November is for Angels

by Matushka Evelyn Kreta

November 8th is the feastday of the Archangel Michael and all the heavenly host of angels. In antiquity, November was the ninth month of the year, and there are nine orders or "choirs" of angels (Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels). The feast is on the eighth day to remind us of the "eighth day": "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him." (Mt 25:31).

The Church has also dedicated Monday to the angels for it is when we begin our work, and "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" by the "heavens" meaning also the creation of the Angels. On this feastday, on Monday and at other times, the Church draws our attention to the angels and instructs us to make them a part of our awareness each day. By investigating the meaning of the icon of the Archangel Michael, we will also learn much about our protectors, the angels.

The angels are beings created by God. (This stands in marked contrast to popular notions of angels as departed humans!) They are not perfect, as is God. They are invisible, bodiless, reasoning beings with free will. They are described as a "second light" in that they participate in and reflect the radiance of the Light of God. They are described as flames or fire: "'God fearing embers enflamed by the fire of the Divine Nature.' 'Secondary lights,' they spread through the universe 'the fire of the inaccessible Divinity, ceaselessly chanting with lips of flame the hymn of the Trinity: Holy, Holy, Holy our God.'" (The Meaning of Icons, Ouspensky) "He made His angels spirits and His ministers a flame of fire" (Ps. 103:4).

In most of the icons of the Archangel Michael his cloak is red. In iconography, colors have meaning. In the icons of angels, especially the seraphim, the color red represents this quality of the angels as a "flame of fire," a "second light." (The color red also often signifies sacrifice or blood, as in the case of holy martyrs.)

Angels are bodiless, so they are often depicted as transparent. They are described as "light, clear, agile, unencumbered by space and time..perpetually moving..." (St. Gregory of Nyssa) Angels often are portrayed with wings to signify bodilessness and immateriality and show that they are not limited in movement. They are beardless or youthful, because they are immortal.

We know from various scriptural sources of the battle that ensued when some of the angels, led by Satan, and out of pride in themselves, chose to turn away from God (cf. Jude, Revelation, Isaiah, etc.). These evil spirits were driven from heaven by the Archangel Michael and his host of angels it is a "war which continues on earth in the spiritual combats in which men are assisted by angels." (Ouspensky) For this reason, Michael is generally depicted in icons as wearing a coat of armor, as a warrior. He is captain of the heavenly host of angels and the prince of the host that guards the Church of God.

The name Michael means who but God only, which may be why (in most icons), he holds the image or letters of Christ in his left. Note also that in most icons, Satan is portrayed as both ugly and very dark. This is to show that when they fell, the demons were cut from the Light of God, which is now painful for them to behold.

Finally, Michael's head is usually adorned with flowing ribbons, symbolizing his hearing the Divine Commands.