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St. John of Damascus on Angels: Nature, Liturgy, and Guardian Angels
Fr. George Papavarnavas summarizes the teaching of Saint John of Damascus on the angelic orders. Angels are spiritual, ever-moving, free, and bodiless beings who serve God and are immortal by grace. Their exact form is known only to God; compared to God they are material, formed of fine matter.
They communicate without spoken language, exchanging thoughts directly. When appearing to humans they take visible shape, bright and clothed in white, signifying purity. Their sustenance is the vision of God. In every Divine Liturgy, which unites heaven and earth, angels concelebrate with the bishop or priest.
During the Small Entrance the celebrant prays for angels to join in glorifying God, and the deacon asks for an angel of peace as a faithful guide and guardian. From baptism a guardian angel stands beside each person, departing only when driven away by sin and returning through true repentance. The angels rejoice when someone repents sincerely.
Main points
- Angels are bodiless spiritual beings created by God, immortal by grace, and known fully only to Him.
- They communicate without language and appear to humans in bright white form.
- Angels concelebrate at every Divine Liturgy, invoked during the Small Entrance and by the deacon's prayer.
- A guardian angel is assigned at baptism and remains unless turned away by sin.
- Sincere repentance restores the guardian angel's presence and causes the angels to rejoice.