I have been commissioned to paint two mosaic images for a private home here in San Miguel Allende. The ancient Archangel Michael icon is one Spirit messenger from God and the other is St Gabriel. They will silently stand guard in their home, day and night. The originals are from the Cefalu Cathedral in Palermo Sicily, 12th century. Archangel Michael and Gabriel float in the upper tier of the altar wall, on either side of the Virgin Mary, under the magnificent dome containing the Christ Pantocrator.
Michael and Gabriel are dressed in neo-classical tunics of jeweled robes, whose style we find in the Imperial court of Constantinople. God’s Archangel Michael is most often portrayed in deep blue, the most valued pigment used by artists in the Byzantine era.
Michael’s feast day is September 29. Gabriel’s is second in rank after Michael and the bearer of good news and visions of the impossible. Gabriel’s feast day is 18 March.
Archangels are messengers of God, each shining, strong, and powerful. I think of them as endogenous since they have no corporal body come into our lives as energy, wisdom, inspiration and awareness.
Archangel Michael did battle with Lucifer and won.
We often refer Archangel Michael to as “the Angel of the Lord” concerned with protection, truth, integrity, and courage. He is the strongest of the four. God sent Archangel Gabriel to tell young Mary that she was to become the Mother of Jesus Christ. They sent Archangel Raphael to heal Abraham from his recent circumcision and also to save Lot. Art depicts him holding a fish, which alludes to his healing of Tobit with the fish’s gall.
Archangel Lucifer was so beautiful that the other Angels called him the ‘Son of the Morning’. He was proud, saying, “Why should God be the most important person in Heaven? Why shouldn’t I be? I can fly and I can change into other things, and I am beautiful and I am powerful. In fact, I am just as important as God, and I shan’t do what He tells me ever again. I shall fight Him and have Heaven for mine!”
Lucifer’s arrogance cast him out of heaven, and as a result forever roams the earth, causing disturbances for humanity to this day. Angel Michael uses his powerful battalion of angels to defeat Lucifer’s attacks on humankind. These two angelic beings have a dynamic relationship, either battling to advance the seven deadly sins or the seven virtues. Angel Michael, because of his talent for doing battle, will play a significant part in end-time events. Revelation 12, a prophecy, speaks of him leading a host of angels in another victorious war over Satan and His demons.
Archangel Michael icons communicate God’s message, helping and guiding righteous behavior.
Archangels are “mighty ones”, conduits between God and humanity, and between flesh and spirit. They are spirit messengers given authority by God to influence humankind. Paul explains the need for angelic intervention, saying, “not all flesh is alike” and “there are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of heaven is one thing, and that of the earth is another” 1 Corinthians 15:39-40. Michael protects and defends people who love God. His capacity to transmit truth and justice creates a sense of wonder in us, we are undeniably intertwined with the invisible. Humanity is promised the presence of God by the Spirit through faith; maybe angles help us more than we think.
Archangel Michael did battle with Lucifer and won.
Lucifer’s arrogance cast him out of heaven, and as a result forever roams the earth, causing disturbances for humanity to this day. Angel Michael uses his powerful battalion of angels to defeat Lucifer’s attacks on humankind. These two angelic beings have a dynamic relationship, either battling to advance the seven deadly sins or the seven virtues. Angel Michael, because of his talent for doing battle, will play a significant part in end-time events. Revelation 12, a prophecy, speaks of him leading a host of angels in another victorious war over Satan and His demons.
Michael communicates God’s message, helping and guiding righteous behavior.
Archangels are “mighty ones”, conduits between God and humanity, and between flesh and spirit. They are spirit messengers given authority by God to influence humankind. Paul explains the need for angelic intervention saying, “not all flesh is alike” and “there are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of heaven is one thing, and that of the earth is another” 1 Corinthians 15:39-40. Michael protects and defends people who love God. His capacity to transmit truth and justice creates a sense of wonder in us, we are undeniably intertwined with the invisible. Humanity is promised the presence of God by the Spirit through faith; maybe angles help us more than we think.
Archangel Gabriel is also a spirit messenger from God
The Archangel Gabriel is the herald of visions, and second in the rank after Michael. He makes God’s message understandable to people and helps them to accept new perspectives with a pure heart. He appeared in the Book of Ezekiel, and in the Book of Daniel, as the interpreter of dreams. Gabriel comes as a celestial being, an other worldly messenger sent to Mary and Zechariah.
According to Jewish mythology, in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life or the “tree of souls” blossoms and produces new souls gathered in a treasury. Gabriel reaches into the treasury and takes out the first soul that comes into his hand. Lailah, the Angel of Conception. As Guardian of the night, they call on him to watch over the embryo until it is born. This Lailah is Gabriel, in the new testament.
Two interesting narratives in the Islam faith. Muhammad is said to have seen Gabriel in his full angelic splendor only twice, the first time being when he received his first revelation. Islamic tradition holds that Gabriel was sent to many per-Islamic prophets with revelation and instruction for divine unification. Muslims believe Gabriel consoled and guarded the first man, Adam, after the Fall. One name given to him in Islam is “keeper of holiness.”
For more information about Mary Jane Miller’s meditations in Mexico and her wonderful ministry, visit San Miguel icons. Find out about more iconographal secrets and Embossing metal instruction on lulu. You can follow Mary Jane on Facebook. Workshops with Mary Jane Miller, egg tempera, Embossing metal halos, Books on Halos, designing halos.
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