probably corresponded to the time of the event. Why can’t you draw Angels in modern clothes, in a suit or jeans, for example? – In general, the icon is suprahistorical. We do not always depict even saints in the clothes that they wore in earthly life. Even the Lord is dressed in the icons in an ancient tunic, and not at all in the attire of a Palestinian Jew of the 1st century. Therefore, when Polenov tried to reconstruct the events of that time in his painting, he put slightly different clothes on the Lord than those that we are used to seeing on Orthodox icons and frescoes.
An icon is designed to convey meaning, but does not always reflect the realistic side of events. In addition, of course, a sign that does not evoke negative emotions is important. An angel in a modern suit will evoke a smile rather than awe. The very sign of the presence of a celestial being who helps us is important. I am convinced that innovations in general should be treated very carefully.
– But, for example, Archangel Michael often appears in the armor of a Roman warrior, with a spear and shield. Although it is clear that he does not have such military equipment... - The iconographic depiction of clothes is always conditional. Even if we compare the episcopal robes of Metropolitan St. Peter of Moscow and his appearance on the icons, they are not absolutely identical. There was some transformation of the clothing on the icon.
In general, the depiction of late clothing is one of the cardinal problems when depicting saints of modern times, especially holy men, martyrs who did not belong to the clergy, since civilian clothing of the 20th century does not look completely organic and does not look beautiful on the icon. It is necessary that the saint be recognizable, and that the historical era is somehow reflected in his clothes, and that it is simply beautiful and in tradition. This is one of the most important tasks for modern icon painters.
I think that if the need arises to depict the modern phenomenon of Angels in humanoid form, we will need to try to solve it, reflecting reality, and at the same time do it in an aesthetically acceptable way.
– There is an icon “Guardian Angel of Moscow”. Is this image canonical? Can an icon of any city or town in general be painted by analogy? - Probably, maybe. The iconography of the Guardian Angel itself appears in the late Middle Ages. Icons from the late 16th century are known. A man prays to his own Guardian Angel, contemplating an icon with the caption simply “Guardian Angel.” Even more recent are the images of the “Angel of Prayer”, slightly different paraphernalia in the hands of the Archangels.
The oldest icon known to me, “Guardian Angel of Moscow,” dates back to the 90s of the 20th century, and was painted for the St. Nicholas Church on Maroseyka. Whether there was an earlier image, I don’t know, but the late Father Alexander Kulikov, who revived the temple on Maroseyka, blessed to paint such an icon. I see no reason for doubt here. Of course, all cities have their own Guardian Angels, and it is quite possible to paint an icon of the Guardian Angel of a certain city. As for Moscow, it is a special city; as a capital city, it is under God’s special care. We must pray that the Lord will protect him.
Olga Markelova
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The book "Revelations of Guardian Angels" contains secret knowledge
Journalist Renat Garifzyanov and clairvoyant Lyubov Panova created a series of books dedicated to secret knowledge. The authors claim to have received information directly from the Guardian Angels. God's servants allegedly told them the truth about Atlantis, the mysteries of history, the death of famous personalities and the spiritual sphere. The books have become very popular in many countries around the world. But is it worth believing what is written in them?
Orthodox clergy express serious concern about the mass distribution of these books. The authors shamelessly trample on precious Christian truths.
Here are some of their extravagant blasphemous statements :
- Prayers should be addressed only to the Guardian Angels, so as not to disturb God with your insignificant requests.
- Guardian Angels are the arbiters of human destinies; they punish a person or help him.
- The righteous will inherit another planet ruled by a more prosperous civilization, while the wicked will receive a new avatar on Earth.
- Jesus is the son of Mary and the Roman who seduced her
- The text of the Bible was changed by the participants of the First Ecumenical Council.
In addition, the book advises the use of magic spells, conspiracies and rituals.
But think about it: Can Angels say anything that contradicts the Word of God?
“Let us not guess why they committed such blasphemy - for the sake of money or for the sake of fame, consciously or in error. We are not talking about them now, but my soul hurts for those people who seem to have reached out to the light of truth, but due to their spiritual illiteracy, stepped onto the path of darkness.”
N. Tsvevaty, candidate of philological sciences.
Prayer amulet “Three Guardian Angels” - strong protection
We need angelic protection every day. According to some legends, in addition to the Guardian Angel, 2 more heavenly helpers take care of a person on his birthday, and on the day of his death they accompany him to heaven. For this reason, the prayer “Charm of the Three Angels” is considered a very powerful protective tool against fears, weaknesses and anxieties.
The popularity of amulets is a terrible scourge of all times and peoples. Before you save such a pearl, think about whether it is possible to induce or force Angels to do something with the help of spells or amulets?
The Church, which has two thousand years of experience in spiritual life, views amulets as nothing other than an element of the occult.
“If a person is dealing with any situation where the word “amulet” appears, then this is an open door to the underworld, and one foot is already there. If you hear something like that, put your feet up and run away. All amulets protect a person from the Kingdom of Heaven and prepare him for the underworld.”
Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov
The main meaning and features of choosing “your” Guardian Angel icon
Prayer 1 to the Guardian Angel (Prayer 9 from the Morning Prayer Rule)
Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me all that I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation, Let me not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.
Prayer 2 to the Guardian Angel (Prayer 11 from the Evening Prayer Rule)
To the Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned in this day: and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God, but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant , so that you are worthy to show me the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.
Prayer 3 to the Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection! I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, save me from all evil, guide me to good deeds, and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.
Prayer 4 to the Guardian Angel (from the akathist to the Guardian Angel)
O holy Angel, my good guardian and patron! With a contrite heart and a painful soul, I stand before you, praying: hear me, your sinful servant (name of the rivers), crying with a strong cry and a bitter cry; Do not remember my iniquities and untruths, in whose image I, the accursed one, anger you all day and hour, and commit abomination to myself before our Creator, the Lord; Show yourself merciful to me and do not leave me, the vile one, even until my death; awaken me from the sleep of sin and with your prayers help me to pass through the rest of my life without blemish and create fruits worthy of repentance; moreover, protect me from the mortal falls of sin, so that I will not perish in despair, and may the enemy not rejoice over my destruction. I truly confess with my lips that no one is such a friend and intercessor, protector and champion, like you, holy Angel: for standing before the Throne of the Lord, pray for me, indecent and most sinful of all, so that the Most Good One will not take away my soul on the day of my hopelessness and day of creation of evil. Do not cease to propitiate the Most Merciful Lord and my God, may He forgive me the sins that I have committed in all my life, in deed, in word and with all my feelings, and in the image of fate, may He save me, may He punish me here according to His ineffable mercy, but yes He will not convict or punish me according to His impartial justice; may he make me worthy to bring repentance, and with repentance may I be worthy of receiving Divine Communion, for this I pray more and I earnestly desire such a gift. In the terrible hour of death, be persistent with me, my good guardian, driving away the dark demons that have the power to frighten my trembling soul; protect me from those traps, when the Imam passes through airy ordeals, yes, we protect you, I will safely reach the paradise I desire, where the faces of the saints and heavenly Powers constantly praise the all-honorable and magnificent name in the Trinity of the glorified God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to Him honor and worship are due forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer 5 to the Guardian Angel (from the canon to the Guardian Angel)
Holy Angel of Christ, falling to you I pray, my holy guardian, dedicated to me for the preservation of my sinful soul and body from holy baptism, but with my laziness and my evil custom I angered your most pure lordship and drove you away from me with all the cold deeds: lies, slander , envy, condemnation, contempt, disobedience, brotherly hatred and resentment, love of money, adultery, rage, stinginess, gluttony without satiety and drunkenness, verbosity, evil thoughts and crafty ones, proud custom and lustful infuriation, self-lust for every carnal lust, oh my evil arbitrariness, even beasts without words do not do it! How can you look at me, or approach me like a stinking dog? Whose eyes, Angel of Christ, look upon me, entangled in evil in vile deeds? How can I ask for forgiveness for my bitter, evil and crafty deeds, I fall into misery all day and night and at every hour? But I pray to you, falling down, my holy guardian, have mercy on me, your sinful and unworthy servant (name of the rivers), be my helper and intercessor against the evil of my opponent, with your holy prayers, and make me a partaker of the Kingdom of God with all the saints, always, and now , and ever and ever. Amen.
The Bible does not contain information about Guardian Angels
The Bible has a lot of valuable information, but not as much about Angels as we would like, but enough for us to love and respect them. Are they like us? Even among believers familiar with Scripture, there is an opinion about Angels as biorobots that do not have intelligence, free will and emotions. Of course, this is not true.
Here are some interesting details about Angels that the Bible gives:
- God created Angels even before the material world.
- While he created the Earth and people, his heavenly sons rejoiced. This means that they are capable of experiencing the most powerful feelings, just like us. They are very worried about their charges.
- The Guardian Angel freed Peter from prison during the persecution of the Church.
- Angels rejoice even over one repentant sinner. This means that most of all they care about our spiritual condition.
- Each Angel is much stronger than the most powerful people.
- Angels are able to provide help in very unexpected ways, even in extremely difficult circumstances.
- Not only people have Guardian Angels, but also churches and nations.
- The Old Testament Scriptures speak of a guiding angel who admonishes a person who has fallen into the network of vice and asks God to forgive repentant sinners.
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my dangers.
Those who turned their gaze to Him were enlightened, and their faces would not be ashamed.
This beggar cried out, and the Lord heard and saved him from all his troubles.
The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the Lord is! Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
(Ps.33:5-9)
Resurrection of Christ. Angel sitting on the coffin. Fresco of the Intercession Church of the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. Artist Nesterov M.V.
An angel is a messenger of God
The Church teaches that angels are immortal beings, possessing free will, having extraordinary abilities and endowed with power that is not available to people.
Angel
that's what they call God's messenger
Angels are incorporeal and therefore people usually do not see them. The tasks they perform are different, but most often they are God's messengers promoting the salvation of the human race.
The purpose of angels is to glorify God and serve Him.
An angel leads the Apostle Peter out of prison. Russia, St. Petersburg, 1857. The icon shows the canonical image of an Angel with wings
Since the task of angels is to communicate the will of the Lord to people, information about them is often found in the Old and New Testaments. So, for example, an angel miraculously delivered the Apostle Peter, leading him out of prison:
“Now truly we know that God has sent His angel, and has taken me out of the hand of Herod and from all the hope of the people of Judah.”
(Acts 12:11)
It should be noted that, being God’s messenger among people, an angel can appear to a person in visible form. It should be noted that these beings are sinless, since, having once made their choice and taken the path of serving God, they received His special grace.
All 9 angelic orders are depicted in “The Assumption” by Francesco Botticini. 1475 The painting depicts all the ranks of angels, since the Catholic Church, like the Orthodox Church, honors the angels of the Lord
Holy Scripture does not say when angels were created, but in any case, the Holy Church believes that this happened before the creation of the world and man. The Holy Apostle Paul says:
“By this,” says the holy Apostle Paul, “all things were created, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether they were thrones, whether they were dominions, whether they were principalities, whether they were powers: by Him all things were created.”
(Col. 1:16)
Here he defines the hierarchy of angels which consists of the First Hierarchy - Serphim, Cherubim and Thrones.
The second is Dominions, Powers and Powers. The third includes the Principalities, Archangels and Angels. Very often all angels are called the Heavenly forces and the Heavenly army, and they are led by the Archangel Michael.
There is a special prayer for my son and a separate one for my daughter.
I came across such prayers (of dubious and even dangerous content) only on pseudo-Orthodox websites, many of which are on a kind of “black” list of the Patriarchate.
The best prayers are those said in your own words. Parents can thank the Guardian Angels for the care shown to their children and ask for guidance for their successful upbringing in a Christian spirit. You should ask for protection, first of all, from the influence of demonic forces and the corrupted world.
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If we want to receive the protection and help of the Guardian Angels, then it is worth remembering that they carry out the will of the Lord of the Universe. First of all, God cares about the salvation of our soul. And although Heavenly powers are able to save us from misfortunes, first of all they help us in spiritual and moral growth.
Victor Glebov
Parable about the Guardian Angel and man
One day an Angel turned to a man: “Do you want me to show you your whole life?” All the way, with obstacles and victories... - I want to. The angel took the man by the hand and flew up. Soon the man looked down and saw his life - two pairs of footprints walking side by side. - Who is it that always walks next to me? - asked the man. “It’s me,” says the angel, “I accompany you all your life.” — Why sometimes only one pair of footprints remains? - asked the man. - These are the most difficult periods of your life... - So what, you abandoned me in the most difficult moments?! How could you?! - the man lamented. - No, I didn’t quit. I carried you in my arms...
Quotes from the Holy Fathers
“The purpose of the Angels is holiness and remaining in holiness.” Saint Basil the Great
“God commanded that higher powers serve those who are on earth (man) - because of the dignity of the image with which man is clothed . Saint John Chrysostom
“These holy and blessed spirits contribute to our salvation, so that we diligently serve them and our Lord and thus be saved.”
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
“They (Angels) protect parts of the earth, rule over peoples and places, as assigned by the Creator.”
“I am sure that a special Angel protects each Church, as John teaches me in the Apocalypse (1, 20).”
Saint Ambrose of Milan
“All Angels have both one name and, of course, a common nature to all: but some of them are appointed to rule over the nations, and others to be companions to each of the faithful. But, to the extent that a whole people is preferable to one person, to the same extent, without a doubt, the dignity of the Angel of the people is higher than the dignity of the Angel to whom the care of one person is entrusted.”
Saint Basil the Great
“To protect the flock of God, the Lord not only appointed bishops, but also appointed Angels.” Saint Ambrose of Milan
“It is our duty to glorify the Angels: by praising the Creator, they reveal His mercy and favor towards people.”
Saint John Chrysostom
“Angels, being servants of love and peace, rejoice over our repentance and success in virtue, try to fill us with spiritual contemplations (to the extent of our receptivity) and assist us in all good.”
Saint Theodore of Edessa
“God sends His Angels to protect and help those who have acquired the right to inherit the promised blessings in the future life.
Saint Ambrose of Milan
Wishes for the journey and bedtime
I wish with all my heart that your Guardian Angel will always be there and not retreat for a minute, not allowing you to take a step in the wrong direction and always guiding you on the path of light and goodness. May the Lord give you strength every day, help you in all your endeavors and give you a happy destiny. I also wish that faith never, even in difficult moments, leaves your heart, and that your soul is always filled with joy!
May the strong hand of the Lord protect you from troubles and all kinds of misfortunes! I wish that God’s boundless love will light a flame of hope in your heart! Be patient and don’t give up, and the Almighty will help you find immense happiness and share it with others!
I wish you an easy journey! Let it pass quickly and unnoticed, and you will meet kind and sympathetic people. May your guardian angel always be there and help you in any situation. Bon Voyage!
May your day pass into oblivion, may mystery and peace accompany your complete rest, and may your Guardian Angel give you hope, give you strength and guide you on the true path. I wish that God’s grace provides you with protection and envelops you in love and fidelity. I would like to wish that with the arrival of a new day, all worries, worries and sorrows will disappear along with the passing of the darkness.
Good night wishes
I wish you a good, good, blessed night. Let the past day take all the hardships and troubles with it, and in your soul there will only remain gratitude to the Lord for the useful experience acquired and the necessary wisdom. May God grant us all to wake up in vigorous, good health and with immaculate thoughts. May the Guardian Angels protect us from all tragedies and troubles.
Prayer for good luck to the guardian angel
There are times when problems overtake you, things are not going well at work and in life, lack of money sets in, everything starts to collapse and you don’t know how to deal with it. You want to ask for help, but you see the same exhausted people nearby. You do not meaningfully raise your head to heaven and tell everything to the Lord and ask him for help. You know that he always hears you and will always help.
You can pray anytime, anywhere. If your heart and soul needs to pray, then do it. Some believe that you need to pray only in a temple or church in front of an icon, this is not so. Don’t forget that you need to not only ask God, but also thank him for what you have and for his help. He helps you every day, every minute.
There are many prayers. But you can talk to the Lord in your own words. Your thoughts must be pure and sincere. Here is one of the prayers that will help you and give you good luck:
Prayer to the Guardian Angel for happiness and good luck
“Benefactor, holy angel, my guardian forever and ever, as long as I live. Your ward is calling to you, hear me and come down to me. As you have done me good many times, do me good again. I am pure before God, I have not done anything wrong before people. I lived by faith before, and I will continue to live by faith, and therefore the Lord has endowed me with His mercy, and by His will you protect me from all adversity. So let the will of the Lord come true and you, saint, fulfill it. I ask you for a happy life for yourself and your family, and this will be the highest reward from the Lord for me. Hear me, heavenly angel, and help me, fulfill the will of God. Amen".
