Spirituality: 5 Things To Know About Angels And Archangels.

The three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, believe in the existence of angels. But do you know these servants and messengers of God well? Here are 5 things to know about angels and archangels.

They are in the service of God.

As the etymology of the word angel indicates, Angels are God's messengers.

They are omnipresent in the Bible to fulfill God's will. For example, in the Old Testament, it is an angel who stops Abraham's hand from sacrificing his son Isaac.

In the New Testament as well, they are sent on missions to deliver divine messages. It is the archangel Gabriel, also known as the angel of the Annunciation, who announces to Mary her new status as the mother of the Son of God and explains to her that she will conceive a child while remaining a virgin.

2- They form a celestial hierarchy.

If you're wondering what the difference is between an angel and an archangel, know that the latter term refers to a leader among the angels (the prefix "arch-" meaning "superior").

The Old Testament does not mention this celestial hierarchy but instead involves the Angels whenever God needs to send a message to humans. However, the Bible designates 3 archangels by name and assigns them specific functions:

• Archangel Michael: designated as the leader of the army of Good Angels, he defeats the Devil during the war of Angels described in the book of Revelation.

• Archangel Raphael: mentioned in the book of Tobit, he is considered a healer and protector of travelers.

• Archangel Gabriel: considered the chief Messenger of God, he appears in the book of Daniel and then in the New Testament to announce the birth of Jesus.

In summary, Michael has a combative function, Gabriel has a announcing function, and Raphael has an initiatory function. These three archangels are celebrated every year on September 29th in the Catholic tradition.

3- The number of archangels varies according to traditions.

To these three archangels named in the Bible and recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, sometimes the archangel Uriel is added, revered among others by the Anglican Church and the Orthodox Church. Uriel is the angel who brings to humans the lights of knowledge of God.

Most Orthodox churches even recognize 7 major archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, as well as Salatiel, Jéhudiel, and Barachiel.

And if you're wondering why all these names rhyme and end with -el, it's simply because this suffix means God. For example, Gabriel means "the strength of God".

However, be careful not to mix everything up: despite the consonance of his name, Ezekiel is not an angel but a prophet!

4- We all have a guardian angel.

The major monotheistic religions recognize guardian angels who have the role of protecting humans from birth to death.

This expression does not appear explicitly in the Bible, but guardian angels are mentioned several times.

Thus, each individual would have a guardian angel who is a kind of guardian of their soul. If you want to address yours, you can reserve a place for them in your prayers using very simple formulas like: "My good guardian angel, always keep me and protect me" or "I beg you, watch over me."

Our guardian angel is like a companion on our spiritual journey. This angelic presence by our side is particularly precious in periods of doubt and confusion when we fear losing our way.

5- It is possible to invoke one's guardian angel.

Some believers say they pray to their guardian angel. Specifically, this consists of entrusting prayers to the guardian angel that are addressed to God. Indeed, in the Catholic tradition, it is God who receives our prayers and answers them.

But it is completely legitimate, in one's prayers, to ask for the intercession of angels, saints, or the Virgin Mary.

So, don't wait for Christmas, a period when angels hold a special place in Christian celebrations, to invoke these spiritual beings who populate our collective imagination and our churches.