Guardian Angels

For thousands of years cultures have had a belief in an after life inhabited by spirits gathered around a deity. Words of hope, warning or instruction have been carried between this other world and those on earth by winged messengers, known in the Christian, Jewish and Islamic religions as Angels, such as the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary before the birth of Jesus, and are generally winged.

The idea of a Guardian Angel watching over and keeping one safe is still widespread and this idea is often translated into a solid image which is displayed in the home. The image may be in stained glass or pottery or may be in a painting or drawing. In times of trouble comfort may be gained from the image perhaps telling the Angel one’s problems and whilst not expecting a direct answer may gain inspiration or comfort from it.

There have been occasions when an incident has been experienced by a large number of people and explained by the appearance of an Angel. Such an event was the appearance of the ‘Angels of Mons’ in the early months of the First World War.

The British Expeditionary Force was under attack at Mons by an overwhelming number of German soldiers. During the battle the German Force paused and then retreated. This event was written up as a short story in the form of a journalistic article and published. In the story the event was explained by the appearance of Angels on the British side which had halted the German advance.

Although the author of the article always maintained it was only ever a fictional story he had published, it was reprinted over the following months and became part of the folklore surrounding events during the Great War.

However there have been published accounts from British soldiers, at the time, referring to some form of supernatural phenomenon. Whether this vision was due to the exhausted state of the troops and a form of mass hallucination brought on by their valiant attempts and success in repelling such an overwhelming force or whether Angels really did appear is open to debate.

Current science and investigative techniques may well present a case which casts doubt on the possibility, however as has been seen, many times, the mind may operate outside or contrary to scientific logic and who can really say whether such an event did or did not occur, particularly if a large number of people witnessed it at the time.

Belief in a personal messenger watching over one can be a great comfort in time of worry or uncertainty, and this belief is as strong today as in the past, providing a serenity and calm which is much appreciated in the increasing uncertainty of everyday life.