Angels Facts & Worksheets

An angel is a divine messenger who appears in human form with wings and a halo. The word implies goodness and is frequently used to describe someone who provides comfort and assistance to people in need. Angels are mentioned in numerous religions; for example, in Islam, angels are supposed to be created of light, but in Christianity, angels are said to be willed into being by God.

See the fact file below for more information on Angels, or you can download our 28-page Angels worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ANGELS

• The name “angel” is derived from the Greek word “angelos,” which means “messenger.” Being an “angel” is their profession, not who they are. “Angel is the term of their job, not of their character,” writes Saint Augustine. The term of their essence is “spirit” (CCC: 329).
• Angels are spiritual messengers and servants of God, eternal and more flawless than any other creation. According to church belief, God created them on the first day he built the heavens, dividing light from the darkness.
• Angels are thus His earliest creation, existing before the beginning of time.
• Angels, like humans, have God-given intellect and free choice, albeit theirs is far better. They are individuals and not part of an enormous force. 
• In a nutshell, they are made in the image and likeness of God, although on a higher, purely spiritual plane. The Roman Catholic Church considers angels a “truth of faith” and must be believed (CCC: 328).
• Angels were created “by and for” Jesus Christ to be messengers of His salvation plan for humanity (CCC: 331). We see angels in this role numerous times throughout the Bible, most notably in the New Testament when the angel Gabriel announces the Savior’s birth; when the angels at the tomb announce the Resurrection, and during the Ascension, when angels tell that Christ will return in the same way he left.

NINE RANKS OF ANGELS

• Seraphim: The highest tier of angels, Seraphim sits closest to God. According to Isaiah 6:2, they have six wings, two covering their faces, two protecting their feet, and two for flying. 
• Their name means “burning ones” because they have the most knowledge of God, always accompanying Him.
• Cherubim: Their name means “fullness of wisdom,” and they spend eternity studying God’s goodness. 
• After He drove out Adam and Eve, God charged them with protecting the Garden of Eden, according to Genesis.
• Thrones: Thrones reflect on God’s divine judgments. They are the third highest rank of angels, as mentioned in Saint Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
• Dominations (Dominions): While the first three heavenly ranks are preoccupied with God’s essence because they are closest to Him, the middle three are preoccupied with creation’s order. 
• The Dominations, whose name implies “authority” since they control the actions of lower-ranking angels, are the first to be mentioned.
• Virtues: The fifth level of angels report directly to the Dominations and keep watch over the planets and stars. Ephesians 1:20-21 makes mention of them.
• Powers: The Powers are frequently referred to as warrior angels because they confront evil in the universe and ensure that it does not disrupt the order of creation.
• Principalities: The lowest three levels of angels are mainly concerned with human concerns, beginning with the Principalities, who watch over countries and towns.
• Archangels: The Bible mentions three Archangels: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Archangels are concerned with the most pressing issues in human history. 
• God sends Gabriel to notify the Blessed Virgin Mary that she will bear Christ at the Annunciation. Michael is revered as the Archangel devoted to combating the Evil One, and Raphael is a guardian in the Book of Tobit of the Old Testament of Catholic bibles.
• Guardian Angels: Guardian Angels, the lowest tier of angels, look after individual humans. They are the ones who are with you when you have a close call on the highway or who function as an inner voice informing you if something is right or wrong.
• Once again, the nine levels of angels are based on Sacred Scripture and Catholic tradition. Because of our human limitations, we cannot correctly ponder or know the heavenly hierarchies. 
• As a result, we must avoid developing our angelic ideas or giving angels human names. The names Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael are the only ones mentioned in the Bible and accepted by the church.

ANGELS IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS,  CULTURES, AND TRADITIONS

Angels in Abrahamic Tradition

• Angels are known as malachim in Judaism, which means messengers. These angels are classified in a hierarchy, but their existence depends on completing specified tasks; once completed, the angel vanishes. 
• These duties range from conveying a prophecy message to enabling natural normative laws. While the prophet’s books contain descriptions of angels, they are not represented in Jewish art.
• Christianity transformed angels into more fixed beings with human-like personas and distinct personalities. Looking at religious art over the ages demonstrates how angels evolved in Christian imagery. 
• They may express a heavenly presence with a simple dove in early art (such as catacomb mosaics); in later art (such as Baroque ceiling frescoes), angels are human figures with well-sculpted bodies and wings.
• Angels also occur in Islam and are addressed explicitly in the Koran. The Malak, like the angels represented in Judaism and Christianity, is a supernatural messenger with a special duty who is believed to have wings—but angels are not depicted as they are in the Western world because of Islamic regulations concerning what is acceptable in artistic portrayal.

Angelic Beings in Eastern Religions

• Angels feature in Eastern faiths such as Hinduism, but the only thing they have in common with their Western counterparts is that they are spiritual facilitators that interact with humanity. 
• Devas are spiritual guardians that watch over individuals and help them become one with the world; they are said to dwell on a higher cosmic level and may be worshiped as a minor god by certain Hindus.
• Angelic creatures are also known as Devas in Buddhism. They are not eternal; they are souls who have reincarnated into a higher spiritual level. 
• They are invisible to the average eye and can only be seen by the spiritually enlightened, who may gain spirituality by communicating with the Deva. 
• Devas may take physical form, shine with their light, and travel long distances, perhaps by flying or riding a flying chariot.
• Tennin were supernatural creatures in Japan and China who have been compared to angels, nymphs, and fairy folk in the Western world.
• Their beautiful feathered kimonos aid their flying abilities, and they may also have flying wings. They typically occur in stories in which they come to Earth, marry a human, and then return to their home realm once detected.
• In Shintoism, there were also spirit-like entities known as Kami, spirits embodied in the environment (such as a river or a mountain).

Angels around the World and throughout History

• Primitive or indigenous communities worldwide are teeming with alive entities who exist between the spirit and physical worlds. 
• Most civilizations regard an “angel” as a messenger between people and a Higher Power; however, many indigenous societies hold a more polytheistic view of the universe.
• The spirits of animals or ancestors may still communicate with people, mainly via dreams or vision quests. Each person in various cultures may have a totem or guardian spirit. 
• Surprisingly, many indigenous civilizations that came to Christianity transformed their once-deities into angels and saints. Mexico and the British Isles were two regions where this was quite widespread.
• In the Ancient World, such as Greek and Roman mythology, there were messenger gods responsible for transporting information between the deities and from the gods to man, such as Hermes (Mercury). 
• However, philosophers such as Aristotle hypothesized that if there were a “Prime Mover,” subsidiary movers must exist. Indeed, the term “angel” is derived from the Greek angelos. 
• Similarly, in ancient Egypt and Babylon, people believed in several gods, each assigned with a distinct mission, but not in angels themselves.
• Angels first appeared significantly in alchemical manuscripts during the Middle Ages. These books detailed sophisticated procedures for channeling angels, speaking with them, and harnessing their cosmic might for various purposes. 
• For example, the Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage tells the narrative of a Jewish merchant who finds a type of wizard in Egypt who teaches him a technique for communicating with his own guardian angel. 
• Other writings on the subject included methods for communicating with angels or devils and harnessing their abilities to execute specific magic acts.
• We can also find angelic creatures in other religions. They have clothed themselves in deeply spiritual clothing, broken free from the bonds of ego, and shown overflowing Divine Grace in the Baha’i Faith. 
• Mormonism is famous for being based on the revelation of the angel Moroni to Joseph Smith. Angels, according to Mormons, are heavenly messengers in human form without wings, animated by the spirits of individuals who have died or are yet to be born.
• Angels are referenced in other religions, such as Sikhism, entirely metaphorically. Other New Age faiths combine pagan customs, psychology, and Abrahamic concepts about spirituality. 
• Some New Age religion practitioners, such as Abraham Hicks, advocate the concept of communication with angels or spirit beings.
• Angels abound in popular culture, although they were not always regarded as winged beings. Nonetheless, practically every civilization has some spiritual entity between this world and the divine realm. 
• Humankind has long imagined himself surrounded by invisible entities with superior abilities, whether they descend to Earth to convey a message of prophecy or to facilitate the rules of nature.

Angels Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Angels across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Angels, spiritual beings often described as messengers between humans and the divine in various religious beliefs.

Download includes the following worksheets

• Angels Facts
• It is…
• Angel Versions
• The Right Path
• Seven Deadly Sins
• Angel Ranks
• Angels in Bible
• The 3 Angels
• Exploring Religions
• Guidance Prayer
• Distinct Appearances

Frequently Asked Questions

What are angels?

Angels are spiritual beings that are commonly believed to be intermediaries between God or the divine and humanity. They are often depicted as beings with wings, dressed in white robes, and possessing supernatural powers.

What do angels do?

Angels are believed to have various roles and tasks, depending on the religious tradition. They may act as messengers, guardians, guides, or helpers to humans. They may also serve as agents of God or the divine, carrying out his will or delivering revelations to humans.

How are angels depicted in art and literature?

Angels have been depicted in various ways throughout history, depending on the cultural and religious context. In Christian art and literature, they are often portrayed as winged beings with halos, dressed in white robes. In Islamic art, angels are typically shown without wings, with a radiating aura instead. Angels are also depicted in other religious traditions and cultures, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.

Can humans communicate with angels?

Many people believe that humans can communicate with angels through prayer or meditation. Some people claim to have had direct experiences with angels, such as hearing their voices or seeing their manifestations. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of angels or their communication with humans.

Are there different types of angels?

Yes, different religious traditions and cultures have different beliefs about the types of angels and their roles. In Christianity, for example, there are nine orders of angels, each with its hierarchy and responsibilities. In Islam, angels are classified into various categories, such as the angels of revelation, the angels of death, and the angels of the seven heavens. In Hinduism, various celestial beings are similar to angels, such as devas and asuras.

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