Angels

Angels are spiritual beings who were said to be ruling the earth, controlling gravity and moving planets in the solar system. They were considered extremely intelligent supreme beings who would guard us and protect us, or trick and deceive us. There was a time when people thought it so, but now it’s not that common. Those times people believed that angels were all around us in our everyday lives, and they described visitations and visions from the celestial beings. Many people had visions of angels carrying them to different lands and skies. Following the path which the angels have travelled in history is a very difficult one, but it is a very rewarding one with a variety of rich discoveries along the way. The literature of angels is full of magic, contradiction and amazement all the way.

The word ‘angel’ is derived from the word ‘Angelos’ which means ‘ the shadow side of god’ or ‘ revealer of truth’. It is said that God resided in heaven with all the angels and Archangels. Among these angels, there was an angel, named Lucifer who revolted against God because of his pride and was damned to eternal torture with angels who were on his side and these angels are called ‘ Fallen angels’.

The angels in heavens have a hierarchy starting from the ones closer in communication to God to the ones who are closer in communication to the human beings. These angels exist within three heavenly zones. In the highest zone are the Seraphim, Cherubim and the Thrones who are in direct communication with god. Cherubim have a single pair of blue wings, are often dressed in bishops robes and are relaters of knowledge. Seraphim have three pair of red wings, four heads and carry flame-like swords. They emanate divine love. The thrones are multi-eyed chariots or wheels which transport Gods message. These angels are never in direct communication with humanity. They pass Gods word to the second level.

The second levels are the Powers or Dominions and virtues are the managers of all the angels in Heaven and they guard the pearly gates. They communicate messages from the first triad to the third triad. They are very courageous and often called brilliant or shining stars. They adhere to many a description of heavenly angels in their whiteness, brighter than any white known on earth. They can be good or evil and one of their jobs is balancing of souls. These angels are ruled by the archangel who exist in the third triad. With a multitude of angels who filter god’s message down to humanity. These angels are most human in their appearance and most vulnerable to misadventure. The connection of the angel to the human being is the guardian angel who is assumed to take care of the person assigned to him.

Who the archangels are is hard to define, but there are a few prominent ones who make regular appearances in Western Art. They are Gabriel, Michael, Metatron, Raphael, Uriel and Satanel, all of whom make regular appearances in Western Art.

Metatron is cited as the most important angel, closest to God and one who seems to exist in many guises.
Michael is a far more substantial character than Metatron. He is the protector of Gods Holy Land. He is also the judge of souls and leads them into the Holy Land. Michael’s most visual characteristic is that he is always ready to battle and so appears in soldiers' armour. His wings are significant in that they are made of peacock feathers.

Archangel Raphael is the healer of all humans and the doctor of all the angels. He guards the tree of life and is usually shown with six wings.

Gabriel is the only archangel who is often depicted as a female. When she appeared before Mohammed, her wings spread from the east to the west across the world. Most importantly to Christians, Gabriel told Mary of the Anunciation. Gabriel has saffron hair, yellow feet and jade wings and is often adorned with rubies and coral.

The final angel to be mentioned here is the Angel of Death, Azrael who draws the soul out from the body and steals it away. He has four pair of wings and four faces and his body is covered with eyes. It is said that each time an eye blinks a soul dies.

Cultural and social context and the change in artistic intentions have affected the way in which angels have been depicted. Cherubs are a classic example because originally they were depicted as terrifying creatures having many heads and bodies, but with the passage of time they are depicted as curly haired babies playing musical instruments and with an occasional bow and arrow.

There was a time when the depiction of an angel was laden with meaning, safeguarding monasteries and churches and conveying but today we only see them as decorative pieces.