A guardian angel is an angel who protects and guides a particular person. The Roman Catholic Church’s calendar of saints includes a memorial for the guardian angels on October 2.
The belief that God sends a spirit to watch every individual was common in Ancient Greek philosophy, and Plato alludes to it in Phaedo, 108. Similarly, the belief appears in the Old Testament, although it is not specifically articulated nor delineated. The belief that angels can be guides and intercessors for men appears in Job 33:23-6, and in the Book of Daniel (specifically Daniel 10:13) angels seem to be assigned to certain countries. In this latter case the “prince of the Persian kingdom” was referring to one of the fallen angels also known to many as a demon. The same verse mentions “Michael, one of the chief princes,” and Michael is one of the few angels named in the Bible. In the New Testament Book of Jude Michael is described as an archangel. The Book of Enoch, part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s canon of scripture, says that God will “set a guard of holy angels over all the righteous”.
Whether guardian angels attend each and every person is not consistently believed or upheld in patristic Christian thought. Saint Ambrose, for example, believed that saints lose their guardian angels so that they might have a greater struggle and persevere. Saints Jerome and Basil of Caesarea argued that sin drove the angels away.
This is the traditional Catholic prayer to one’s guardian angel.
Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom God’s love commits me here.
Ever this day/night be at my side
to light, to guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.
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I like these pics…good.