Angels Abound!

It’s Michaelmas Day this Friday!  A day of great celebration in medieval times, Michaelmas has sadly lost its import in our modern times.  There is a mystical, magical atmosphere associated with Michaelmas—a sort of crisp and golden “corner-of-your-eye” quality.  Perhaps this is due to the impact of the autumnal equinox and the changing of seasons.  Golden leaves, chilling temperatures, the changing of the constellations in the starry night sky…Or perhaps it is the celebration of beings most people consider mythical creatures.  Michaelmas Day, also known as the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, celebrates the archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Remiel, Raguel and Saraquael) in particular and all the heavenly hosts in general.  And if Michaelmas weren’t enough, a few days later on October 2, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.  Angels abound.  

Seraphim, cherubim, and ophanim, dominions, virtues and powers, principalities, archangels and angels—these make up the choirs of heavenly hosts.  Dionysius the Areopagite  wrote a text called De Coelesti Hierarchia (Of the Celestial Hierarchy in English) that describes the ranks of heaven.  These heavenly hosts are ranked in spheres.  

S. Botticelli's Assumption of the Virgin shows the three spheres of angels.

·         The first sphere of hosts are closest to God and serve in adulation and guardianship. 

o   Seraphim, who hide their presence from God with their six wings, surround his throne incessantly singing praise to God. They shine with a light so bright that no being, not even other heavenly hosts, can look upon them or see through them to God’s face.  (If they would just move out of the way…)

o   Cherubim are the guardians of God’s throne and the “Tree of Life” in the Garden of Eden.  Thomas Aquinas imagined Satan was a fallen cherub.  Lucifer, who’d been so concerned about his status with God, neglected his guardianship and thus lost all.  The Cherubim are the guards of the Ark of the Covenant.

o   Ophanim are truly bizarre beings.  Remember the “wheel within a wheel a-rolling way in the middle of the air” that Ezekiel saw?  That was ophanim.  They are God’s watchers.  Covered with hundreds of eyes, they see all and report all back to God and his messengers.  

·         The second sphere are the heavenly governors.

o   Dominions are the regulators of the lower orders of angels.  In the Jewish tradition, they are called “hashmillim” and are the presiders over nations.  

o   Virtues are primarily responsible for cosmic order.  They make sure all the heavenly hosts are in their proper place, doing their proper thing.  It is this order of angels that is supposed to be in charge of weather, planetary revolution and the like.

o   Powers are the keepers of conscience.  They are the warrior angels utterly loyal to God and unable to fall from grace.  Powers maintain the border between Heaven and Earth.  They were the frontline in the war of the angels when Lucifer left Heaven.  

·         The third sphere is the closest and most familiar to people.  They are God’s messenger service. 

o   Principalities are the overseers of this messenger system.  They determine need and dispatch archangels and angels at their own discretion.

o   Archangels serve in the more important missions to mankind and acts as guardians of great persons in sacred positions.  They are the leaders or generals of the divine army, led by this week’s hero, St. Michael.  

o   Angels are the lowest order of heavenly hosts—furthest from God’s presence and closest to humanity. The word “angel” derives from the ancient Persian word “angaros” meaning courier.  They intercede between God and humanity.  They act as couriers between the ranks of angelkind as well.  It is from this choir that we find our own guardian angels.

So, St. Michael and All Angels are feted on September 29.  Michaelmas today has been relegated to little more than the name of the first term of study in English schools.  But had we lived in Europe in medieval times, this Friday would be a great day of celebration.  Partly because Michaelmas falls on a “quarter day” and serfs were paid on quarter days.  But partly because the angels played a more significant role in the Christian story in those days.  Consider the significance of great literary works as Dante’s Divine Comedy that describes, even defines the medieval understanding of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven, or Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica that is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of theology ever written.  In both of these works, the ranks of Heaven are discussed with a seriousness of intent that suggests an abiding belief in angels as God’s interveners.  The stories of angelic intervention go far beyond those mentioned in the Bible.  

Of the seven named archangels in the Christian tradition, only four of them appear in the canonical Bible.  The others are named in the book of Enoch and other theological writings as well as in Judaic scriptures.  The archangel Michael is known for his warrior skills.  Remember the scene in the movie where John Travolta charges a bull in the field because he needs to battle? That’s Michael.  Michael slays dragons, battles demons, protects and defends.  Michael defeated Lucifer.  Michael is the favored one of God who has rank over all the other archangels.  He is the angel who claims the body of Moses from Satan (Jude 1:9).  Gabriel is the epitome of the messenger angel.  When one thinks “angel” one usually pictures the archangel Gabriel.  Gabriel is the interpreter of God’s words.  Gabriel announced impending parenthood to Mary and to Zechariah (Luke 1:19, 26).  Raphael is the archangel of healing.  It is Raphael whose name is invoked in times of physical or health needs.  Raphael is sent to remove the blindness from Tobit’s eyes and cast out the demon Asmodeus from his daughter-in-law, Sarah (Tobit 3:17, 5:4). Uriel is the archangel of wisdom and light.  The name actually translates as “the light (or flame) of God”.  Uriel is the archangel that is said to be in the midst of the Cardinals as they call a new Pope.  Uriel is the patron guardian of teachers and students.  Uriel is the lighthearted, fun one.  All joy and light and wisdom and understanding.  Uriel is sent to the prophet Ezra to show him that it is impossible for him to understand all that God knows (2 Esdras 4:1). Raguel, Remiel and Saraquel are the other three archangels whose names can be found in the book of Enoch. Raguel denotes justice, fairness and harmony.  Remiel is the angel of hope, for he guides the souls of the faithful to heaven.    Saraquael is the angel of death.  Saraquael is the messenger of the final breath of life. 

 

There are some truly epic stories to be told regarding angels and archangels.  And if for no other than that, Michaelmas is a feast day that ought not be relegated to the annals of forgotten memories.  So roast a goose stuffed with apples and make some St. Michael’s bannock with blackberry syrup and enjoy the day!