Fallen Angel

The fallen angel ( A. Bellver , 1877 ), in Madrid.

A fallen angel is in the traditions Christian and some other religions, an angel exiled or banished from Heaven. Most of the time, this ban is the result of a punishment for disobedience or rebellion against God. The best known of the fallen angels is Lucifer , and his name is frequently given to Satan in Christian belief, although this use appears to result from particular interpretations, the only reference to fallen angels in the Bible is a passage from the Book of Isaiah ^{Christian Tradition}

The winged man (fallen angel), painting of Odilon Redon

Lucifer (reminder: Lucifer was once an angel when the devil comes down simply myths, it is important not to confuse them or at least remember that we do not confuse the Middle Ages), is frequently described as fallen angel, without any text of the Old Testament or the new does not come directly confirm this decline. It's the same for all the demons and the various incarnations of the devil, as Mephistopheles in the legend of Faust.

According to the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church , the angels were all created by God to be good but some became ill and turned against their creator . The angels did not need the faith they already have knowledge of all things heavenly, their rebellion against God is an unforgivable act . Although Mathieu calls this unforgivable sin of rebellion in "this age where the age to come," most Christians interpret it differently and believe that sin can be redeemed after a period of two years , a ancient tradition from the time of Gregory of Nyssa says that the devil and fallen angels will eventually be saved ^, .

Lucifer

The fall of Lucifer, illustration of Gustave Dore

Due to several interpretations related to the translation of a passage from Isaiah , Lucifer became in the Christian tradition the symbol of the fallen angel:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, morning star (or" son of the morning ")? How have you been thrown on the ground, you who all nations vassals ? "

- Bible, Isaiah 2:12 p.m.

The Greek etymology of Lucifer, (Phosphoros) is "light bearer"), in Latin, lux luci-means "light" and iron, "carrier" ^, , and the name of star Morning is given , without having made any connection with Satan. However, Satan is called Lucifer in many interpretations of post- Bible , including the text of John Milton , Paradise Lost (7131-134, among others). According to Milton, Satan was the most brilliant among the legions of angels, even brighter than the stars around him .

Book of Enoch

Medieval Gothic miniature illustrating Genesis

The concept of 'fallen angel comes from the first section of the book of Enoch , a writing pseudepigraphic of the Old Testament as a text considered apocryphal , and therefore rejected by most churches , but nevertheless greatly influenced the Christian tradition.

According to this writing, the fall of angels was caused by their desire to procreate .

"It happened that when humans were multiplied, were born to them fresh and pretty girls. The angels, the son of heaven, looked and desired to. They said one to another: Let us choose women among humans and beget us children. Shemhaza , who was their leader, said: I'm afraid you and I will renounce himself guilty of a great sin. All replied, dooming us all swear each other to curse not to abandon this plan than we have done and we did not make the thing. " .

The Angels put their plans into action and made pregnant women and gave birth to giants three thousand cubits tops, which devoured all the fruit of labor of the peoples . The children of these giants would be the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis .

"There were giants in the earth in those days, after the son of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children: these are the heroes who were famous in antiquity. "

The fallen angels have taught women the botany and the use of drugs. In addition, each angel had passed his knowledge to men including: Azrael metallurgy and manufacture of weapons, Shemhaza botany and charms, Hermon exorcisms, magic and sorcery, Baraquiel astrology, etc.. Fallen angels as the Book of Enoch are in order: Shemhaza or Shemhazai , Arataqif , Ramta , Kokabiel , Tamiel , Ramiel , Daniel, Ziquiel , Baraquiel , Asahel (Asahel or Azazel ), Hermon , Matariel , Ananiel , Setaoul , Shamshiel , Sahriel , Toumiel , Touriel , Yomiel , Yehadiel and Loukas.

Hindu Tradition

The concept of fallen angels are also in the Hindu tradition:

"The joy and harmony reigned around the throne of the LORD, when envy and jealousy seized Mosasour and other heads of angelic bands. They forgot that their duties were imposed, departed from the obedience they owed to the supreme being, and refused to submit to his vice-manager and his coadjutor and Bistnoo Sieb. They said to themselves: we want to govern, the same ambition and inspired a large number of angels who parted with them to the throne of the eternal. God, angered the Crime of the rebels, after having been warned in vain to return to their duty, commanded Sieb drive them out of heaven and cast them into the thick darkness there to suffer eternal torment. "

Representation in the Arts

Fallen angels, illustration Gustave Dore for the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton

The fallen angels are a popular artistic theme, especially through the illustrations of Gustave Dore , but also many painters of the Renaissance.

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  Painting of Peter Paul Rubens

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  Struggle between angels and fallen angels

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  Painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder: The Fall of the Rebel Angels

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge

Filmography

Fallen Angels is a film by Wong Kar-wai , whose original title is Duo luo tian shi, made in 1995 in Hong Kong.

References

• (In) This article is partially or entirely from the article in English entitled " Fallen Angel "(see the list of authors )

Notes

Related articles

• Angel
• Lucifer

External Links

• (In) Fallen Angel on Catholic Encyclopedia
• (In) Fallen Angel on Jewish Encyclopedia
• (En) Names of the fallen angels and know they have taught mankind

Bibliography

• Edward Brasey , Survey of the existence of the rebel angels, Filipacchi , September 1, 1995 ( ISBN 9782850183980 )
• (In) Leonard Ashley, The Complete Book of Devils and Demons Barricade Books ( ISBN 1-56980-077-4 )
• (Fr) Bernard Jacob Bamberger, Fallen Angels: Soldiers of Satan's Realm , 300p. ( ISBN 0-8276-0797-0 )
• (In) Gustav Davidson 1994. A Dictionary of Angels: Including the Fallen Angels. Free Press. ( ISBN 0-02-907052-X )
• (In) "Angels" , Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913.

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