Guardian angel with deeds
Since everything except God has its beginning, we need to find out: when, according to the teachings of the Church, is a Guardian Angel assigned to a person? Beginning with Tertullian and Origen, early Christian authors gave very different answers.
But the final prayer of the canon to the Guardian Angel says absolutely unambiguously: “from holy baptism” - new birth by water and the Spirit... Moreover, song 7 of this canon indicates for what period: “from God given to me forever,” that is, the Guardian Angel accompanies everyone Christian from St. baptism and before the end of the earthly journey, but also after, “in the terrible hour of death, be persistent with me, my good guardian,<...>“When the imam passes through the airy ordeal” (prayer of the akathist to the Guardian Angel), since the deceased “is usually accompanied by two angels<...>. The duty of these angels (Guardian Angel and counter angel. - VC.) - to accompany the soul of the deceased on his way to the afterlife." And at the Last Judgment, the Guardian Angel will appear before Christ, praying for the forgiveness of the person he is protecting, and in case of forgiveness, he will become the latter’s inseparable friend in eternity.
There is an opinion that that friend and Angel is the saint whose name we bear. Hence, they say, name days are called Angel's Day.
This is clearly a fallacy. It is easily refuted by the morning rule: one prayer is read to the Guardian Angel - a completely different one to the saint in whose name the Christian is baptized.
No, the face of the Guardian Angel is hidden from mortal people. It opens visibly only at the moment of separation of the soul from the body. This alone is enough for a negative answer to the question: “Does the iconography of the Guardian Angel have a right to exist?” Otherwise, the icon painter would have to die and be resurrected... And if he were to be resurrected, he would only depict his Angel. Where are the guarantees that his Angel is at least visually the same as the Angel of each of us? This question is valid even for saints who have seen their Guardians with their own eyes. After all, if “it is not known whether the Angels are consubstantial with each other, it is possible that each of them is a special creation of God, a special spiritual world,” then how much more urgent is it to raise the question of the “hypostasis” of the Angels: is our Guardian some kind of functional force, faceless, or rather, monotonous and transcendental - or is it still a specific person called to serve?
The conversation about categorical personality analysis is difficult; here everything rests on subtle subtleties. And in man, the difference between nature and personality is no easier to grasp than to distinguish between one nature and three Persons in God.
“We are accustomed to considering these two expressions - personality and individual - almost synonymous,” writes V.N. Lossky, “we use both equally to express the same thing. However, in a certain sense, individual and personality have opposite meanings ; individual means the eternal confusion of personality with elements belonging to general nature, while personality, on the contrary, means that which is different from nature.”
In the area of this distinction, Christianity came to new concepts. As Archimandrite Cyprian (Kern) writes, “personality was not revealed in the ancient pagan world. Hellenic thought, which rose to the heights of philosophical consciousness, did not even find expression for personality, which was especially acute during the period of the theological debates that were waged around the Trinitarian and Christological dogmas. Christianity substantiated the divine origin of the person. Trinitarian disputes gave the theological foundation for the human person, realizing the Person, the Hypostasis in the Divinity. The Greek language in the works of its highest philosophical minds - Plato and Plotinus - was satisfied with the pronoun εκαστος, “everyone,” characterizing it as a member: ο εκαστος, that is, thus giving it a strict individuality. But still it remained only a pronoun, that is, something that “instead of a name.” Only the theology of the concept of Hypostasis, as an independent “being in itself,” was able to fill that void in language, which in the modern dictionary is filled with the word "personality". This is not only an "individual" as a "part of a species", as a "product of a biological generic process", as something mortal, as some kind of "number" of a naturalistic series, something incomplete, completely repeatable. Personality is an imprint of the divine Person, a creation of God, and not at all a product of the race. Personality is spiritual and belongs primarily to the spiritual world. This is the highest value of spiritual existence.
To all these differences between the individual and the personality, so clearly recognized in Berdyaev’s philosophy, one should add his own remark that “man is not a fractional part of the world, he contains the whole riddle and solution of the world” (On the purpose of man. P. 50 ). The human personality is not a product of society or natural world, or even clan and family. Every person is, in a spiritual sense, a direct creation of God. Therefore, a person does not depend in his origin on the whole, on the race or the world. The human spirit is higher and broader, and most importantly, more primary than the race, society, and the world. It was not these communities that gave birth to the human spirit, and therefore this spirit is not part of the race, society and the world. On the contrary, he embraces them, accepts or rejects them. The clan and society consist of human individuals, but the spirit of man, his personality is not an integral part of the clan and society. The human spirit may depend on them as much as it pleases, but it is in no way the property of these social organisms and their works. The individual is higher than society, more primary than it, more important than it. In addition, a person is unique and cannot be replaced by another “same” person. There is no such thing as a “same” person. There are “same” prints, imprints, serial numbers as the product of some machine, but every personality, no matter how many billions of them the historical process has generated, is the only one".
V.N. Lossky continues: “In our present state, being individuals ourselves, we perceive personality only through the individual. When we want to determine, “characterize” a personality, we select individual properties, “character traits” that are found in other individuals and can never be completely "personal", since they belong to a common nature. And we, in the end, understand: what makes him "himself" is indefinable, because there is nothing in his nature that would actually refer to the individual, always unique, incomparable and “incomparable.”
Here is a mystery that comes from unlimited creativity Creator of the world. It has no measurable "parameters". Are there ways and quantities to measure mystery?
But mystery has its own antinomy - “individual properties”. This is where the concept of “individuality” arises - a set of qualities that express the essence of an individual. Human individuality is an unconditional existential value from God. It is not rejected, but is included in the Conciliar unity; which explains the requirement of “portrait resemblance” from an isographer when painting an icon of this or that saint, “for veneration (is given to an icon) not insofar as it lags behind the resemblance (with the prototype), but insofar as it represents a similarity (with it)” - explains St. Theodore the Studite. The very word εικων “image” goes back to εικω “I have a resemblance, I resemble.” Iconographic originals are full of indications such as “a shepherd, gray-haired, with the beard of John the Theologian,” “a rounded face, like His Mother,” “Nikolina’s hair,” etc. The skillful brush of a master, guided by the Creator, each time from the totality of such comparative features creates a single and unique image of a person - a personality, which is confirmed by the inscription on the icon: this is St. Basil the Great, not St. Gregory the Theologian. Therefore, in ancient times, the image was first approved by clergy and then consecrated with an inscription (the rite of consecration, as known today, did not exist until the 17th century: it was believed that it was the inscription that sanctified the icon; and even today’s rite of consecration is only an act of approval, and nothing more) .
Lossky goes on to say that Angel and man are “personal beings,” but man, for the famous theologian, “has a fuller, richer content of angelic spirits,” for he is placed “on the verge of the speculative and the sensual” and therefore “is involved in all spheres of the created universe.” . Hence, as we see, the personality of an Angel and the personality of a person differ significantly, although both the Angel and the person are created in the image and likeness of God. Anthropology of St. Gregory Palamas testifies that the Angel, inferior in the perfection of the image, surpasses man in likeness. According to Lossky, “a person who asserts himself as an individual and encloses himself within the limits of his private nature cannot fully realize himself - he becomes impoverished.” God's Angels have nothing of the kind, for they are “saturated with Divine grace and transmit it to the rest of creation.” The very contemplation of the Divine, as far as possible for them, serves as food for them, as the Orthodox teaching of St. John of Damascus.
Can Angels here be affirmed in the status of individuals, and therefore contain “themselves within the limits of their private nature”? They could... But they would just stop being Angels.
It is useless to delve into the question of angelic nature. The incomprehensible nature of the angelic world itself will not allow us to do this. And yet, the Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, pointing to the complete incorporeality and invisibility of God, confirmed the position on the admissibility of depicting Angels on icons: “As for rational powers, they are not completely removed from corporeality and are not absolutely invisible, being gifted with subtle ones, airy or fiery bodies in which they repeatedly appeared and were visible." The Fathers did not specify whether the Angels wear these subtle bodies temporarily or permanently. They only testified that the incorporeality of Angels is relative, that Angels appeared to people, and therefore they are, in a certain sense, depictable.
The question of their depictability (as a churchly revered image) is why we decide that Angels are individuals. With his refutation, Rev. Theodore the Studite argued to the iconoclasts: "<...>the icon depicts not nature, but a personality." Note: there is no concrete personality, not a symbolic one - there are no symbolic personalities, just like "personalities in general." Confusing abstract formulas with people is a harmful activity.
Church symbolism is rooted in historical reality. Yahweh himself ordered the cherubim and seraphim to be depicted on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, which means that their face was revealed to Moses, as Patriarch Tarasius spoke about at the VII Ecumenical Council, which is confirmed in Scripture: " see and do Mi in everything, I will show you on the mountain"(Ex. 25:8); Archangels were sent by the Lord to people; the Angels were written as those who appeared to the shepherds, announcing the Birth of the Savior of the world, those who announced the joy of the Resurrection to the Myrrh-Bearing Women, and they were presented in a service, “functional” plan, and not as an image to which one prays. The symbolism of the Guardian Angel is not supported by anything - this is typically the head work of the icon painter, his “ideas”. And the result is a symbolic person, unaddressed for prayer. The situation is actually according to Kant: “Let only our idea be correct, and then, despite the presence of obstacles standing in the way of its implementation, it will not be impossible.”
The question arises: what allowed Rev. Should Andrei Rublev depict the Holy Trinity in the form of Angels, symbolizing the three Hypostases? How legitimate is the symbolism here? Does this iconography comply with the 82nd rule of the Trullo Council?
That’s the point: “the image of the Trinity is not a hypostatic image of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but an image of the trinity of the Divinity and trinity being” (L.A. Uspensky). The appearance of three men to Abraham at the oak of Mamre, according to the Church, is not a symbol, but an educational vision of the Most Holy Trinity. This allowed Rev. Andrei Rublev depict her not symbolically, but as prototypes. Rule 82 was not violated in this case, because it, requiring specificity, prohibits symbols, not prototypes. And the speech at the Fifth-Sixth Council was not about the image of the Trinity, but about Jesus Christ. The icon "Fatherland", for example, contradicts this rule and presents us with the image of the Trinity hypostasized. But due to the non-incarnation of God the Father, His image is already a symbol. [The “Old Day” from Daniel’s prophecy cannot be the Father - according to the Acts of the Great Moscow Council (chapter 43), He is the Son in the glory of the Divine, “who will be at His second coming.”] The image of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove is legitimate only in the plot of "Epiphany".
The icon of the Old Testament Trinity, painted by Rublev, is based on a sensory phenomenon, and, in the words of St. Joseph Volotsky, in it “the one being of the Divine is venerated and kissed.”
By the middle of the 16th century. alien symbolism is actively beginning to displace the language of “transformed evangelical realism” from icon painting. An icon of the Servant Angel appears (now located in the museum-reserve of the city of Sergiev Posad). Some art critics mistook this Angel for a Guardian Angel. The deacon's vestments, instead of a sword with a censer in his hand, speak of him as a minister: Greek. diakonoV - minister. Nevertheless, the 16th century did everything to show the world the image of the Guardian Angel. A.S. Uvarov once wrote about the presence of such an image in stamps, with explanatory inscriptions " The Guardian Angel protects a person during the days" And " The Angel of the Lord protects a person during the night". The icon itself dates back to the 17th century, but is a copy of an icon from the 16th century, called by A.S. Uvarov “Guardian Angel with Adventures.” However, such monuments of the 16th century have not survived to this day. However, one can doubt the similar symbolism of that time According to the apt remark of Father Georgy Florovsky, “this predominance of symbolism meant the collapse of icon writing. The icon becomes too literary, it begins to depict not so much faces as ideas.”
The 17th century only worsened the situation.
Now it's time to ask next question: “Why are Angels monotonous, that is, the same faces?” We have already spoken above about the Fathers’ requirement for the icon painter to achieve “portrait resemblance” to the prototype. So, the “sameness” of the Angels is also, to a certain extent, “similarity,” although this sounds paradoxical. Judge for yourself: Angels, being personalities and not being individuals (“products of the biological generic process”) acquire “elusive”, and, consequently, with no one incomparable features - how can an isographer resolve such a mystery if, according to the teachings of the Church, a person should be depicted on an icon and symbolically indicate the nature of what is depicted? How?? Only “apophatically” - from the opposite - so that no one with it was possible to compare (An angel in the form of a young man is a banal invention of art critics). Here is an ancient artist, in accordance with the requirements of St. Fathers, exclusively spiritually, speculatively, and not rationalistically, presented a face without a mustache, a beard, without wrinkles and any typical features, a face without a single sign of gender (for Angels are genderless).
What can be gained in this case, having, in addition, the most vague ideas about the nature of the angelic world? - only what they received: actual sameness (at the same time it emphasizes the lesser perfection in the image of God of an Angel compared to a person). Even the clothes differ not in character, but hierarchically: in the Archangel, instead of a himation, a cloak is depicted, instead of a tunic, a dalmatic with a mantle and a lapel; hair and hairstyles make no difference.
That's where" in a certain sense"imageability, which the Fathers of the Seventh Council spoke about.
A historian of philosophy may rightly ask: “The distinction between “personality” and “individuality” began only in the 18th century, starting with Kant and Herder. Therefore, the ancient isographer could not even hypothetically introduce such concepts into painting.”
We answer. Firstly, the concept of “personality” was used by the Fathers who denounced the Arians in the 4th century - “during the period of the theological disputes that were waged around the Trinitarian and Christological dogmas.” Secondly, the absence of the term “individuality” or “individual,” not to mention the said distinction, does not at all mean the absence of the concept itself. From the words of Rev. Theodore the Studite on the similarity of the image on the icon with the prototype, it becomes clear that this saint means precisely “individuality.” Selfishness, pride - the whole list of sins - judging by biblical history, always accompanied a person after the loss of paradise. But they are traits inherent in an individual. Not every icon painter could categorically analyze and discern the subtleties of the intricacies of such a philosophy, but he possessed, we repeat, mystical speculation - the vision of the intelligent world, which translated abstract concepts into artistic images - “colors of wisdom”, “theology in colors”. And the very theology of the icon belonged primarily to the Fathers, and not to the artist. When this principle was violated, and the icon painter began to “act” independently, then instead of theology, the result was a literary surrogate with claims to philosophy, which turned into “symbolism of ideas.” The great shadow of Plato emerged from the ancient past: the idea as the metaphysical essence of a thing became a visual image.
The spirit of the times has taken its toll .
Everything is surprisingly similar! In Russian history, the 16th century is the popularization of great power ideas embodied in corresponding actions. The country began the 17th century with turmoil and ended with Peter’s “reforms.” “In the field of artistic creativity,” writes L.A. Uspensky, “as well as in the field of theological thought, the creative experience of tradition and the rethinking of Orthodoxy in the light of what other faiths bring disappears. Changes in the religious psychology of the era are expressed in the gap between the feat of prayer and creativity, as well as theological thought." One gets the impression that some Russian painters of that time find it difficult to imagine God “outside” the plane of the icon, living “in the unapproachable light.” And if this is so, then with the drying up of high thoughts of God, all sobriety in depicting the indescribable is lost. “Fantasies” begin to play out, sometimes even explained in some way. This is where a relapse of authorial tyranny occurs, brought up by influences from “outside”. And its logical continuation in the 18th century will be the appearance of numerous pagan “Cupids” in church art.
It was on this basis that the iconography of the Guardian Angel was cultivated. But the 1,500-year-old consciousness of its impossibility was disappearing.
The genealogy of this phenomenon can be traced back to the 13th century image “The Appearance of the Archangel Michael to Joshua.” A special role here was played by the icon of the Archangel Michael from the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (15th century). Of its 18 marks, 6 display patronizing and punitive acts, 6 - life-saving and 6 more - the battle with Satan. Before us is none other than the Guardian Angel of “all Rus'”, with his functions and actions, but not in a literal, but in a figurative sense. The Moscow monument becomes a kind of standard for Rus'. The icon from Uglich is proof of this, taking into account, of course, the “taste” changes of the 16th century. In turn, the Uglich Archangel is a reference image for the Kostroma and Yaroslavl isographers who worked together, from which they create frescoes of the Guardian Angel.
The problem of innovations of the 16th - 17th centuries is acute in our time. The wide distribution of inappropriate icons does not find proper criticism in church literature. L. A. Uspensky wrote: “We know: just as human thought was not always at the height of genuine theology, so artistic creativity genuine icon painting has not always been at its best, and among other misconceptions we often encounter the image of God the Father, which has especially spread in the Orthodox world since the 17th century.”
Let's add here the image of the Guardian Angel.
The Seventh Ecumenical Council proclaimed for all centuries that “icon painting depends on the Holy Fathers and only its artistic aspect belongs to the artist.”
This was not the case, in our opinion, when developing the iconography of the Guardian Angel.
“Iconography of angels” - already in this very phrase there is a certain contradiction. Iconography is the drawing of an image. The “reproduction” of the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the thought of the holy fathers, is conditioned and justified by the fact that the Savior truly became incarnate, had an earthly image and, accordingly, was depicted. But how can one reproduce an ethereal invisible Angel in an artistic image?
Cathedral of the Archangels. Miniature of the manuscript. Byzantium. XI century. Greece. Athos. Dionysiatus
Symbols
Of course, the Holy Scriptures mention the appearance of Angels in some form. So, Joshua saw the Archangel Michael as a warrior with a sword (Joshua 5:15), the myrrh-bearing wife after the Resurrection of Christ at the Holy Sepulcher saw a young man dressed in white clothes (Mark 16:5), etc. But these phenomena of an individual nature (although they are also reflected in one way or another in iconography) were precisely visions, each person saw them in his own way. With the help of such phenomena it is impossible to solve the problem of the imageability of the invisible angelic world. So how can we reproduce the invisible?
And here symbols come to the artist’s aid. As Dionysius the Areopagite writes in his work “On the Heavenly Hierarchy”: “All actions belonging to heavenly beings, by their very nature, are conveyed to us in symbols.” Because our earthly mind can rise to the contemplation of heavenly hierarchies only through a symbol.
In early Christian times, Angels were portrayed mainly as participants in Sacred history and in the same way as other characters, i.e., as people. It is possible to understand that this is an Angel only from the context of the image itself.
Appearance of the Angel to Balaam. Painting of the Roman catacombs on Via Latina. IV century
Halo and wings
Apparently, for early Christian times, such now familiar and generally accepted attributes as a halo and wings caused a negative association with pagan cult images (and the halo was present both in the ancient Hellenistic pagan tradition and in Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and other religions). And only after some time the image of Angels in Christian art took on the appearance familiar to us.
The symbolism of the halo and wings is clear to most Christians. However, we can remind you. “As for the radiance in the form of a circle, which is done on the icons of saints, it indicates the grace, radiance and effectiveness in them of the beginningless and infinite God,” writes St. Simeon of Thessalonica. Wings symbolize flight and speed, which in the context of the ministry of Angels as messengers of the will of God is also quite clear.
Angelic robes
Regarding clothes and objects, everything is somewhat more complicated.
It should be noted that the symbolism of icon painting was always based on the realities of the culture in which it was created (in this case, on the realities of late Roman and Byzantine culture). For example, objects associated with the emperor and his court most easily symbolize concepts such as power and might. Any person in Byzantine Empire immediately caught the association, and the risk of misinterpretation of the symbol was minimized. This problem arose much later, when the significance of certain objects of Byzantine culture and life began to be forgotten. Only then do alternative interpretations appear (sometimes very ridiculous), which we can observe in our time.
So, Angels are messengers, servants and messengers of the King of Heaven, and in order to convey all the greatness of their rank, late Roman/Byzantine artists, as we have already noted, turned to images of the earthly kingdom. Thus, the magnificent court ceremony of the Byzantine court was reflected in Christian iconography, and now the Angels already appear before us in the robes of Roman court dignitaries and military leaders. Of course, times change, and now it would be unreasonable to depict the angelic rank in the costumes of government officials or in the dress uniform of representatives of the Ministry of Defense (although this would be the most adequate “translation” of Byzantine iconography into modern language). But the attitude towards rulers and civil servants in our time is strikingly different from the attitude towards those in power in ancient times. Here, for the ancient and medieval consciousness, is the “modernization” of the realities of Sacred history and spiritual world- a completely ordinary thing (even during the Renaissance in Western Europe It was allowed to use modern costumes for the artist in religious painting).
Angels in tunics and himation. Fragment of a 6th-century Byzantine mosaic from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna. Italy
The main angelic “uniform” were the clothes of the ancient aristocracy - chiton, himation And chlamys. It would be useful to recall that a tunic is an undergarment similar to the cassocks of the clergy, a himation is a cloak in which they wrapped themselves over a tunic (among the Romans, an analogue of the himation was toga), and the chlamys was, in fact, also a cloak, but they were not wrapped in it, but were worn on the shoulders, fastened with a buckle (or simply tying the ends) on the shoulder or chest. This combination of lower and outer clothing in the ancient world was preserved for quite a long time, although the style of these elements could change beyond recognition.
Archangel Michael in a tunic and chlamys. 12th-century Byzantine mosaic from the Daphne monastery. Greece
Thus, the chiton, depending on its length, the presence of slits, sleeves - wide or narrow, short or long, stripes and other details, could be called differently: dalmatica, scaramangium, divitisium, colovium, etc. At a certain stage of development Byzantine culture could simultaneously wear two chitons of different styles (which, by the way, is still preserved in the wearing of liturgical attire: bishops wear a sakkos over a surplice, although both attire comes from the chiton).
The chlamys, as already mentioned, is a kind of cloak in the form of a cape on the shoulders. It was quite wide. A quadrangle of fabric was sewn onto the chlamys in the chest area, which was different in color from the chlamys itself - the so-called. tavlion. The color of the chlamys and tavlion could indicate the place of its wearer in the court hierarchy. The most honorable color of the tavlion was gold. Only the emperor could wear a purple chlamys with a golden tavlion.
For the military, a similar raincoat was provided, which was called sagy. It differed from the chlamys only in its lightness and smaller size. The highest ranks also had a tavlion sewn on it. Sagiy is more typical for icons of the Archangel Michael, who, as the Archangel (commander-in-chief) of the Heavenly Host, was depicted in two ways - either in the outfit of a servant of the Heavenly King (we talked about this above), or in the armor of a Byzantine commander, with sagiy on his shoulders.
Appearance of Archangel Michael to Joshua. Archangel in armor with a sage draped over his shoulders. Miniature of a Byzantine manuscript from the 10th century. Vatican libraries
The next interesting attribute of the robes of Angels is ENT- ceremonial vestments of Byzantine emperors and the highest courtiers (it is no coincidence that this attribute is present in images of the highest angelic powers). The accessory was a long, wide strip of fabric draped intricately over the figure. In especially solemn ceremonies it was worn instead of a chlamys.
Archangel Michael in tunic and lore. Byzantine marble relief from the 13th century. Germany. Berlin. Bode Museum
The lor comes from the clothes of the Roman consuls. Consuls, like all citizens of Rome, wore a toga, but, unlike other Romans, their toga was decorated with a wide purple border. Draping a toga was an art, but over time the uncomfortable toga decreased in size, and it was draped more in a simple way(although the decorations were much more magnificent). This version of the consular toga became known as trabeya. It was already entirely purple and embroidered with various ornaments.
Consul dressed in trabea. Roman relief from the 6th century. Great Britain. London. Victoria and Albert Museum
Over time, the trabea itself narrowed and evolved into a kind of gold-embroidered and decorated precious stones scarf, and then it began to be called lore(λωρος – in Greek means “ribbon”). The drapery of the lore, as mentioned above, was quite complex: its front end hung from the chest down almost to the hem, and the upper crosswise entwined the chest and back, came out from behind the back and was thrown over left hand. This purely historical Roman attire successfully fit into the system of angelic iconography also because in Scripture one can find such a vision of the Heavenly Powers: “And seven Angels came out of the temple... clothed in clean and light linen clothing and girded around their chests with golden belts” (Rev. 15:5–6).
Archangel in a tunic and simplified lore. 12th-century Byzantine mosaic from the Palatine Chapel. Italy. Palermo
In Byzantium they did not stop at this option, and the lore evolved further in the direction of simplification. In the end, it began to consist of several parts: a mantle (in the form of a wide collar), a strip hanging from the chest, and a longer one hanging from the back, also going around the waist and thrown over the left arm.
Sometimes in the same composition of the transitional period you can observe Angels in different versions of the lore. The most characteristic and interesting example– a 12th-century mosaic in the dome of the Palatine Chapel, the palace temple of the Sicilian kings, made by Byzantine craftsmen.
Symbols of power
The heads of the angels are crowned tiara. In its original ancient meaning, the tiara is not a woman's diamond jewelry as we know it, but just a ribbon tied around the head. Actually, the white ribbon in Hellenistic times was considered one of the royal regalia. In addition, it was one of the attributes of the priests.
Hellenistic coin depicting King Antiochus III wearing a diadem. III-II century BC British museum
In the late Roman era, emperors also began to wear a diadem, which was embroidered with pearls and precious stones.
In this case, the largest stone was usually placed in the center of the diadem above the forehead. It is this diadem with the developing ends of the ribbons (called in the Russian tradition Torokami(toroki-belts)) we see in the iconography of Angels.
Archangel Gabriel in a diadem. Fragment of a Byzantine icon of the 12th century. Egypt. Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai
When antique meaning This accessory was forgotten, and naive attempts to freely interpret it appeared in Rus'. But even now in the popular literature on the “theology of the icon” one can read the following: “Toroki (rumors) are ribbons in the hair of Angels, symbolizing their listening to God.”
It is difficult to understand why headbands should symbolize “listening,” especially since this is not reflected in any way in Byzantine writing. And it is illogical to reduce the functions of one of the oldest symbols of power to antennas that receive a signal.
Another thing happens: the central stone in the diadem (usually diamond-shaped, which can be found on some icons) is called the “third eye” and symbolizes not “hearing”, but “seeing”. This is clearly the influence of Eastern mystical practices. I also heard that the ends of the ribbons are for some reason lightning...
But still, the diadem is a symbol of power and sacred service (since, in addition to kings, in ancient times priests also had a diadem).
In the hands of Angels we often see rod- another symbol of power. It also has a place among the regalia of the Byzantine court. Not only emperors, but also court officials, for example, silenciarii (masters of ceremonies), had wands of one configuration or another.
An angel with a rod in a scene of the adoration of the Magi. 12th-century Byzantine mosaic from the Daphne monastery. Greece
The rod could have been in the form scepter– a long cane with a richly decorated top, and in the form labarum. Labarum is an ancient Roman military standard. It was a shaft with a crossbar from which hung a rectangular piece of fabric. On the labarums of Angels, the threefold symbol is often depicted: “hagios” - “holy” (which reminds us of the incessant angelic praise: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isa. 6:3).
As in the case of the diadem, the meaning of the rod is gradually forgotten, and already in later Russian “iconographic originals” the rod is called a measure, which is sometimes interpreted as “symbols of measuring the purity of human souls that have passed into eternity.”
Archangel with labarum and orb. 11th century Byzantine mosaic from St. Sophia Cathedral. Kyiv
The third symbol of power present in the iconography of Angels is power- a ball that among the Roman emperors meant power over the Universe. Often the orb in the hands of Angels is decorated with a cross or the monogram of Christ, thereby recalling that the strength and power of the Angels are given by the Lord.
And this symbol on medieval Russian soil, after the fall of Byzantium and the loss of contact with the ancient ancient heritage, lost its original meaning, in some later sources it began to be called a “mirror” (mirror) and received another arbitrary interpretation: “In Byzantine and Old Russian iconography, the image of a transparent spheres in the hands of the archangel; a symbol of destiny, foresight, transmitted to the archangel by God." As we see, if the diadem suddenly began to “play the role” of an antenna, then the orb now acts almost like a crystal ball for fortune telling. There is another strange interpretation: it turns out that the “mirror” is “a transparent ball-sphere through which angels can contemplate the reflection of God without daring to look at Him”...
IN Greek mythology there is a well-known analogue - the mirror shield of Perseus, which he used to protect himself from her deadly gaze when fighting the gorgon Medusa. But what do the Angels and the Lord have to do with it?
It is worth recalling that the symbols of the icon were created with the aim of facilitating the understanding of the simple human mind of the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven invisible to the earthly eye, and not in order to envelop everything in a mystical fog.
Let us note that to “decipher” the symbolism of an icon, fantasy is not needed; you just need to understand the context of the era in which this or that symbolic meaning was attributed to it. Such knowledge leaves no room for idle pseudo-pious inventions.
Dmitry Marchenko
Notes:
1. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite. About the heavenly hierarchy. Ch. 1, 3. St. Petersburg: Satis, 1995.
2. The writings of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church related to the interpretation of Orthodox worship. T. III. St. Petersburg, 1857.
3. Yazykova I.K. Theology of the icon. M.: Public Orthodox University, 1995.
An angel is a holy disembodied spirit who proclaims and fulfills the will of God.
Angels - (Greek angeloi - "messengers"; singular angelos - "messenger"; from the verb angelo - "notify", "pronounce") - incorporeal supernatural beings created by God, created before the visible world.
The word angel means messenger. Disembodied spirits have this name because they proclaim the will of God to people. An angel is someone whom the Lord can send with an assignment and who will exactly fulfill that assignment.
Angels live everywhere. But mainly in heaven, around the Throne of God. Where God most reveals His glory to them, and through them His will towards people.
The Holy Fathers of the Church call them second lights, as if a reflection of the Divine light.
They are the second lights! How can we understand this?! What to compare with so that it is accessible to our mind?..
Being in close proximity to God, Angels are filled with admiration, God's greatness, His holiness, wisdom and the greatest love of the Creator of the universe for His creation.
A certain Divine light freely flows through them like a wide river.
This is the image of true holiness. The Heavenly Forces received the light of God. They refracted it in themselves and, reflecting and crushing it into many beautiful rays, distributed it around themselves, giving it to people capable of perceiving it. And in this reflected radiance of the Divine light, an undiminished, undarkened radiance, but an increased and joyful radiance that brings life, we come to know God!
If it were not for the Angels, we would never be able to feel and perceive the Divine light, even to a small degree accessible to man.
We ourselves are not able to see and feel the glory of God - we need intermediaries who transform it so that it becomes available to us.
And so the Angels are these intermediaries for us.
Angels differ from each other both in enlightenment and in varying degrees of grace.
The highest hierarchy of those directly close to God consists of Angels who bear the names: Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Seraphim, true to their name, have hearts flaming with love for God, and they excite others to ardently love their Creator. Seraphim means fiery.
Cherubim have fullness of knowledge and abundance of wisdom. They are illuminated by abundant rays of God's light. It is given to them to know everything to the extent that created beings can know.
Thrones - these Angels are so exalted and so illuminated by grace that the Lord dwells in them and through them manifests His justice.
The second, middle hierarchy consists of Angels bearing the names: Dominion, Strength and Authority. The Angels of Dominion teach people to dominate their will, to be above all temptation, and also to resist those evil spirits who have sworn to destroy a person. The powers are Angels filled with divine strength. These are the spirits through whom the Lord performs his miracles. They were given by God the ability to send down the grace of miracles to the saints of God, who work miracles during their lives on earth. Authorities - Angels who have the power to tame the power of demons and repel enemy temptations. In addition, they strengthen good ascetics in their spiritual and physical labors.
The third, lower hierarchy also includes three ranks: Principalities, Archangels and Angels.
The Beginnings are the rank of Angels, who are entrusted with governing the universe, protecting and governing individual countries and peoples. These are the Angels of the People. Their dignity is higher than the Guardian Angels of individual people. From the book of the prophet Daniel we learn that the care of the Jewish people was entrusted to the Archangel Michael (see Dan. 10:21). Archangels are the great evangelists of the mysteries of God, of all that is great and glorious. They strengthen the holy faith in people, enlightening their minds to the knowledge and understanding of the will of God.
Angels (the last, ninth rank of the hierarchy) are bright spiritual beings who stand closest to us and have special care for us. I will talk about them in more detail a little later. And now briefly about the Archangels.
From the Holy Scriptures we know that there are seven Archangels, that is, the senior Angels who rule over everyone else.
In the book of Tobit (Tov.12:15) we read that the Angel who talked with him said: “I am Raphael, one of the seven Angels.” And the Revelation of John the Theologian speaks of seven spirits who are before the throne of God (see Rev. 1:4). The Holy Church includes among them: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selafiel, Jehudiel and Barachiel. Tradition also includes Jeremiel among them.
1. Archangel Michael is the first of the supreme Angels, the champion of the glory of God. He is often depicted in military garb with other Angels faithful to God. Or he is depicted alone in the clothes of a warrior with a sword or spear in his hand, trampling underfoot a dragon or an ancient serpent - the devil.
This is how he is depicted in memory of the fact that once in heaven there was a great confrontation between the Angels - the servants of God and evil spirits- angels who fell away from God and became servants of Satan.
Sometimes he is depicted with a spear, the top of which is decorated with a white banner with a cross. This is a special distinction between Archangel Michael and his army, meaning moral purity and unshakable loyalty to the Heavenly King.
2. Archangel Gabriel is the herald of God’s destinies and the servant of His omnipotence. Sometimes depicted with a branch of paradise or with a lantern with a burning candle inside, in one hand and with a mirror in the other. A candle closed in a lantern means that often the destinies of God are hidden until the time of their fulfillment, but even after their fulfillment they are comprehended only by those who carefully look into the mirror of their conscience and the words of God.
3. Raphael is depicted with an alabaster vessel filled with healing oil. The name Raphael means mercy, help to all those who suffer.
4. Uriel - the Archangel of light and fire of God - is depicted with lightning lowered down. He illuminates with the fire of fiery love, enlightens the minds of people with the revelation of useful truths. It can be said about him that he is a special patron of people who devote themselves to science.
5. Selafiel – Archangel of prayer. He is depicted either with a rosary in his hands, or in a prayer pose with his hands placed in reverence on his chest.
6. Jehudiel – praise of God. Depicted with a golden crown in one hand and with a scourge of three cords in the other. The crown is to encourage people who strive for the glory of God, and the scourge is to protect them in the name of the Holy Trinity from enemies.
7. Barachiel - Archangel of God's blessings, sent during earthly life to those who work to receive heavenly, eternal blessings.
These are the Archangels.
And now about the Angels.
Among the host of Angels is the Guardian Angel of each of us. And so all of us, my dears, must strive to know our Guardian Angel as best as possible, to know him enough to feel his presence near us. And for this we need to know as much as possible about him.
Our Church teaches that God created Angels in His image. These are incorporeal, intelligent, purest beings, similar to spirit. They are generously endowed by God with natural gifts: intelligence, the ability to know and love both their Creator and people, and to be a living example of God’s perfections. They are faithful servants of God, doers of His will. Not only are they able to understand and converse with each other, but they also understand the language of our souls, and therefore we can turn to them in our prayers. And this is the guarantee of close direct communication with our Guardian Angel available to each of us.
As the Holy Gospel says, the Son of God came to earth to serve people and save them. And Angels are sent to earth for the same purpose - to serve people.
According to the teachers of the Church, man was created in order to replenish the number of fallen angels. Therefore, we must enter the Council of Angels. And for this, think, my dears, how pure and holy our life should be. Just as here on earth, we must prepare ourselves in advance for cohabitation with the Angels, for entering their bright and holy assembly. To that cathedral of theirs, which you and I now so solemnly celebrate!
But for this we must acquire both angelic thoughts and feelings. We are required to clear the place for love, to prepare our hearts to accept supernatural love, the love that God expects from us.
And it's not difficult! Live according to the Gospel commandments - and you will achieve what you need. But they are not impossible. And in this matter the Angels again help us, enlightening our minds with the knowledge of the Holy Gospel. Realizing the importance of our close union with the Angels, let us set ourselves, my friends, the goal that every day we live does not separate us, but brings us closer to the Angels, especially to our Guardian Angel.
In many religions of the world, guardian angels occupy a special place. It is believed that they accompany us throughout our lives, remaining invisible. They are heralds of divine revelations, protectors and helpers in good deeds. And yet, despite this constant presence, we rarely think about who is standing over our right shoulder.
The word "angel" came to us from Greek language, where it meant "messenger", along with Christian texts. But the existence of angels was known long before the advent of Christianity. Almost all peoples had an idea of invisible beings helping people.
The ancient Persians called them feruers, in the Sufi tradition - muwakkali (this word means “guardian, trustee, guard, representative”). The Romans believed that everyone has their own genius - a patron spirit. Genius, according to the Romans, was an essence that was born with a person and determined him life path.
But the most complete information about angels can be found in Judaism and Christianity. The Bible and Torah speak of spiritual, ethereal beings more perfect than man and created before him. According to legend, angels appeared even before the visible world arose. They constitute the heavenly army, in which there is a strict hierarchy.
But their main task is to preserve existing world. According to Saint Gregory the Theologian, “... being servants of the Will of God, not only by natural ability, but also by the abundance of Grace, they are transferred to all places and accompany everyone everywhere, as if by fast execution service, and by ease of nature.”
Angels control the natural elements, nations, and participate in divine services (only those who have received special grace - saints and righteous people - can see them).
According to the Holy Scriptures, angels are divided into nine ranks of angels. The closest to God are the seraphim, cherubim and thrones. Seraphim surround the throne of the Lord. They have a human form, each of them has six wings. With two they cover their face, with two they cover their legs, and with the help of two more they fly and constantly sing songs of praise to God.
Cherubim have a different appearance. The prophet Ezekiel, in his famous vision of the chariot, depicts the cherubim as humanoid, with four faces and four wings. Their legs have the feet of a calf and are shiny like copper. But perhaps the most unusual thing about images of cherubs is their faces. The face of a lion was connected to the human face on the right side, and the face of a calf and an eagle on the left.
Cherubim are surrounded by countless hosts of the righteous and darkness of angels; they reflect in themselves the unapproachable greatness of God and His glory. Less is known about other angelic orders. The thrones, dominions, powers, authorities and principles that Dionysius the Areopagite wrote about in the book “Heavenly Hierarchy” are practically unknown to ordinary believers.
But the last two ranks - archangels and angels - are familiar to us both from numerous images and from texts. We even know their names: Michael - ("who is like God"), Gabriel - ("man of God"), Raphael - ("help, healing of God"), Uriel - ("fire and light of God"), Salafiel - ( “prayer to God”), Ifremiel - (“height of God”). The number of archangels sometimes also includes two names not mentioned in the Bible: Jehudiel - (“praise of God”) and Barachiel - (“blessing of God”).
Muslims know four great archangels: Gabriel, or the angel of Revelation; Michael, or patron angel; Israel, angel of Death; Israfil, Angel of the Resurrection. They also have an angel of prayer - Sandalphon.
Hundreds of thousands of angels are subordinate to them and act as impartial witnesses. human life. According to the Koran, near every person during his lifetime there are two angels who, day after day, record his good and evil deeds and thoughts.
Despite the fact that angels are incorporeal, there are a huge number of “portraits” of them, captured by icon painters or worldly artists. Interestingly, these images have changed quite a bit over time. In the first centuries since the advent of Christianity, angels were depicted as ordinary people.
Archangel Gabriel. Fragment of a fresco from the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua. Mid-7th century Rome
For example, on the fresco of the Annunciation of the 2nd century, the Archangel Gabriel is painted in a decorated tunic with an orar, his face and figure have no distinctive features. The radiance and wings, which we today consider an indispensable attribute of angels, appeared on icons and frescoes only from the 4th century. Later, in Byzantium, a whole system of symbols arose that made it possible to indicate the hierarchical position of the depicted angel.
However, we should not forget that icon painters sought to give an ideal image to creatures (more precisely, entities) that are invisible under normal conditions. Therefore, the details of the angels’ clothes, wings and radiance are more of a symbol, an indication of their special role, than a reflection of the real state of affairs.
The appearance of angels in visible form is usually associated with some important events. The Bible describes the appearance of angels to the Old Testament patriarchs and righteous people: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Lot... However, even in our time, many cases have been recorded when guardian angels appeared to their wards and helped them.
There are so many examples of such help that a separate book would be needed to present them. As a rule, at this moment a person hears a voice warning of danger. If the warning is heeded, then death can be avoided: press the car brake a moment before the collision or, without realizing your actions, leave the house on the eve of its destruction.
Often, loved ones later remember that at that moment when a misfortune almost happened, they suddenly thought about the impending disaster and turned to God in prayer. However, guardian angels care much more about our souls than about our bodies.
After all, sometimes a serious illness or injury can become an impetus for understanding the true value of life. It is not for nothing that almost all Orthodox saints went through the test of weakness and pain...
Guardian angels are capable of many things. They can submit necessary advice V difficult situation, to console in a moment of despair, to support a person’s courage in a moment of trial. But in order for all this to happen, you need to maintain contact with your guardian angel and listen to his voice.
Among the non-canonical stories about angels, there are a huge number of signs and beliefs regarding communication with them. It is believed, for example, that there are two types of guardian angels: earthly and heavenly. One of the deceased relatives or friends can become a person’s earthly guardian angel.
In some areas they believe that this responsibility falls on grandmothers - after death they take care of their loved ones. Occasionally, care for a person is entrusted to someone who was his enemy during life. This way he can atone for his sin. But according to popular beliefs, only selected people who have an important life mission have heavenly guardian angels. They have greater capabilities than the souls of the dead, and more often communicate with a person, guiding him on the true path.
In Orthodoxy, it is believed that a person is protected not only by the guardian angel who is given to a Christian at baptism, but also by the saint in whose honor the convert was baptized. It is no coincidence that until recently, along with birthdays, name days were celebrated, which were also called “angel’s day.”
Both in official religion and in popular beliefs, angels are represented as beings capable of seeing or hearing the thoughts of the people entrusted to them. Those who were lucky enough to be born into religious families are familiar with the story from childhood about an angel standing behind a person’s right shoulder and a devil whose place is behind his left shoulder (by the way, this is why we spit over our left shoulder when we are afraid of the evil eye).
If a person strives for good and does good deeds, his angel laughs with joy. If it’s the other way around, he cries. In some cases, an angel may leave a person for a while. Most often this happens when he does not listen to his advice and does not live according to his conscience.
But there are exceptions to this rule. In many villages it is believed that a guardian angel cannot protect the peace of a sleeping person if there are sharp objects on the window of his room: knives, pins, needles. There is also a belief that an angel leaves a person a few days before his birthday and returns only a week after this holiday.
Within about two weeks, a person finds himself without his protection. However, even in the most difficult cases, the guardian angel does not renounce his ward and returns to him; if a person repents of his actions and asks an angel for help.
Interestingly, the legends about guardian angels say that some people have not one angel, but several. It is believed that most people have three guardian angels. Those people who perform a special mission have the most guardian angels (up to nine).
Moreover, neither wealth nor social status people are not of decisive importance. His talent, spiritual purity and faith are important. But those who have only one guardian angel are considered unlucky people. They are rarely lucky; they constantly find themselves in unpleasant situations. People said that one angel “does not have time” to help a person, and they tried to choose a name for him that was borne by several saints.
It was believed that each of them would look after a person along with his guardian angel. However, the number of ethereal assistants can be increased. It’s simple - do good deeds, try to adhere to pure thoughts, because Hermes Trismegistus formulated one of the fundamental laws of the spiritual world: like attracts like.
Followers of Agni Yoga believe that a guardian angel can accompany a person not only in this earthly life. He accompanies the incarnated soul even before birth. He does not participate in the process of the soul choosing its place of birth and parents.
But when a special “unit” of angels draws up a life program for the soul - events that will help it learn the necessary qualities - the guardian angel is nearby. If some events of a future incarnation seem too harsh to him or not entirely deserved, he can intervene in the discussion of a person’s fate and try to give him another chance to make the right choice.
After a person is born, the guardian angel tries with all his might to help him so that he successfully copes with the program of his training in this life. After all, the karmas of a person and his guardian angel are closely connected, and, being a highly spiritual being, the angel strives the best way do your “job”. At the moment of a person’s death, the guardian angel temporarily transfers his soul into the hands of the angel of death, who frees it from now unnecessary energy shells.
According to the teachings of Agni Yoga, in addition to the guardian angel, every person is accompanied in life by many other spirits. Some of them are hostile, their task is to direct a person to the path of evil. Others are nearby simply out of sympathy for a particular person.
They are attracted to him by the similarity of thoughts and feelings. In other words, what a person is like “from the inside”, he attracts such helpers. If his thoughts do not rise above the satisfaction of basic instincts, his ethereal “retinue” will be exactly the same - lower spirits and demons.
Angels sensitively respond to human prayers. Their desire to help is limited only by three conditions. First of all, guardian angels cannot cancel punishments for sins of past lives. They also cannot harm anyone, so it is useless to ask the angels to punish your enemies, even if they are rapists or murderers.
Finally, if it seems to you that the guardian angel is in no hurry to fulfill your request, it means that the time has not yet come to fulfill your desire. Or you are asking for something that is not what you really need. After all, angels view your life from the point of view of spiritual improvement, and people most often worry about material wealth or issues that are insignificant from the point of view of the soul.
When angels want to reward a person, they give him not money or power, but love, hope and faith. Their gifts are spiritual, like our defenders themselves: peace in the soul, strong bright feelings. These are the ingredients of true happiness.
There are many beliefs regarding how you should communicate with your guardian angel. In Orthodoxy there are special prayers addressed to him. Here is one of them: “Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection, I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, and save me from all evil, guide me to good deeds and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen".
And here is another appeal: “My angel, take me under your holy guardianship, teach me who does not know how, comfort me who suffers, save me from danger, help me in business, may your good will be done, forever and ever. Amen". People have adopted shorter formulas. For example, after washing your face in the morning, you can say: “My angel, come with me for the whole day. I will live with faith. And to serve you."
But in fact, our guardians do not need any special texts. Our thoughts and feelings for them - open book. Therefore, you can always contact them. And in order to hear the answer, just listen to your inner voice. Your guardian angel will definitely respond. Maybe the answer will come right away.
Or perhaps you will receive the necessary information during a chance meeting with a friend or read it in a book that caught your eye at the right time. And no matter what happens to you, remember: you are not alone. Very close are beautiful winged creatures who sincerely love you and are always ready to help.
Many misconceptions exist even among believers about Angels. This is due to the fact that from the theological side, not everything is clear here, because these creatures are inaccessible to direct human observation. However, in Orthodoxy there is a tradition of purchasing an icon of the Guardian Angel and praying to your heavenly intercessor in front of it.
Who are angels
There is a canonical teaching about Angels, which, however, is replete with various gaps. But these creatures are often mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, directly participating in human history since the times of paradise. God placed the Cherubim at the gates of heaven so that Adam could not return there. The Lord commanded that angels be depicted on the Ark of the Covenant, then in the Jerusalem Temple.
The depiction of Angels was not only not prohibited, but was also encouraged since the time of the Old Testament. According to Orthodox Church, each person has a personal Angel, which is given after Baptism, although many believe that immediately after birth. The Icon of the Guardian Angel can be given to a baby for a birthday or christening.
Judaism has several complex hierarchies of angelic orders, but after the New Testament, Christians developed their own. Gregory the Theologian, for example, gives the following order, starting with the least dignity:
- Angels.
- Archangels.
- Thrones.
- Dominance.
- Started.
- Authorities.
- Strength.
- Armies.
- Century.
- Cherubs.
- Seraphs.
As a rule, in many such systematizations, the angels themselves are the lowest ranks. Maybe that’s why they most often appeared to the biblical righteous, then to the saints. According to the teachings of the Church, Angels are personalities, but their nature is more similar to the Divine. However, it is very different from it: for example, angels cannot be in two places at the same time.
Today the church adheres to a hierarchy where the highest rank is the Seraphim, the lowest (ninth) are the angels. Angels are endowed by God with a number of abilities inaccessible to humans:
- Invisibility to the human eye.
- The ability to fly.
- The ability to manifest itself in human world and influence it (in the Old Testament story, Angels, for example, destroyed cities).
- The ability to speak with people in their language.
- The ability to read human thoughts.
Why does a person need an Angel?
God gives angels various responsibilities and uses them as intermediaries between Himself and people. It is believed that the Lord sends them because people simply cannot stand meeting with Him. Even the sight of an angel can terrify a person, although in appearance they resemble people, only with wings. It is difficult to say what the heavenly creatures actually look like (the Bible contains various descriptions). The icon of the Holy Guardian Angel depicts only a canonical image approved by the rules of the Church.
According to church tradition, the Guardian Angel must instruct a person in comprehending God’s institutions and protect him from attacks dark forces. A person does not see these battles; they are hidden so as not to frighten the weak in spirit. But he can feel supported higher powers. Many experienced inexplicable events in life - for example, when they miraculously managed to avoid a car accident, inexplicable coincidences occurred, meetings with the right people. In such cases, you need to thank your Angel.
Prayers near the Guardian Angel icon can also be in the nature of a request: first of all, you need to ask for help in the spiritual aspects of your life. It is believed that in the afterlife the Angel will be accessible to human perception, it will be possible to communicate with him and even be friends with him. During the earthly journey, one must ask him to instruct in faith and every good deed that will contribute to the salvation of the soul.
Image history
In the art of the Ancient East, images of winged creatures are often found: for example, the altar in Megiddo is decorated with them. Figures of winged angels were found in Samaria. The Old Testament names a number of objects depicting seraphim that were in the Temple.
In the Russian icon painting tradition, familiar images began to appear at the end of the 16th century. As attributes, the Angels had a cross (for blessing) and a sword (for protection from dark forces). Their clothing resembles a deacon's vestment - of course, angels, being disembodied spirits, do not need it, it is simply a symbol of their service in heaven. The color of the cloak is usually green, the chiton is red, or the robe can be white.
- The image can be half-length or full, in which case the Angel usually stands on a cloud. The meaning of the Guardian Angel icon is to remind of the eternal existence of the soul. The floating figure seems to call a person to the heavenly abodes, from where he was torn out by sin.
- Although the Angel has a human appearance in appearance, his unearthly origin is emphasized by the presence of large wings folded behind his back.
- One hand may be raised in a gesture of blessing, sometimes both hands are folded in prayer. The gaze is usually directed directly at the viewer, but can be directed to the side, and the head is slightly bowed in reverence, as if the Angel bowed before the Lord.
- In the images of modern masters, the heavenly guardian can hold a small soul (in the form of a child) in his arms.
How to find “your” Guardian Angel icon
At baptism, the child receives a name, and a certain saint is considered his patron. Usually it is chosen according to Christmastide, but it can be done arbitrarily, especially if a person is baptized as an adult. If the life path of a particular saint inspires, you can safely choose him as your heavenly patron. Such a saint is mistakenly called a “guardian angel.”
For example, if a child’s name is Cyril, he is given an icon of St. Cyril. But the Guardian Angel is not a saint, not a person, but a heavenly being in the service of the Lord! You can purchase an icon of any saint - Paul, John, Nicholas, there are no restrictions on name or date of birth - and there cannot be. Saints do not reject people's prayers just because they were born on the wrong day. Prayers can only be rejected if they do not come from a pure heart.
It would also be a mistake to “bind” some icon Mother of God as a guardian angel by date of birth. Such a classification is inappropriate; it has nothing to do with the Orthodox tradition. The Queen of Heaven is the patroness of all people without exception. This is rather a type of modern paganism, which appeared due to widespread illiteracy in matters of religion.
The church holiday is common for all angelic ranks - it is celebrated on November 8 (Cathedral of Heavenly Powers). The names of each specific angel are hidden from people; only a few of them are named in the Bible. However, there is a tradition according to which the icon of the guardian angel is selected according to the name of the person. In fact, it will be the image of a saint who bore the same name, but not an Angel.
What can Angel help with?
People have a special feeling inside them called intuition. After making another mistake, many had to say: “Oh, because the inner voice told me to do the opposite...” In such cases, the “Guardian Angel” icon helps. She warns against annoying mistakes and bad deeds. It also dispels the darkness of bad thoughts when everything seems hopeless.
People cannot directly communicate with their Guardian Angel, but the icon will help focus their thoughts on prayer. Although some saints have seen angels with their own eyes, how many can claim sainthood today? Of course not. Therefore, for most, answers to vital questions that should be asked in prayer come precisely as a certain inner voice.
If there is no answer for a long time, there is no need to despair. You should continue to pray - the Lord never abandons a person. Perhaps the answer will come a little later, or the believer himself is simply not yet ready to accept the answer. Sometimes events in life can themselves be interpreted as warnings. In this case, you need to immediately change your behavior and try to get on the right path. If you can’t do it on your own, turn to a priest for help.
Where to place the holy image
The icon of the Guardian Angel can be located anywhere in the home iconostasis, the main thing is that the central one belongs to the image of the Savior. According to pious tradition, it is customary to place an icon near a child’s cradle - there is nothing wrong with that. It will be good if the child witnesses how parents say prayers. The child's soul is very responsive to everything - the parents' task is to give it the right food. It would be quite appropriate to place at home an icon of the saint, who is considered the guardian of the baby based on his date of birth.
Drivers often hang holy images in the car. This is not done because icons have some kind of miraculous power of their own. They are called upon to turn a person’s mental gaze to Heaven. So that in the hustle and bustle of life he doesn’t get so busy that he forgets about the most important thing. Sometimes it is easy, especially under pressure from circumstances or unbelieving people.
Many people prefer to carry an icon of the Guardian Angel with a written prayer with them - there are small icons intended for storage in wallets. This is something like an amulet, but is not directly condemned by the Church. The main thing is that a person should put in first place not a piece of paper, but communication with the Lord.
The meaning of the Guardian Angel icon is the same as other holy images - it should help focus on God. The veneration of angels is so great in Orthodoxy that special prayers have been compiled for them. It’s good to learn some by heart and read on the road, during monotonous work, so that your thoughts don’t wander anywhere.
It is believed that an Angel accompanies a person until death, after which he is called upon to guide the soul to heaven. Evil, ungodly deeds and words avert this pure creation from a person. Therefore, you should carefully monitor yourself throughout the day. Send, Lord, a Guardian Angel to all Christians!
Prayers to the Guardian Angel
A prayer to the Guardian Angel, which can be repeated in all cases, for example, before starting any important task.
Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection! I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, save me from all evil, instruct me in every deed, and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.
Prayer from “Morning Prayers” in the prayer book (read in the morning)
Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.