|
Angels are necessary part of our faith. They are said to be the guardians
that help us avoid disasters and also help us weigh in things and choose the
right path. Of course, there are people who also say that
angels go both ways - the good and
the bad. It is up to us to choose which advice we will follow. There are even
depictions of angels from both
heaven and hell sitting on both sides of the conscience. They are each saying
their own tips for the day and influencing the way we think.
Despite this, angels
have always been depicted as the good and kind ones that help us along the way.
They are even sometimes pictured in artworks as small cuddly ones, the cherubs,
that do harmless mischief. They also have the trademark wings, white cloth and
halo.
The word angel comes from old French word angele and the old English term engel.
These words are said to mean messenger. In the bible,
angels act as go betweens. They
tell the message of God and what He wants to enforce on earth. The very first
biblical figure that made a reference to God is Daniel who referred to
angels by their names. He
particularly had a scene with Angel Gabriel.
The earliest known depiction of an angel was in the catacomb of Priscilla, which
was in existence since the third century. The angel there do not however have
wings. There were also angels found
in sarchophagus, lamps and reliquaries. One of the most famous example is the
Angel in the Sacrifice of Isaac picture in the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus.
Angels eventually had wings. In 1930, a sarcophagus in Istanbul was
discovered to have an image of an angel
with wings. The time frame for the sarcophagus was set to the time of Theodosius
I. According to St. John Chrysostom, the addition of wings into their image is a
symbolism of the heights they can reach and the sublimity of their existence.
The most famous of the
angels is Angel Gabriel, which is believed to be the leader of all the
angels. He is classified as an
archangel, which is at the top of the hierarchy. He has been mentioned several
times in the bible and is believed to be even the one who delivered the Koran to
the prophet Muhammad.
Another famous angel is Raphael, who is said to be the healer. He helps sick
people and is generally called upon to help with terminal illnesses and grave
wounds.
Angel Barchiel on the other hand is the Angel for the month of February. He is
actually not an angel of love but
is dubbed as the bringer of hope for mankind.
Angel Michael on the other hand is often depicted as the warrior, defending the
heavens from demons. He has a military cloak on and has a profile that is
symmetrically perfect.
There is also Metatron, which is very popular in Judaism. This angel is
mentioned in Merkabah and Kabbalist texts and beliefs and is considered to be
the highest in rank. He is also mentioned in the Talmud.
There are many more mentions of
angels
since then. In fact, it has become for us a symbol of goodness, of peace and of
hope.
To find out more about Angels
Click Here
|