"Holy,
Holy, Holy. Lord of Sabaoth, the earth is full of
your glory." Is 6:1-3
What Orthodox
Christians Believe About Angels
"The [guardian] angel will not
retreat from us, unless we drive him away
by our evil deeds. As the smoke drives
bees away, and stench the doves, even so
our stinking sin drives away from us the
angel who protects our life." Saint Basil the Great
Created Long before
Humans Saint John of Damascus tells us: "God
is Himself the Maker and Creator of the
angels; for He brought them out of nothing
into being and created them after His own
image. They are an incorporeal race, a sort of
spirit or immaterial fire, even as the divine
David says that ' His angels are spirits , and
His ministers a flame of fire (Ps 103:6).
Angels were among the first part
of God's creation. In the Creed we say, "I
believe in one God...Maker of heaven and
earth, and of all things visible and
invisible. Holy Scripture says, "When the
stars were made, all My angels praised Me with
a loud voice" (Job 38:7, LXX). The Apostle
Paul tells us "By Him all things created that
are in heaven, and that are on earth, visible
and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers" (Col
1:16). Heaven that was created in the very
beginning according to Genesis (In the
beginning God created the heaven and the
earth) is generally understood by the Fathers
to be an invisible heaven inhabited with
powers on High. They believed that God created
the angels long before He created the visible
world.
Mankind Knew the Angels Mankind knew about the existence of
angels from their first days in Paradise. From
Genesis we know that a Cherubim was placed
with a flaming sword at the gates of Paradise
after Adam and Eve were expelled. Later,
Abraham encouraged his servant Nahor telling
him that the Lord would send His angel with
him to protect him. (Gen 34:7). Jacob saw
angels during his sleep and while awake. (Gen
32:1-2).
In the time of the New Testament
an angel informed Sachariah of the conception
of the Forerunner and the Virgin Mary the
Theotokos of the birth of Jesus. Angels
announced the good news to the shepherds at
the birth of Jesus and prevented the Magi from
returning to Herod. Angles served Jesus after
His temptation in the wilderness and appeared
to strengthen Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.
It was angels who informed the Myrrhbearing
Women about His Resurrection. Angels informed
the Apostles of His second coming as the time
of His ascension into heaven. Angels help the
apostles. They freed Peter from prison and
instructed Cornelius. They told Paul to appear
before Caesar. Angels are the foundation of
the revelations given by John in his book of
the Revelation.
Nature of Angels Angels are active spirits with
intelligence, will and knowledge. They serve
God to carry out His will and glorify Him. The
angels are bodiless and invisible to our
physical eyes. They have no bodily needs or
desires and passions, no cares about food,
drink, clothes or shelter. Nor do they possess
the impulse and cravings for procreation. They
neither marry nor are given in marriage (Matt.
22:30). They have no worries about the future
either, and no fear of death. For, though God
created them before man, they are neither aged
nor aging, but unchangingly youthful,
beautiful and strong. They have no anxiety
about their salvation and no struggle for
immorality, being already immortal (Luke
20:36). Unlike men, they are not faltering
between good and evil, being already good and
holy as when God created them.
Peter informs us that in their
might and power they surpass all earthly
governments and authorities (II Peter
2:10-11). But as created beings they have
limitations. They do not know the depths of
the essence of God (I Cor 2:11). They do not
know the future that only God knows (Mark
13:32). They do not fully understand the
mystery of the Redemption yet they wish to (I
Peter 1:12). They don't know human thoughts
(III Kings 8:39). And thy cannot by themselves
perform miracles without the will of God (Ps
71:19).
"An angel, then, is an
intelligent essence, in perpetual motion, with
free will, incorporeal, ministering to God,
having obtained by grace an immortal nature.
The Creator alone knows the form and
limitation of the angelic essence; but all
that we can understand is that it is
incorporeal and immaterial. For all that is
compared with god, Who alone is incomparable,
we find to be dense and material. For in
reality only the Deity is immaterial and
incorporeal." Saint John of Damascus.
Number and Ranks of
Angels They are an extraordinary number of
angels. In the book of Daniel it says,
"thousand thousands ministered unto Him and
the thousand times ten thousand stood before
Him" (Daniel 7:10). And In Luke it is recorded
that "a multitude of the heavenly host"
praised our Lord (Luke 2:13).
We can only assume that with such
a number there are differing degrees of
perfection among their ranks. In Scripture we
see some called angels and others archangels
(I Thess 4:16; Jude, v 9)
The Tradition of the Orthodox
Church teaches us that there is a Heavenly
Hierarchy of angels. This was documented
earliest by St.
Dionysius the Areopagite one of the
Seventy Apostles in On
the Heavenly Hierarchy. He explained the
angelic world as divided into nine ranks made
up of three hierarchies with three ranks each.
• Thrones, Cherubims, and
Seraphim - those closest to God. The Seraphim
(Means flaming) are aflame with love for God
and kindle others to such love. They are
closest to God as the prophet Isaiah saw,
saying: "And the seraphim stood around Him,
each having six wings" (Isaiah 6:2). They are
fire-like, "For our God is a consuming fire."
(Heb 12:29); "His throne was a flame of fire"
(Dan 7:9), "Who maketh his angels spirits; his
ministers a flaming fire" (Ps 103:4).
After the seraphim, are the
many-eyed Cherubim (Means
Great understanding) who are radiant with the
knowledge of the mysteries of God and the
depths of His Wisdom. Through the cherubim
wisdom is sent down to others and spiritual
enlightenment is given to see of God and gain
knowledge of Him.
Next are the Thrones.
On them God intellectually resides. Residing
on them in an incomprehensible manner, God
makes His righteous judgment, according to the
word of David: "Thou hast sat upon a throne, O
Thou that judgest righteousness." (Ps 9:4).
They serve His justice, glorifying it and
pouring out the power of justice onto the
thrones of earthly judges, helping kings and
masters to bring forthright judgment.
• Dominions Virtues and
Powers The Dominions dominate
the rest of the angels. They send down power
for prudent governing and wise management to
authorities on the earth set up by God.
Further they teach how to control the senses,
how to subdue in oneself dissolute desires and
passions, how to enslave the flesh to the
spirit, and how to rule over one's will and be
above all temptations.
The Virtues
(Authorities) work miracles and
send down the grace of miracle-working to
those worthy of such grace, so they may work
miracles. They help people laboring and those
overburdened by troubles and they bear the
infirmities of the weak. They also strengthen
every man in patience.
The Powers have
power over the devil, to restrain the demons,
to repulse the temptations brought upon people
by them. They help those wrestling with
passions and vices to cast out evil thoughts.
• Angels, Archangels, and
Principalities - those closest to Man The Principalities
direct the lower angels. They are entrusted
with the management of the universe and the
keeping of all the kingdoms and princedoms, of
lands and all peoples, races and nations. They
raise worthy people to various honorable
offices and direct them so that they take
power for the sake of spreading and augmenting
of God's holy glory, and for the sake of the
benefit of their neighbors.
The Archangels
are the heralds of good news. They reveal
prophecies, knowledge, and understanding of
God's will which they receive from the higher
orders of angels and announce to the lower
order. They strengthen people in faith,
enlightening their mind with the light of
knowledge of the holy Gospel and revealing the
mysteries of devout faith.
The Angels are
the lowest of all the orders and the closest
to man. They announce the lesser mysteries and
intentions of God and teach people to live
virtuously and righteously before God. They
are appointed to guard each of us who believe.
All of the heavenly orders are
also called by the common name "angels".
Although they have different names according
to their situation and grace given by God (as
seraphim, cherubim, thrones and the rest of
the orders), yet all in general are called
angels, because the word "angel" is not a
denomination of essence, but of service, as it
is written: "Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister" (Heb 1:14). But their service
is different and not identical: each order has
its own service
A few archangels are given
specific names. Michael
(Means like God) found in Dan 10:13,12:1; Jude
1:9 and Rev 12,8. Gabriel
(Man of God), found in Dan 8:16,9:21, and Lk
1:19-26. Raphael (The Help of God),
Tobit 3:17, 12:15 Uriel (Fire of God) found in
2 Ezdras 4:36, 4:1
Salathiel (Prayer to God), found in
2 Esdras 5:16 Jegudiel (Praise of God), Barachiel (Blessing of God).
Ministry of the Angels Angels were created as the most
perfect reflections of His grandeur and glory.
Angels that are closest in rank to humans are
seen in Scripture as heralds of God's will,
guides, and servants of an individual's
salvation. Some angels are appointed for the
governance of the heavens and the world. Others continually glorify
God.
Guardian Angel The Orthodox Church believes that
each person is assigned a guardian angel.
Christ said, "Take heed that ye despise not ye
of these little ones, for I say unto you, that
their angels do always behold the face of My
Father which is in heaven" (Matt 18:10).
It was originally from the Jews
that the Church inherited this belief in the
ministry of the Guardian Angels. The Psalmist
had declared, "The angel of the Lord encamps
all around those who fear Him, and delivers
them" (Psalms 34 [33]:7). And again, "He will
give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways" (91
[90]:11)
Most Orthodox believe that you
receive a guardian angel when you are
baptized.
Prayer to our Guardian Angel:
O angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me
from heaven, enlighten me this day, and save
me from all evil. Instruct me in doing good
deeds, and set me on the path of salvation.
Amen.
O angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector
of my soul and body, forgive me everything
wherein I have offended you every day of my
life, and protect me from all influence and temptation of the Evil One.
May I never again anger God by my sins. Pray
for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy
of the grace of the All-Holy Trinity, and of
the blessed Mother of God, and of all the
saints. Amen.
Cherubic Hymn -
the song of the angels
The Cherubic Hymn is the song of the angels,
sung during every Divine Liturgy of the year
except those of Holy Thursday and Holy
Saturday. It occurs after the Gospel reading
and is interrupted by the Great Entrance. The
Cherubic Hymn was added to the Liturgy of St.
John Chrysostom by order of the Emperor
Justinian near the end of the sixth century.
Let’s be sure we grasp what this means.
Think of the words to this well
known hymn of our Divine Liturgy. "We, who mystically represent the
Cherubim,
And chant the thrice-holy hymn to the
Life-giving Trinity,
Let us set aside the cares of life
That we may receive the King of all,
Who comes invisibly escorted by the Divine
Hosts."
As we live faithfully the
Orthodox way, we draw closer to God and we
become more like the angels. It is a great
gift of the mercy and love of God for us that
we, who are sinful, impure, fallible, weak are
allowed to be His servants, as are the angels.
It is a great gift of the mercy and love of
God for us that our Lord Jesus Christ became
Incarnate – for He identified Himself
completely with us by sharing fully in our
human nature. He did not do this for the
angels!
Listen to a Byzantine rendition
chanted in Greek by Byzantine Master and
Professor of Byzantine Music Mr. George
Papanikolaos from Samos, Greece in Plagal of
1st tone, composed by Hatziathanasiou.
Chrerubic Hymn sung by Saint
George Choir
Fans (rhipidion) Used In
Liturgical Services
When we celibrate the Divine
Liturgy we gather as the Church triumphant and
the Church Militant. This means with those who
are still on this earth and all those who are
in the heavenly realms. We are joined with the
angels as well as the saints. The altar boys
represent visibly the angels and carry the
fans with the Seraphim and the inscription,
"Holy, Holy, Holy. Lord of Sabaoth, the earth
is full of your glory. (Is 6:1-3)," the hymn
of the angels. The fan at the right is used at
Saint George Cathedral.
We know that such fans were
used as early as the fourth century in the
Church services. According to the Apostolic
Constitutions (VIII 12:3-4) two deacons stood
by the altar and waved fans. Here is one that
was used in Constantinople in the sixth
century.
Monday is Dedicated to
the Holy Angels Our Orthodox Church has dedicated
Monday to the holy angels. Therefore, every
Monday in the church services we are reminded
of the holy angels with praise and prayer:
"Holy Archangels and Angels, pray to God for
us."
Fallen
Angels
Explore the fallen angles that make up the
world of demons with Lucifer as their leader.
The Lord's Prayer A Devout
Interpretation & Three Lessons of the
Orthodox Church by St.
Nicholai Velimirovic, St. Paisius
Orthodox Monastery, Safford, AZ. 2001, pp.
71-88. (Angels:
Our Elder Brethren)