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An angel is a spiritual heavenly, or supernatural entity, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in various traditions like the Abrahamic religions.The Free Dictionary: "angel" , retrieved 1 September 2012Mircea Eliade Encyclopedia of Religion Macmillan Publishing (1986) p. 282 Other roles include protectors and guides for humans, such as guardian angels and servants of God.Augustine of Hippo's Enarrationes in Psalmos , 103, I, 15 , augustinus.it In Western belief-systems the term is often used to distinguish benevolent from malevolent intermediary beings.Mircea Eliade Encyclopedia of Religion Macmillan Publishing (1986) p. 282
Emphasizing the distance between God and mankind, Revelation require angels to bridge the gap between the earthly and the transcendent realm.Mircea Eliade Encyclopedia of Religion Macmillan Publishing (1986) p. 284 Angels play a lesser role in Monism, since the gap is non-existent. However, angelic beings might be conceived as aid to achieve a proper relationship with the divine.Mircea Eliade Encyclopedia of Religion Macmillan Publishing (1986) p. 283
Abrahamic religions describe angelic hierarchies, which vary by religion and sect. Some angels are indicated with names (such as Gabriel or Michael) or are of a specific kind or rank (such as a seraph or an archangel). Malevolent angels are often believed to have been expelled from heaven and are called . In many such religions, the devil (or devils) are identified with such angels. Angels in art are often identified with Bird wing,Proverbio (2007), pp. 90–95; compare review in La Civiltà Cattolica, 3795–3796 (2–16 August 2008), pp. 327–328. halos, Didron, Vol 2, pp.68–71. and divine light. They are usually shaped like humans of extraordinary beauty, though this is not always the case sometimes, they are portrayed as being frightening or inhuman.
The rendering of ángelos is the Septuagint's default translation of the Biblical Hebrew term malʼākh, denoting simply "messenger" without connoting its nature. In the Latin Vulgate, this meaning becomes bifurcated: when malʼākh or ángelos is supposed to denote a human messenger, words like nuntius or legatus are applied. If the word refers to some supernatural being, the word angelus appears. Such differentiation has been taken over by later vernacular translations of the Bible, early Christian and Jewish exegetes and eventually modern scholars.
By that, supernatural powers controlling or influencing humanity's perception of the world, including natural phenomena and humans, are ultimately under control of a supreme God. Prominent angels, such as Michael and Gabriel, reflect a connection to the Chief Semitic deity El. Even Fallen angel such as Satan, Samael, Iblis etc., can be understood as an operating force within the nature of humans, as responsible for selfish tendencies.
The idea of angels in early Hebrew scripture as supernatural agents is absent.Barr, James. "The question of religious influence: The case of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity." Journal of the American Academy of Religion 53.2 (1985): 201-235. Instead, the Yahweh intervenes in human affairs, mostly by means of punishment. Only in later thought of post-exilic and Prophetic books, the Biblical deity is conceptualized as distant and more merciful, his interventions replaced by the idea of angels. However, such angels still carry out the gruesome attributes of God and can be both benevolent and malevolent. The notion of angels as embodiment of good emerges only under influence of Zoroastrianism, in which Devil is conceived as the principle of evil, with a hosts of demons, in battle with the Amesha Spenta ( Aməša Spəṇta) created by Ahura Mazda (principle of good).
Influence of dualistic tendencies and replacement of divine powers by angels is evident from the Qumram writings. In the Angelic Liturgy, the Hebrew language elim (deities, heavenly powers) is used for angelic beings and not for God.Rees, Valery. From Gabriel to Lucifer: A cultural history of angels. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012. The War Scroll speaks about angels of light fighting against demonic beings of darkness.
The Amesha Spentas, although rather emanations of Ahura Mazda ("Wise Lord", God) than distinct messengers, have often been compared to angels.Lewis, James R., Oliver, Evelyn Dorothy, Sisung Kelle S. (Editor) (1996), Angels A to Z, Entry: Zoroastrianism, pp. 425–427, Visible Ink Press, Piras A. (2016) Angel. In Vocabulary for the stury of religion Brill Similar to angels in Abrahamic tradition, Vohu Manah reveals to Zoroaster the true nature of
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Additionally to the Amesha Spentas, the Fravashi have often been compared to angels, functioning as a guardian angel, and have been adopted as such by Zoroastrians themselves since the 19th century.Kuehn, S., Leder, S., & Pökel, H. P. (2019, December). Introduction: Angels and Their Religious and Cosmological Contexts. In The Intermediate Worlds of Angels. Ergon-Verlag. p. 15 Unlike the Amesha Spentas, the Fravashi appear as individualized warriors of Ahura Mazda's celestial army, descending from heaven to aid those who summon them against demons.Piras A. (2016) Angel. In Vocabulary for the stury of religion Brill
The term 'מלאך' ('mal'āk̠') is also used in other books of the Hebrew Bible. In the early stages of Hebrew writings, the term refers to human messengers, not to supernatural entities.Jones, David Albert. Angels: a history. Oxford University Press, 2010. p. 3 A human messenger might be a prophet or priest, such as Malachi, "my messenger"; the Greek superscription in the Septuagint translation states the Book of Malachi was written "by the hand of his messenger" ἀγγέλου (angélu). Examples of a supernatural messenger are the "Malak YHWH", who is either a messenger from God,Pope, Hugh. "Angels." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. accessed 20 October 2010 an aspect of God (such as the logos),Frederick Copleston, A History of Philosophy, Volume 1, Continuum, 2003, p. 460. or God himself as the messenger (the "Theophany angel.") Baker, Louis Goldberg. Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Angel of the Lord "The functions of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament prefigure the reconciling ministry of Jesus. In the New Testament, there is no mention of the angel of the Lord; the Messiah himself is this person."
In the early writings of the Hebrew Bible, both as well as the are aspects of God.Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Cornell University Press, 1987. p. 197 In the earliest records, the Bənē hāʾĔlōhīm are in heaven. They are depicted as the heavenly court or the pantheon of religious belief-system of their time. They reflect the transcendent aspect of the Divine, but become progressively differentiated from the good aspect of the Divine. The mal’āḵ on the other hand, expresses the Divinties' interaction with the world. As such the mal’āḵ functions as the voice of the Divine, the Divine spirit, or as God himself. In Exodus 3:2-4, it is both Yahweh as well as a mal’āḵ Moses is addressed by.Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Cornell University Press, 1987. p. 197 The fusion of the Bənē hāʾĔlōhīm with the mal’āḵ is evident in the Book of Hiob. Here, Satan is both one of the Bənē hāʾĔlōhīm in the heavenly court, as well as a mal’āḵ expressing God's interaction with humanity.Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Cornell University Press, 1987. p. 201-202
Michael D. Coogan notes that it is only in the late books that the terms "come to mean the benevolent semi-divine beings familiar from later mythology and art." Daniel is the biblical book to refer to individual angels by name, mentioning Gabriel in Daniel 9:21 and Michael in Daniel 10:13. These angels are part of Daniel's apocalyptic visions and are an important part of apocalyptic literature.
In Daniel 7, Daniel receives a dream-vision from God. ... As Daniel watches, the Ancient of Days takes his seat on the throne of heaven and sits in judgement in the midst of the heavenly court ... an angel like a son of man approaches the Ancient One in the clouds of heaven and is given everlasting kingship. Jeffrey Burton Russel writes that "the more the banim and the mal'ak were seen as distinct from the God, the more it was possible to thrust upon the evil elements in the divine character that Yahweh had discarded.".Russell, Jeffrey Burton. The devil: Perceptions of evil from antiquity to primitive Christianity. Cornell University Press, 1987. p. 198-199
Coogan explains the development of this concept of angels: "In the postexilic period, with the development of explicit monotheism, these divine beings—the 'sons of God' who were members of the Divine Council—were in effect demoted to what are now known as 'angels', understood as beings created by God, but immortal and thus superior to humans." This conception of angels is best understood in contrast to and is often thought to be "influenced by the ancient Persian religious tradition of Zoroastrianism, which viewed the world as a battleground between forces of good and forces of evil, between light and darkness." One of these is Satan, a figure depicted in (among other places) the Book of Job.
The angels as heavenly beings, strictly following the laws of God, become jealous of God's affection for man. Humans, by following the Torah, in prayer, by resisting evil instincts ( yetzer hara) and by teshuva, are preferred to the flawless angels. As a result, they are also inferior to humans in the Jewish tradition. In the Midrash, the plural of El (Elohim) used in Genesis in relation to the creation of human beings is explained by the presence of angels: God therefore consulted with the angels, but made the final decision alone. This story serves as an example, teaching that the powerful should also consult with the weak. God's own final decision highlights God's undisputable omnipotence.
Although archangels were believed to rank among the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalah mysticism and often serves as a scribe; he is briefly mentioned in the TalmudSanhedrin 38b and Avodah Zerah 3b. and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warriorAleksander R. Michalak, Angels as Warriors in Late Second Temple Jewish Literature, Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2012. and advocate for Israel (), is looked upon particularly fondly.Hannah Darrell D., Michael and Christ: Michael Traditions and Angel Christology in Early Christianity, Tuebingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999 Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel () and briefly in the Talmud,cf. Sanhedrin 95b as well as in many Merkabah Jewish mysticism. There is no evidence in Judaism for the worship of angels, but there is evidence for the invocation and sometimes even conjuration of angels.
Philo of Alexandria identifies the angel with the Logos inasmuch as the angel is the immaterial voice of God. The angel is something different from God himself, but is conceived as God's instrument.Copleston, Frederick Charles (2003). A history of philosophy, Volume 1. Continuum International Publishing Group, p. 460.
Jewish philosopher Maimonides explained his view of angels in his Guide for the Perplexed II:4 and II Maimonides had a neo-Aristotelian interpretation of the Bible. Maimonides writes that to the wise man, one sees that what the Bible and Talmud refer to as "angels" are actually allusions to the various laws of nature; they are the principles by which the physical universe operates.'s musician (seraphim) angels from the Basilica dei Santi Apostoli, now in the sacristy of St. Peter's Basilica]], created between c. 1803 and c. 1805]]
In the formative stage, the Christian concept of an angel characterized the angel as a 'messenger' of God. The word "angel" can be drawn to the term or role of a "messenger" throughout the Bible in both old and new testaments - () calls them "ministering or spirits", sent by God to aid the "heirs of salvation". Later came identification of individual angelic messengers: Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Uriel.Barker, Margaret (2004). An Extraordinary Gathering of Angels, M Q Publications. Then, in the space of slightly over two centuries (from the 3rd to the 5th) the image of angels took on definite characteristics both in theology and in art. Ellen Muehlberger has argued that in Late antiquity, angels were conceived of as one type of being among many, whose primary purpose was to guard and to guide Christians.
In systematic Christian theology, angels are imagined as incorporeal entities and in opposition to corporeal humans, as in the writings of Origen and Thomas Aquinas.JONES, David Albert. Angels: a history. Oxford University Press, 2010.HAECKER, Ryan. Origen's Speculative Angelology. 2021. p. 9
In the New Testament, the existence of angels, just like that of demons, is taken for granted. They can intervene and intercede on behalf of humans. Angels protect the righteous (, ). They dwell in the heavens (, ), act as God's warriors () and worship God (). In the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, angels behave as . The Resurrection of Jesus features angels, telling the woman that Jesus is no longer in the tomb, but has risen from the dead. Angels don't marry (, , and ).
/ref> In , he criticizes the worship of angels.JONES, David Albert. Angels: a history. Oxford University Press, 2010. p. 58
According to Matthew 4:11, after Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, "...the Devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him." In Luke 22:43 an angel comforts Jesus during the Agony in the Garden. In Matthew 28:5 an angel speaks at the empty tomb, following the Resurrection of Jesus and the rolling back of the stone by angels.
In 1851 Pope Pius IX approved the Chaplet of Saint Michael based on the 1751 reported private revelation from archangel Michael to the Carmelites nun Antonia d'Astonac.Ann Ball, 2003 Encyclopedia of Catholic Devotions and Practices page 123 In a biography of Gemma Galgani written by Germanus Ruoppolo, Galgani stated that she had spoken with her guardian angel. Pope John Paul II emphasized the role of angels in Catholic teachings in his 1986 address titled "Angels Participate In History Of Salvation", in which he suggested that modern mentality should come to see the importance of angels.
According to the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, "The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture."
According to Augustine of Hippo, the term 'angel' refers to "the name of their office, not ... their nature", as they are pure spirits who act as messengers, clarifying: "If you seek the name of their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they do, 'angel'."Augustine, En. in Ps. 103, 1, 15: PL 37, 1348 Gregory of Nazianzus thought that angels were made as "spirits" and "flames of fire", following Hebrews 1, and that they can be identified with the "thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities" of Colossians 1.
Forty Gospel Homilies by Pope Gregory I (c. 540 – 12 March 604) noted angels and archangels. The Fourth Lateran Council's (1215) Firmiter credimus decree (issued against the Catharism) declared that the angels were created beings and that men were created after them. The First Vatican Council (1869) repeated this declaration in Dei Filius, the "Lumen gentium".
In the Middle Ages, theologians had to address Augustine's ideas of "angelic knowledge", as set out in De Genesi ad litteram, which he divided into "morning" knowledge, knowledge of Creation before it is created derived from direct access to the Word of God, and "evening" knowledge, knowledge of Creation derived from perceiving it after it has been created. Thomas Aquinas (13th century) related angels to Aristotle's metaphysics in his Summa contra Gentiles, Summa Theologica, the 8th question of Quaestiones Disputatae de Veritate, and in De substantiis separatis, a treatise on angelology.
Aquinas varied significantly from the Augustinian view in two major respects: angels were not created in an initial state of bliss, and only beatified angels have "morning" knowledge. In other words: angels have an angelic nature, but in their natural states have no access to Divine "morning" knowledge of Creation, which they only gain with supernatural assistance. This was Aquinas' most original contribution to Christian angelology. Although angels have greater knowledge than men, they are not omniscient, as Matthew 24:36 points out.
According to the Summa Theologica, angels were created instantaneously by God in a state of grace in the Empyrean Heaven (LXI. 4) at the same time when he created all the contents of the corporeal world (LXI. 3). They are pure spirits whose life consists in knowledge and love. Being bodiless, their knowledge is intellectual and not through senses (LIV. 5). Differently from humans, their knowledge is not acquired from the exterior world (having acquired all knowledge they would ever receive in the moment of their creation); moreover they attain to the truth of a thing at a single glance without need of reasoning (LV. a; LVIII. 3,4). They know all that passes in the external world (LV. 2) and the totality of creatures, but they don't know human secret thoughts that depends on human free will and thereby are not necessarily linked up with external events (LVII. 4). They don't know also the future unless God reveals it to them (LVII. 3). (2025). 9781721695478, St Athanasius Press. ISBN 9781721695478
According to Aquinas, angels are the closest creatures to God. Therefore, like God, they are constituted by pure substantial form without matter. While they do not have a physical composition of matter and form (called ilemorphysm), they possess the metaphysical composition of act (the Actus essendi"... of essence and actus essendi in angels, and from their consequent caused character to their potency-act composition)" ... As quoted in and ) and potency (their finite essence, yet without being). ideo est in eo compositio actus et potencie. Cfr. Quodlibet IX, question 4, article 1, corpus, Rome: Leonine edition, 1996, vol. 25, fasc. 2/1, p. 102 Column B, lines 115-124 and p. 103 column A, lines 125-132). As quoted in ; also quoted in Each angel is a species which a unique individual belongs to; angels differ one from another by way of their unique and irrepetible form. In other words, form - and not matter - is their principle of individuation. Quote: "Another requirement is that there be a principle of individuation. But certain beings, namely angels, lack a principle of individuation, which is signate matter. Hence, the angelic form, even though it is communicable in itself as species, is not in fact communicated, because there are no numerically distinct subjects that can receive it."
The Quran is the principal source for the Islamic concept of angels.Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik Routledge 2015 p. 23 Some of them, such as Gabriel and Michael, are mentioned by name in the Quran, others are only referred to by their function. Most Muslim theologians, such as al-Suyuti, based on a hadith stating that the angels have been created through light ( nūr) or fire ( nār), depict angels as entities consisting of substance, in contrast to philosophers who argued for angels being disembodied spirits.Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik Routledge 2015 ISBN 978-1-136-50473-0 Additionally, angels are thought to be endowed with reason and be subject to God's tests. Al-Maturidi (853–944 CE) states that the inhabitants of heaven were tested by adorenments, just as humans and jinn on earth were tested, pointing at Sūrat al-Kahf Q..Saleh, Walid A. "Rereading al-Ṭabarī through al-Māturīdī: New light on the third century hijrī." Journal of Qur'anic Studies 18.2 (2016): 180-209.Ulrich Rudolph Al-Māturīdī und Die Sunnitische Theologie in Samarkand Brill, 1997 pp. 54-56 When angels fail their tests, they might end up on earth, such as Harut and Marut. If the Shayatin ( šayāṭīn) have been angels once or form a separate type of creature from the beginning, is discussed in Islamic tradition.Erdağı, Deniz Özkan. "Evil in Turkish Muslim horror film: the demonic in “Semum”." SN Social Sciences 4.2 (2024): 1-22. Contrary to popular belief, angels are never described as agents of revelation in the Quran, although interpretation credits Gabriel with that.Welch, A.T., Paret, R. and Pearson, J.D., "al-Ḳurʾān", in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition, Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E.
van Donzel, W.P. Heinrichs. Consulted online on 05 May 2022
Angels play a significant role in Mi'raj literature, where Muhammad encounters several angels during his journey through the heavens.Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik Routledge 2015 p. 29 Further angels have often been featured in Islamic eschatology, kalam and Islamic philosophy.Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi akhbar al-mala'ik Routledge 2015 p. 22 Individual angels are further evoked in exorcism rites, with their names engraved in talismans or amulets to call upon their powers.Patrick Hughes, Thomas Patrick Hughes Dictionary of Islam Asian Educational Services 1995 page 73
Although belief in angels remains one of Six Articles of Faith in Islam, one can not find a dogmatic angelology in Islamic tradition. However, theologians generally distinguish between the angels in heaven (), fully absorbed in the ma'rifa (knowledge) of God, and the messengers ( rasūl) who carry out divine decrees between heaven and earth.Wensinck, A. J. (2013). The Muslim Creed: Its Genesis and Historical Development. Vereinigtes Königreich: Taylor & Francis. p. 200Imam Abu Hanifa's Al Fiqh Al Akbar Explained By أبو حنيفة النعمان بن ثابت Abu 'l Muntaha Ahmad Al Maghnisawi Abdur Rahman Ibn Yusuf" Others add a third group of angels, and categorize angels into İlliyyûn Mukarrebûn (those around God's throne), Mudabbirât (carrying the laws of nature), and Rasūl (messengers).Serdar, Murat. "Hıristiyanlık ve İslâm'da Meleklerin Varlık ve Kısımları." Bilimname 2009.2 (2009). p. 156 Al-Baydawi based this divide into two groups on Quranic verses: angels who are self-immersed in knowledge of "the Truth" (al-Haqq), based on "they laud night and day, they never wane" (21:29), they are the "highmost" and "angels brought near" and those who are the executors of commands, based on "they do not disobey Allah in what He commanded them but they do what they are commanded" (66:6), who are the administers of the command of heaven to earth.ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar al-Baydawi (2025). 9780992633578, Beacon Books and Media Limited. ISBN 9780992633578
Salafism and Wahhabism generally emphasize a literal interpretation of angels against modernistic interpretations, as for example, suggested by Nasr Abu Zayd. Simultaneously, many traditional materials regarding angels accepted during the Classical period are often disregarded by Wahhabis and Salafis. The Muslim Brotherhood scholars Sayyid Qutb and Umar Sulaiman Al-Ashqar reject much established material during earlier periods, for example, the story of Harut and Marut or calling the Angel of Death Azrail. Sulayman Ashqar not only rejects the traditional material itself, but also disapproves of previous scholars who used such reports.Stephen Burge Angels in Islam: Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti's al-Haba'ik fi Akhbar al-malik Routledge 2015 p. 13-14
In the commentaries of Proclus (4th century) on the Timaeus of Plato, Proclus uses the terminology of "angelic" ( aggelikos) and "angel" ( aggelos) in relation to metaphysical beings. According to Aristotle, just as there is a Prime Mover, so too, must there be spiritual secondary movers.
Ibn Sina, developed an angelological hierarchy of Intellects, which are created by "the One" (God). Accordingly, the first creation by God is the supreme intellect. From that intellect, intermediary spirits (angels) emanate. From these intellects, the intellect corresponding to the soul finally emerges. It is by the last Intellect that matter is animated and illuminates the mind.Abdullah Saeed Islamic Thought: An Introduction Routledge 2006 p. 101Mark Verman The Books of Contemplation: Medieval Jewish Mystical Sources SUNY Press 1992 p. 129
Materialism removed angels from philosophical and scientific consideration. Thomas Hobbes declared angels to be "accidences of the brain" without any external reality.
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The angels are credited with creating the world and also its rulers in constant battle against each other. They are usurpers of spiritual powers to whom the Gnostic must strive against to become free from envy and greed, and eventually obtains salvation in the immaterial realms.Piras A. (2016) Angel. In Vocabulary for the stury of religion Brill
On the other hand, the soul may act as an angel-like messenger who reveals mysteries and awakens knowledge in human consciousness.Piras A. (2016) Angel. In Vocabulary for the stury of religion Brill
| 1 | Hayot Ha Kodesh | Holy Living Ones | Metatron | Keter |
| 2 | Ophanim | Wheels | Raziel | Chokmah |
| 3 | Erelim | Brave ones | Tzaphqiel | Binah |
| 4 | Glowing ones, Amber ones | Tzadkiel | Chesed | |
| 5 | Burning Ones | Khamael | Gevurah | |
| 6 | Malakim | Messengers, angels | Raphael | Tipheret |
| 7 | Elohim | Godly Beings | Uriel | Netzach |
| 8 | Bene Elohim | Sons of Elohim | Michael | Hod |
| 9 | Gabriel | Yesod | ||
| 10 | Ishim | Men (man-like beings, phonetically similar to "fires") | Sandalphon | Malkuth |
It is believed by Theosophists that , elementals (, undines, sylphs, and salamanders), and Fairy also can be observed when the third eye is activated. It is maintained by Theosophists that these less evolutionarily developed beings have never been previously incarnated as humans; they are regarded as being on a separate line of spiritual evolution called the "deva evolution"; eventually, as their souls advance as they Reincarnation, it is believed they will incarnate as devas.Powell, A.E. The Solar System London:1930 The Theosophical Publishing House (A Complete Outline of the Theosophical Scheme of Evolution) See "Lifewave" chart (refer to index)
It is asserted by Theosophists that all of the above-mentioned beings possess Etheric body that are composed of Etheric plane, a type of matter finer and more pure that is composed of smaller particles than ordinary Matter.
The earliest known representation of angels with wings is on the "Prince's Sarcophagus", attributed to the time of Theodosius I (379–395), discovered at Sarigüzel, near Istanbul, in the 1930s.Proverbio (2007) p. 66. From that period on, Christian art has represented angels mostly with wings, as in the cycle of mosaics in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (432–440).Proverbio (2007), pp. 90–95 Four- and six-winged angels, drawn from the higher grades of angels (especially cherubim and seraphim) and often showing only their faces and wings, are derived from Persian art and are usually shown only in heavenly contexts, as opposed to performing tasks on earth. They often appear in the of church or . Prior to the Judeo-Christian tradition, in the Greek world the goddess Nike and the gods Eros and Thanatos were also depicted in human-like form with wings.
John Chrysostom explained the significance of angels' wings:
Angels are typically depicted in Mormon art as having no wings based on a quote from Joseph Smith ("An angel of God never has wings").
In terms of their clothing, angels, especially the Archangel Michael, were depicted as military-style agents of God and came to be shown wearing Late Antique military uniform. This uniform could be the normal military dress, with a tunic to about the knees, an armour breastplate and pteruges, but was often the specific dress of the bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, with a long tunic and the loros, the long gold and jewelled pallium restricted to the Imperial family and their closest guards.
The basic military dress was shown in Western art into the Baroque period and beyond (see Reni picture above), and up to the present day in Eastern Orthodox . Other angels came to be conventionally depicted in long robes, and in the later Middle Ages they often wear the vestments of a deacon, a cope over a dalmatic. This costume was used especially for Gabriel in Annunciation scenes—for example the Annunciation in Washington by Jan van Eyck.
Some types of angels are described as possessing more unusual or frightening attributes, such as the fiery bodies of the Seraphim, and the wheel-like structures of the Ophanim.
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