21 November is a special day. They say it's namesday of each of us, because the Orthodox Church honors the Archangel Michael and all Bodiless Heavenly Powers. We just call them angels. This celebration was in the beginning of the IV century in honor of the saints of the Lord of spirits, which were created by the Creator before people, before the entire visible world.

"As something totally forgotten we have guardian angels, to whom we have no real right relationship, " wrote another Evgeny Villager, spiritual writer of the late XIX - early XX century. - Persons performing the duty of daily prayer, perhaps, in the mornings and in the evenings I read the morning and evening prayer to the guardian angel. But it is up to him in a flame of zeal, neperestaiosh of him thought that it could help people in their spiritual reality...

The hard work of the angel entrusted the earth to man, who makes his closest witness all their iniquities and abominable downs. The angel takes the man in the temple and the man goes to the unclean entertainment; the angel would like someone to stand up for prayer, and he indulges in revelry; the angel would like to invest in his mouth meek and kind words, and he speaks words of evil and hostile; the angel would like to see a just man, and man represents all the sin.

We can't see all the efforts in the struggle waged by the angels for the protection of human rights. But we would often in my life to feel that there is someone wonderful, inspiring us good decisions, taking us in the opposite direction. And the faithful people seeking God, angels commonly and win".

In the basis of the doctrine of angels lies Divine Revelation. Of the invisible world for us, we learn from Scripture, but in his books about angels are spoken of, not so much. Basically, we know about them only what they were in contact with people throughout the Sacred history.

The word ngel" comes from the Greek angelos, that is "Bulletin", "the messenger". From this it becomes clear why in the Holy Scripture angels are also called, and the prophets, for example, the prophet Moses (num. 20, 16). The prophet Malachi, preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ calls him an Angel of the Covenant (Mal. 3, 1). We are now accustomed to the word ngel", which in Holy Scripture are indicated God created spiritual beings. They received from Him the gift of intelligence, strength, and freedom of will.

Initially, all the angels arrived in good and God's glory, but some of them headed by a mighty Lucifer betrayed God, fell away from Him. Adopted voluntarily evil twisted them, they became demons, Lucifer, Satan, "the Prince of this world". The Church teaches that the angels, having once your selection cannot be changed. The angels who remained with the Lord, are the executors of the divine will, and they can't change overnight, falling into evil. The demons are not able to repent and return to the good.

A major difference angels from person - until his last breath person has hope and opportunity to repent, to reject sin, to pay his soul to the Creator and Savior. At the same time, the person leading a good life, should be careful and always take care of yourself, because it can fall and sin at any minute. Therefore, it is necessary to pray to the Angels of the Lord, always ready to help, to keep us from falling, from evil.

Angels in a more narrow sense are called the heavenly beings, related to the ninth rank Angelic hierarchy. Heavenly hierarchy consists of three levels - high, medium and low. Each of them consists of three ranks. The Lord reveals His will to the highest of the Angels, and they in turn inform the others.

At the highest level of the hierarchy are the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Closest to the MostHoly Trinity stand sectorality Seraphim ("flaming", "fiery"). In the book of the prophet Isaiah we read: "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above It stood the Seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his every face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And they cried one to another and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of His glory." (Is:2-3).

After the Lord of the Seraphim stand Mnogotochie Cherubim. Through them sent wisdom and enlightenment to the true knowledge of God.

For the cherubim faced Thrones - God-bearing, mysterious and incomprehensible bearing God. To them, the Lord sits on the throne, and speaks His Court.

Average triad Angelic hierarchy is composed of Dominions, Powers, and Authorities. Domination often mentioned at the Church writers, Holy fathers, but also in the liturgical texts. She instruct the earthly authorities in the wise management Board, teach people to own feelings, to tame a sinful desire to dominate their will to conquer temptation.

Forces are doing the will of God. They work wonders, strengthen people's patience, and give them duhovnosti courage. Power - holders of the image of Almighty God, and they tend to inform the divine power of lower-level creatures.

In the New Testament the rank of the Authorities mentioned in the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians and Ephesians. They have power to quell the power of the devil, and to help people in the struggle with evil thoughts. The authorities are symbolically our service the true nature of power, which is expressed not in dominion, and in love.

At the lowest rung of the Angelic hierarchy are the principalities, Archangels and Angels.

Beginning nachalstvom over the lower angels, directing them to the fulfillment of Divine commands. They are entrusted to manage the universe, and protect lands, Nations and peoples. Beginning taught to fulfill their obligations, not for personal glory and gain, but for the honor of God and the good of others.

The name "archangels" (in Greek - "the chiefs of the angels)" in Church tradition is used in two senses. First, the archangels are the eighth, the penultimate rank of the Heavenly hierarchy. They are evangelizing and reveal to people the mysteries of faith, the meaning of the prophecies, help to understand the will of God.

Otherwise "archangels" call special, the highest of the angels. Such archangels eight.

Over all the nine ranks out the Lord's Holy Archangel Michael (his name in Hebrew sounds "who is like God"). Being faithful to the Lord, and filled with love to Him, Mikhail was thrown down from Heaven proud Lucifer with the other fallen spirits. "Let us attend! "he exclaimed, turning to immovable Angelic powers. - Let us stand aright before our Creator and not that which is displeasing unto God!". Holy Archangel Michael is one of the most revered of the Archangels, not only in Christianity. In Orthodoxy it is called the Archangel, which means the head of the Holy host of Angels and Archangels.

In the book of revelation tells of heavenly battle of Archangel Michael and his angels with the seven-headed and desyatinoy dragon, pursuing a Wife, clothed in the sun, and her baby: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought [against them], and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. He was the great dragon, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world : he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (revelation 12:7-9).

According to Church tradition, St. Michael the Archangel participated in many other old Testament events. On the icons he is portrayed trample underfoot the devil, in his left hand holds a green date palm branch, right - spear with a white banner (sometimes flaming sword), which outlines a scarlet cross.

From sacred Scripture and sacred Tradition is also known Archangels:

Gabriel - strength (power) of God, Herald and servitor of the Divine omnipotence. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, ushering Her the good news about the future of the birth of Her Jesus, the son of God. He also many years later reported to the most Holy Theotokos news of Her imminent demise.

Raphael physician of God, the healer of human ailments.

Uriel - the fire or light of God, and educator.

Salafiil the prayer book of God, encourage prayer.

Jegudiel - host praising God, firming ye that labor for the glory of the Lord, and applying for recompense them for their deeds.

Barachiel - giving blessings of God in good deeds, and asks people to the mercy of God.

Jeremiel - exaltation to God.

Say now about Angels in a more narrow sense - as the ninth, the lowest rank of the Heavenly hierarchy. Angels are closest to the people. They tell people the will of God, instruct them on the good and Holy life. They keep believers keep from falling, and help the fallen shall rise, never leave us and always ready to help, if we wish.

Divine Revelation is not revealed to man the structure of the angelic nature. A debate on this issue took place between great Russian saints, great theologians Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov and St Theophan the Recluse.

Saint Ignatios was defended his point of view about the relative physicality of angels and the human soul. In his writings "Word of the death of" and "the Addition of the Word of the death", issued in 1863 and 1864, he recounted his personal opinion that the soul and the angels possess some special thin body is also spiritual and truly spiritual, only the Lord God. The Saint same Theophanes insisted on full incorporeal state angels and the human soul, its composition "The soul and the angel is not a body, and spirit" appeared in 1867. The answer to the saints question refers to private theological opinion, is not a dogma of the Church, then there is no point of view is not obligatory. However, the Church is inclined to the view of St. Theophan the Recluse.