c





 


Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the supernatural beings. For other uses, see Angel (disambiguation).

One of Melozzo's famous angels from the Basilica dei Santi Apostoli, now in the sacristy of St.
Peter's.
The Archangel Michael wears a late Roman military cloak and cuirass in this 17th century
depiction by Guido Reni

c
 are usually viewed as messengers of a supreme divine being, sent to do the tasks of that
being. Traditions vary as to whether angels have free will. While the appearance of angels also
varies, many views of angels give them a human shape. Despite a common popular belief² or at
least metaphor² that angels are former human beings, most major religious groups deny such a
view, and this position is held only by Latter Day Saints and the Bahá'í Faith.[O

º

Ñ  
[hideº

2| 1 Etymology
2| - Judaic beliefs
2| D Christianity
?| D.1 Iconography
?| D.- Latter Day Saint beliefs
2| ‰ Islam
2|   Zoroastrianism
2| Î Bahá'í Faith
2| 7 Hinduism
2| ü Theosophy
2|  Mysticism
2| 10 Contemporary research
2| 11 See also
2| 1- Notes
2| 1D References
2| 1‰ Further reading
2| 1  External links

(


The word  in English is a fusion of the Old English word  (with a hard g) and the Old
French  . Both derive from the Latin 
, and thence the Koine Greek  
('messenger') used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew   "messenger (of
Yahweh)".[1º[-º

(
 


Andrei Rublev's icon showing the three Angels hosted by Abraham

The Bible uses the terms ʭʩ ʤʬʠ ʪʠʬʮ (   ; messenger of God), ʤʥ ʤʩ ʪʠʬʮ ( 
 ; messenger of the Lord), ʭʩʤʥʬʠ ʩ ʰʡ (    ; sons of God) and ʭʩ ʹʥʣ ʷʤ (
 ; the holy ones) to refer to beings traditionally interpreted as angels. Other terms are
used in later texts, such as ʭʩ ʰ ʥʩʬʲʤ (  ; the upper ones). Daniel is the first biblical
figure to refer to individual angels by name.[Dº

In post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels came to take on a particular significance and developed
unique personalities and roles. Though these archangels were believed to have rank amongst the
heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest
of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalist mysticism and often serves as a scribe. He is briefly
mentioned in the Talmud,[‰º and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who
serves as a warrior and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:1D) is looked upon particularly fondly.
Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel ü:1 -17) and briefly in the Talmud,[ º as well
as many Merkabah mystical texts.

Medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides explained his view of angels in his 



  II:‰ and II:Î:

...This leads Aristotle in turn to the demonstrated fact that God, glory and majesty to Him, does
not do things by direct contact. God burns things by means of fire; fire is moved by the motion of
the sphere; the sphere is moved by means of a disembodied intellect, these intellects being the
'angels which are near to Him', through whose mediation the spheres [planetsº move... thus
totally disembodied minds exist which emanate from God and are the intermediaries between
God and all the bodies [objectsº here in this world.

± 

  !"#$  

(
Ñ



An angel in
%&
'(
 (1‰ ) by Vittore Carpaccio

Coat of arms of Sant'Angelo (rione of Rome)

Main article: Christian angelic hierarchy

Early Christians took over Jewish ideas of angels. In the early stage, the Christian concept of an
angel shifted between the angel as a messenger of God and a manifestation of God himself. Later
came identification of individual angelic messengers: Gabriel, Michael, (Raphael, and Uriel).
Then, in the space of little more than two centuries (from the third to the fifth) the image of
angels took on definite characteristics both in theology and in art.[κ

By the late fourth century, the Church Fathers agreed that there were different categories of
angels, with appropriate missions and activities assigned to them. Some theologians had
proposed that Jesus was not divine but on the level of immaterial beings subordinate to the
Trinity. The resolution of this Trinitarian dispute included the development of doctrine about
angels.[7º

The angels are represented throughout the Christian Bible as a body of spiritual beings
intermediate between God and men: "You have made him (man) a little less than the angels..."
(Psalms ü:‰, ). They, equally with man, are created beings; "praise ye Him, all His angels: praise
ye Him, all His hosts... for He spoke and they were made. He commanded and they were
created..." (Psalms 1‰ü:-- ; Colossians 1:1Î). The Fourth Lateran Council (1-1 ) declared that
the angels were created beings. The Council's decree ) 
O 
 (issued against the
Albigenses) declared both that angels were created and that men were created after them. The
First Vatican Council (1üÎ) repeated this declaration in % )
, the "Dogmatic constitution
on the Catholic faith". In traditional Christianity angels are regarded as asexual and not
belonging to either gender.
The words "He that liveth for ever created all things together..." (Ecclesiasticus 1ü:1) have been
held to prove a simultaneous creation of all things; but it is generally conceded that "together"
(simul) may here mean "equally", in the sense that all things were "alike" created. Angels are
spirits; the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to
minister to them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation?" (Hebrews 1:1‰).

(
 


1-th-century icon of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel wearing the  of the Imperial
guards.

The earliest known Christian image of an angel, in the *

 O  
+ +  in the
Catacomb of Priscilla, which is dated to the middle of the third century, is without wings.
Representations of angels on sarcophagi and on objects such as lamps and reliquaries of that
period also show them without wings,[üº as for example the angel in the &O  O O scene
in the Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus.

The earliest known representation of angels with wings is on what is called the Prince's
Sarcophagus, discovered at Sarigüzel, near Istanbul, in the 1D0s, and attributed to the time of
Theodosius I (D7-D ).[º

In this same period, Saint John Chrysostom explained the significance of angels' wings: "They
manifest a nature's sublimity. That is why Gabriel is represented with wings. Not that angels
have wings, but that you may know that they leave the heights and the most elevated dwelling to
approach human nature. Accordingly, the wings attributed to these powers have no other
meaning than to indicate the sublimity of their nature."[10º

From then on, though of course with some exceptions, Christian art represented angels with
wings, as in the cycle of mosaics in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (‰D--‰‰0).[11º Four- and
six-winged angels, often with only their face and wings showing, drawn from the higher grades
of angels, especially cherubim and seraphim, are derived from Persian art, and are usually shown
only in heavenly contexts, as opposed to performing tasks on earth. They often appear in the
pendentives of domes or semi-domes of churches.

Angels, especially the Archangel Michael, who were depicted as military-style agents of God
came to shown wearing Late Antique military uniform. This could be either the normal military
dress, with a tunic to about the knees, armour breastplate and pteruges, but also often the specific
dress of the bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, with a long tunic and the , a long gold
and jewelled pallium restricted to the Imperial family and their closest guards. The basic military
dress is still worn in pictures into the Baroque period and beyond in the West (see Reni picture
above), and up to the present day in Eastern Orthodox icons. Other angels came to be
conventionally depicted in long robes, and in the later Middle Ages they often wear the
vestments of a deacon, a cope over a dalmatic, especially Gabriel in Annunciation scenes - for
example the Annunciation in Washington by Jan van Eyck.

(




Bern Switzerland Temple statue of the Angel Moroni

The Latter Day Saint movement (generally called "Mormons") view angels as the messengers of
God. They are sent to mankind to deliver messages, minister to humanity, teach doctrines of
salvation, call mankind to repentance, give priesthood keys, save individuals in perilous times,
and guide humankind.[1-º

Latter Day Saints believe that angels are former human beings or the spirits of human beings yet
to be born,[1Dº and accordingly Joseph Smith taught that "there are no angels who minister to this
earth but those that do belong or have belonged to it."[1‰º As such, Latter Day Saints also believe
that Adam (the first man) is now the archangel Michael,[1 º[1κ and that Gabriel lived on the earth
as Noah.[1Dº Likewise the famous Angel Moroni first lived in a pre-Columbian American
civilization as the  th-century prophet-warrior named Moroni.
Joseph Smith, Jr. described his first angelic encounter thus:[17º

While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room,
which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a
personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor.

He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I
had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly
white and brilliant....

Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description,
and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright
as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon
left me.

Most angelic visitations in the early Latter Day Saint movement were witnessed by Joseph Smith
and Oliver Cowdery, who both claimed (prior to the establishment of the Church[,º) to have
been visitated by the prophet Moroni, the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi, John the Baptist, and
the Apostles Peter, James, and John. Later, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Smith and
Cowdery claimed to have been visited by Jesus, and subsequently by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.[1üº

People who claimed to have received a visit by an angel include the other two of the three
witnesses: David Whitmer and Martin Harris. Many other Latter Day Saints, both in the early
and modern church, have claimed to have seen angels, though Smith posited that, except in
extenuating circumstances such as the restoration, mortals teach mortals, spirits teach spirits and
resurrected beings teach other resurrected beings. [1º

(

Main article: Islamic view of angels

Islam is clear on the nature of angels in that they are messengers of God. They have no free will,
and can only do that which God orders them to do. Angels mentioned in the Quran include
Gabriel (Jibril), Michael (Mikail), Haroot, Maroot, and the Angel of Death, Azrael.

Angels can take on different forms. Prophet Muhammad, the last Prophet of Islam, speaking of
the magnitude of Angel Gabriel has said that his wings spanned from the Eastern to the Western
horizon. At the same time, it is well known in Islamic tradition that angels used to take on human
form.

The following is a Quranic verse that mentions the meeting of an angel with Mary, mother of
Jesus: Surah Aal µImran Chapter D verse ‰ 

Behold! The angels said: O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name is
the Christ Eisa the son of Mariam, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the
company of) those Nearest to God.
 ± ( -
./!"01

(



Main article: Zoroastrian angelology

In Zoroastrianism there are different angel-like figures. For example, each person has one
guardian angel, called Fravashi. They patronize human beings and other creatures, and also
manifest God¶s energy. The Amesha Spentas have often been regarded as angels, although they
don't convey messages,[-0º but are rather emanations of Ahura Mazda ("Wise Lord", God); they
initially appear in an abstract fashion and then later became personalized, associated with diverse
aspects of the divine creation.[-1º

(
 !"#

Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, referred to angels as people who through the love of
God have consumed all human limitations and have been endowed with spiritual attributes.[--º

`Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, defined angels as "those holy souls who have severed
attachment to the earthly world, who are free from the fetters of self and passion and who have
attached their hearts to the divine realm and the merciful kingdom".[-Dº

Furthermore, he said that people can be angels in this world:

"Ye are the angels, if your feet be firm, your spirits rejoiced, your secret thoughts pure, your eyes
consoled, your ears opened, your breasts dilated with joy, and your souls gladdened, and if you
arise to assist the Covenant, to resist dissension and to be attracted to the Effulgence!"[-‰º

(
$


In Hinduism, the word  is synonymous with .[- º

(
%
In the teachings of Theosophy, % are regarded as living either in the atmospheres of the
planets of the solar system ( 
 ) or inside the Sun (&  ) (presumably
other planetary systems and stars have their own angels) and they help to guide the operation of
the processes of nature such as the process of evolution and the growth of plants; their
appearance is reputedly like colored flames about the size of a human being. It is believed by
Theosophists that devas can be observed when the third eye is activated. Some (but not most)
devas originally incarnated as human beings. [-κ

It is believed by Theosophists that nature spirits, elementals (gnomes, ondines, sylphs, and
salamanders), and fairies can be also be observed when the third eye is activated. [-7º It is
maintained by Theosophists that these less evolutionarily developed beings have never been
previously incarnated as human beings; they are regarded as being on a separate line of spiritual
evolution called the ³deva evolution´; eventually, as their souls advance as they reincarnate, it is
believed they will incarnate as devas. [-üº.

It is asserted by Theosophists that all of the above mentioned beings possess etheric bodies that
are composed of 
 O

, a type of matter finer and more pure that is composed of smaller
particles than ordinary physical plane matter. [-º

(
&


The Persian Islamic Sufi mystic poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi wrote in his poem Masnavi:

I died as inanimate matter and arose a plant,

I died as a plant and rose again an animal.
I died as an animal and arose a man.
Why then should I fear to become less by dying?
I shall die once again as a man
To rise an angel perfect from head to foot!
Again when I suffer dissolution as an angel,
I shall become what passes the conception of man!
Let me then become non-existent, for non-existence
Sings to me in organ tones, 'To him shall we return.'[D0º

The Christian (Swedish) writer Emanuel Swedenborg (1Îüü-177-) wrote in his book *2
  
3 that a soul of a man and a soul of a woman who are (happily) united by marriage enter
heaven and become an angel. This could be a married couple on earth or a couple that met after
their earthly deaths.[O

º

(
Ñ 
A -00- study based on interviews with D 0 people, mainly in the UK, who said they have had an
experience of an angel, describes several types of such experiences: visions, sometimes with
multiple witnesses present; auditions, e.g. to convey a warning; a sense of being touched,
pushed, or lifted, typically to avert a dangerous situation; and pleasant fragrance, generally in the
context of somebody's death. In the visual experiences, the angels described appear in various
forms, either the "classical" one (human countenance with wings), in the form of extraordinarily
beautiful or radiant human beings, or as beings of light.[D1º

In the US, a -00ü survey by Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion , which polled
1,700 respondents, found that    percent of Americans, including one in five of those who say
they are not religious, believe that they have been protected by a guardian angel during their life.
An August -007 Pew poll found that Îü percent of Americans believe that "angels and demons
are active in the world". [D-º
In Canada, a -00ü survey of over 1000 Canadians found Î7 percent believe in angels. [DDº

(

2| Archangel
2| Fallen angel
2| Shoulder angel
2| Christian angelic hierarchy
2| Jewish angelic hierarchy
2| Nephilim

(
'
1.| $ Angel in Online Etymological Dictionary
-.| '$
 , Oxford English Dictionary Online, Second Edition 1ü
D.| $ Jewish Encyclopedia, accessed Feb. 1 , -00ü
‰.| $ Sanhedrin Düb and Avodah Zerah Db.
 .| $ cf. Sanhedrin  b
Î.| $ Proverbio(-007), pp. - -Dü; cf. summary in Libreria Hoepli
7.| $ Proverbio(-007), pp. --Dü; cf. summary in Libreria Hoepli and review in La Civiltà
Cattolica, D7 -D7Î (--1Î August -00ü), pp. D-7-D-ü.
ü.| $ Proverbio(-007), pp. ü1-ü; cf. review in La Civiltà Cattolica, D7 -D7Î (--1Î August
-00ü), pp. D-7-D-ü.
.| $ Proverbio(-007) p. ÎÎ
10.|$ Proverbio(-007) p. D‰
11.|$ Proverbio(-007), pp. 0- ; cf. review in La Civiltà Cattolica, D7 -D7Î (--1Î August
-00ü), pp. D-7-D-ü.
1-.|$ "God's messengers, those individuals whom he sends (often from his personal presence
in the eternal worlds), to deliver his messages (Luke 1:11-Dü); to minister to his children
(Acts 10:1-ü, Acts 10:D0-D-); to teach them the doctrines of salvation (Mosiah D); to call
them to repentance (Moro. 7:D1); to give them priesthood and keys (D. & C. 1D; 1-ü:-0-
-1); to save them in perilous circumstances (Nehemiah D:--D1; Daniel Î:--); to guide
them in the performance of his work (Genesis -‰:7); to gather his elect in the last days
(Matthew -‰:D1)); to perform all needful things relative to his work (Moro. 7:--DD) ²
such messengers are called angels.", McConkie, Bruce R., "Angels",  , LightPlanet,
http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/doctrines/angels_eom.htm#brm, retrieved on
-00ü-10--7;
^ Deseret (1ÎÎ) p.DÎ.
1D.|^  LDS Bible Dictionary-Angels
1‰.|$ D&C 1D0: 
1 .|$ "Chapter Î: The Fall of Adam and Eve,"   O  , D1, see also the entry for
c  in ³Glossary,´ Gospel Principles, D7Î
1Î.|$ D&C 107:-‰
17.|$ Joseph Smith History 1:D0-DD
1ü.|$ D&C 110
 1.|$ The Fulness of Times
-0.|$ Lewis, James R., Oliver, Evelyn Dorothy, Sisung Kelle S. (Editor) (1Î),  

4, Entry: 

, pp. ‰- -‰-7, Visible Ink Press, ISBN 0-7ü7Î-0Π--
-1.|$ Darmesteter, James (1üü0)(translator),
4
#
 : Sacred Books of the
East, Vol. ‰, pp. lx-lxxii, Oxford University Press, 1üü0, at sacred-texts.com
--.|$ Smith, Peter (-000). "angels". OO OO  
56 7)
. Oxford:
Oneworld Publications. pp. Dü-D. ISBN 1-ü 1Îü-1ü‰-1.
-D.|$ 'Abdu'l-Bahá (17Î). "THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY". US Bahá¶í Publishing Trust.
http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/c/BWF/bwf-1--.html. Retrieved on -007-0Î--‰.
-‰.|$ 'Abdu'l-Bahá. "Ye Are The Angels". bcca.org.
http://www.bcca.org/ref/books/bwf/0ü11yearetheangels.html. Retrieved on -007-0Î--‰.
- .|$ Encyclopaedia Britannica
-Î.|$ Hodson, Geoffrey, o 
 ISBN 0-7ÎÎ1-ü1D‰-0 ² Has color pictures of
what Devas supposedly look like when observed by the third eye ² their appearance is
reputedly like colored flames about the size of a human being. Paintings of some of the
devas claimed to have been seen by Hodson from his book "Kingdom of the Gods":
-7.|$ Eskild Tjalve¶s paintings of devas, nature spirits, elementals and fairies:
-ü.|$ Powell, A.E.
& &
 London:1D0 The Theosophical Publishing House (A
Complete Outline of the Theosophical Scheme of Evolution) See "Lifewave" chart (refer
to index)
-.|$ Powell, A.E.
& &
 London:1D0 The Theosophical Publishing House (A
Complete Outline of the Theosophical Scheme of Evolution) See "Lifewave" chart (refer
to index)
D0.|$ Masnavi
D1.|$ Emma Heathcote-James (-00-): Seeing Angels. - London: John Blake Publishing.
D-.|$ Harris, Dan (-00ü-0-1ü). "Most Americans Believe in Guardian Angels: More Than
Half of Americans Say Guardian Angels Watch Over Us". ABC News.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id= üDDD&page=1.
DD.|$ News Service, Canwest (-00ü-1---D). "Believe in angels? You're not alone". ABC
News. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=110ü7Î0.

(
( 
2| Proverbio, Cecilia (-007). 3 
   O 
8 O 
. Assisi, Italy:
Editrice Tau. ISBN üüü7‰7-ÎÎ.

(



2| Cheyne, James Kelly (ed.) (1ü). Angel. OO 9 5  O. New York, Macmillan.
2| Driver, Samuel Rolles (Ed.) (101)
%  ' Cambridge UP.
2| Davidson, A. B. (1üü). "Angel". in James Hastings. % O

5  . .
pp. pages D-7. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hastings/dictv1/Page_D.html.
2| Oosterzee, Johannes Jacobus van. * 

O!

O O 


O
 


' Trans. John Watson Watson and Maurice J. Evans. (1ü7‰)
New York, Scribner, Armstrong.
 2| Smith, George Adam (1üü)


 
#O O 

 ' London, Hodder and Stoughton.
2| Bamberger, Bernard Jacob, (March 1 , -00Î). )  !&  &
 : '
Jewish Publication Society of America. ISBN 0-ü-7Î-077-0
2|
 
O  O




O ; ; 
 Encyclopædia Britannica#
 

#
 O
 

 O '
2| Briggs, Constance Victoria, 17.
OO   !
4


< "#===
 ' Plume. ISBN 0-‰ ---7-1-Î.
2| Bunson, Matthew, (1Î).  
4!> >
? ?
' Three
Rivers Press. ISBN 0- 17-üü D7-.
2| Cruz, Joan Carroll, OCDS, 1.  % ' TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.
ISBN 0-ü   -ÎDü-D
2| Davidson, Gustav. % O
 ! O
 
)  . Free Press. ISBN
0-0--070 --X
2| Graham, Billy, 1‰.  ! &O

' W Pub Group; Minibook edition.
ISBN 0-ü‰- 07‰-0
2| Guiley, Rosemary, 1Î. OO   ' ISBN 0-ü1Î0--üü-1
2| Jastrow, Marcus, 1Î,  O



 #

 
5 @
  #

$  O


O $O
A
#%'#3

'%'
 
&O 

 


, Vol 1 & -, The Judaica Press, New York
2| Kainz, Howard P., ;O
 
O; 
 
O   Martinus
Nijhoff. ISBN 0--‰7-1- - 
2| Kreeft, Peter J. 1 .  %!>
%>: o


,
Ignatius Press. ISBN 0-üü70-  0-
2| Lewis, James R. (1 ).  
4' Visible Ink Press. ISBN 0-7ü7Î-0Π--
2| Melville, Francis, -001.
5 !


@
 
O#*
#
  
' Barron's Educational Series; 1st edition. ISBN 0-7Ή1- ‰0D-Î
2| Ronner, John, 1D. o@
 !
  O>
5  B==
 
  3C)  $
O$D Mamre Press. ISBN 0-
D-‰ -‰0-Î.
2| Swedenborg, Emanuel (17). *2
 3' Swedenborg Foundation. ISBN 0-ü77ü -
0 ‰--
2|
 
O  O



 Encyclopædia Britannica# 

#

 O
 

 O '

(
) 


Wikimedia Commons has media related to:


2| Catholic Encyclopedia entry on angels

2| PersianDNA Zoroastrian angels
2| Angelology
2| Jewish Encyclopedia entry on angels
 2| Angels in Islam
2| Entheomedia.org

Ñ

 



v‡d‡e



 &  ‡ *
  ‡

*
 +

 
 %   ‡ ÿ 

 ‡ 
*
,+

%
 
  O 
 ‡ O  ‡ c

*
,+
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel"
Categories: Angels | Deities, spirits, and mythic beings | Greek loanwords
|