
The angels of God were celebrated by men from earliest times but this
celebration was often turned into the divinization of angels (II Kings
23:5). The heretics wove all sorts of fables concerning the angels. Some of them looked upon angels as gods; others, although they did not consider them gods, called them the creators of the whole visible world. The local Council of Laodicea (four or five years before the First Ecumenical Council) rejected the worship of angels as gods and established the proper veneration of angels in its Thirty-fifth Canon. In the fourth century, during the time of Sylvester, Pope of Rome, and Alexander, Patriarch of Alexandria, the present Feast of Archangel Michael and all the other heavenly powers was instituted for celebration in the month of November. Why precisely in November? Because November is the ninth month after March, and March is considered to be the month in which the world was created. Also, as the
ninth month after March, November was chosen for the nine orders of angels who were created first. St. Dionysius the Areopagite, a disciple of the Apostle Paul (who was taken up into the third heaven), described these nine orders of angels in his book, On the Celestial Hierarchies, as follows: six-winged Seraphim, many-eyed Cherubim, God-bearing Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The leader of all the angelic hosts is the Archangel Michael. When Satan, Lucifer, fell away from God and drew a part of the angels with him to destruction, then Michael stood up and cried out before the faithful angels: ``Let us attend! Let us stand aright! Let us stand with fear!'' and all of the faithful angelic heavenly hosts cried out: ``Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God of Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory!'' Concerning the Archangel Michael, see Joshua 5:13-15 and Jude 1:9. Among the angels there reign perfect oneness of mind, oneness of soul, and love. The lower orders also show complete obedience to the higher orders, and all of them together to the holy will of God. Every nation has its guardian angel, as does every Christian. We must always remember that whatever we do, in open or in secret, we do in the presence of our guardian angel. On the day of the Dread Judgment, the
multitude of the hosts of the holy angels of heaven will gather around the throne of Christ, and the deeds, words, and thoughts of every man will be revealed before all. May God have mercy on us and save us by the prayers of the Archangel Michael and all the bodiless heavenly powers. Amen
From St. Nikolai Velimirovich’s Prologue of Ohrid.
Today is my Patron Saint’s Day. It’s been a long and busy day, and I’ve just now had a few minutes to breathe and put this online while waiting for an email (that seems to be delayed in cyberspace) Thank you to Deb, Elizabeth, and Philippa for your Name’s Day Wishes and Happy Feast Day to Ian’s Church.
The email still isn't here.
10 Comments:
Happy Name Day to you, Mimi!
Lost email; that sounds ominous.
Congratulations Mimi!
Is it usual for a female to take a male patron Saint in the Orthodox Faith? Fascinating :-)
A belated Happy Name Day to you!!
God grant you many years!!!
Thanks for this reflection!
God bless
Maria in the UK
www.inhishands.co.uk
Hey, Mimi, I went to Vespers for the feast **LOVELY** and prayed for you, and I didn't even know it was your feast day. Isn't the mystical body awesome!
May your patron saint intercede for you in a special day today and always. God bless you, Mimi, and thank you for your prayers.
To answer Ukok's question, if I may butt in Mimi...
...no it is not usual for a female to take a male patron saint. I took a male patron saint, St. Athanasius. But I was received into Orthodoxy through the Greek Orthodox Church. My priest said, it was not unusual there. But it is my understanding that in the Russian Church, I could not have done that.
So the simple answer would be, it is UNusual for a female to take a male patron.
well Happy Belated Name Day to you Mimi!
A little late with the good wishes...
God grant you many years!
Belated congratulations on your name day from me as well. Hope you guys are doing well.
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