Gabriel

In Arabic cultures, Gabriel is depicted as an archangel who sends messages from God to certain people. Gabriel is not called an archangel in the Bible, but is so called in Intertestamental period sources like the Book of Enoch. Along with Raphael and Michael, Gabriel is referred to as a saint in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.

The trope of Gabriel blowing a trumpet blast to indicate the Lord's return to Earth is especially familiar in Negro spirituals. However, though the Bible mentions a trumpet blast preceding the resurrection of the dead, it never specifies Gabriel as the trumpeter. Different passages say different things: the angels of the Son of Man; the voice of the Son of God; God's trumpet; or simply "a trumpet will sound".

In related traditions, Gabriel is again not identified as the trumpeter. In Judaism, trumpets are prominent, but they seem to be blown by God himself, or sometimes Michael. In Zoroastrianism, there is no trumpeter at the last judgement. In Islamic tradition, it is Israfil who blows the trumpet, though he is not named in the Qur'an. The Christian Church Fathers do not mention Gabriel as the trumpeter as well as early English literature. The earliest known identification of Gabriel as the trumpeter comes in the year 1455 in Byzantine art, as an illustration in an Armenian manuscript showing Gabriel sounding his trumpet as the dead climb out of their graves. Two centuries later becomes the first known appearance of Gabriel as the trumpeter in English culture, in John Milton's Paradise Lost.

In Latter-day Saint theology, Gabriel is believed to have lived a mortal life as the prophet Noah. The two are regarded as the same individual; Noah being his mortal name and Gabriel being his heavenly name.

Uriel

Uriel- is he a saint or not?  Well, it depends. He is considered to be one of the seven archangels who stands before God. His name means ‘light of God’, ‘the flame of God’, or ‘the fire of God’. Which is why he is often depicted holding a flame.

Uriel is an angel of the earth and one of the Angels of the Four Winds. Uriel is angel of the South Wind.

St. Uriel is recognized by many religions and in many capacities. He is known as the Angel of Peace, Angel of the Divine Presence, Angel of the Earth, Angel of Fire, Angel of Light, Angel of Repentance and Archangel of Salvation.

Although quite a popular angel with early Christians, The Catholic Church does not recognize Uriel as an archangel or a saint. It seems he may have been too popular. Pope Zachary felt that his fans were turning his veneration into a cult. So Pope Zachary removed any mention of Uriel in the apocryphal books during the Council of Rome in 745. Uriel was stripped of his title of archangel and all possibility of sainthood was gone.  

Other Christian Churches such as the Anglicans and the Coptic Church continue to honor Uriel as an archangel and a saint.

In Jewish teachings, Uriel is the angel that guides the deceased during the final judgement.

Uriel is also said to specialize in helping people discover God's wisdom and leading them to repentance.

He is also the angel to go to for inspiration and enlightenment in matters of communication, business and periods of difficulty or stress.

Raphael

Raphael

     Raphael is an Archangel- the ruler of the angels of healing. He is one of the few mentioned by name in the bible. Raphael means “God has healed” or “the shining one who heals”.

     In Catholicism, he is Saint Raphael, the patron of healing, physicals, travelers, and matchmakers.

     Raphael also appears in the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish text that is considered canonical by Beta Israel Jews and Christians in the Eritrean and Ethiopian Orthodox churches.

     The Hadith, a collection of the Islamic prophet Muhammad’s traditions, names Raphael (who is called “Israfel” or “Israfil” in Arabic) as the angel who will blow a horn to announce that Judgment Day is coming. Islamic tradition says that Raphael is a master of music who sings praises to God in heaven in more than 1,000 different languages.

     But, Raphael is first mentioned in the Book of Tobit, which is accepted as canonical by Catholics, Orthodox, and some Anglo-Catholics and as useful for public teaching by Lutherans and Anglicans. In this book Raphael travels with Tobit’s son in disguise until the journey’s end. He shows Tobias, who caught a huge fish how to use each part of the creature “the heart, the gall and the liver…these are necessary for useful medicines…and the gall is good for anointing in the eyes, in which there is a white speck, and they shall be cured.” At the end of the journey he reveals himself as “one of the seven holy angels” that attend the throne of God.

     Many believe that his name is derived from the Hebrew word Rophe, which means "medicine doctor or it could just be one crazy coincidence. You never know…

Azariel

 

 

Arariel or Azariel

Azariel is the first angel we will explore.  According to the Talmud, Azariel is in charge of the waters of the Earth.  Fisherman pray to him for a good catch. I am not sure if this works, but it is worth a try.

Azariel is also one of the Amulet Angels that can be invoked during childbirth. I would think that during childbirth there are many things that someone might invoke.

It has also been proposed that he is a cure for stupidity. I wonder if invoking Azariel during childbirth would prevent your child from being stupid.

Azariel can be found among the twenty eight rulers of the twenty eight mansions of the moon.

Islamic tradition uses the spelling Azrael and in the Qur’an he is depicted as the Angel of Death. His job is to separate the soul from the body and return it to God.

In Sikh scriptures, his role is much darker. He is sent by God to the unfaithful and unrepentant. Azrael comes to Earth in human form and hits sinful people on the head with his scythe to kill them and extract their souls. Then, not only does he deliver them to hell, but he makes sure that they receive punishment.

In the Kabbalah, we see a much nicer version of Azrael.  This good angel hears the prayers of the faithful when they reach Heaven.  He is also the angel in charge of a legions of heavenly angels.

In Asian cultures, Azrael holds an apple from the Tree of Life to the nose of a dying person to release the soul.

Azariel-good angel or bad angel? It depends on the culture.