Heavenly angels are a necessary component of many faiths. They are said to be the guardians that help us avoid disasters and also help us weigh in things and choose the right path.

Of course, there are people who also say that angels go both ways – the good and the bad. It is up to us to choose which advice we will follow.

There are even depictions of angels from both heaven and hell sitting on each side of one's conscience.

They are each imparting their own tips for the day and trying to influence the way one thinks.

Despite this, heavenly angels have always been depicted as the good and kind ones that help us along the way. They are even sometimes pictured in artworks as small cuddly ones, the cherubs, that do harmless mischief. They also usually have the trademark wings, white cloth, and halo.

The word "angel" comes from old French word angele and the old English term engel. These words are said to mean messenger.

Early Heavenly Angels:

In the bible, angels act as go betweens. They tell the message of God and what He wants to enforce on earth. The very first biblical figure that made a reference to God is Daniel who referred to heavenly angels by their names. He particularly had a scene with Angel Gabriel.

The earliest known depiction of an angel was in the catacomb of Priscilla, which was in existence since the third century. The heavenly angels there, however, do not have wings. There were also angels found in sarchophagus, lamps, and reliquaries. One of the most famous examples is the Angel in the Sacrifice of Isaac picture in the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus.

Angels Get Their Wings:

Heavenly angels eventually had wings. In 1930, a sarcophagus in Istanbul was discovered to have an image of an angel with wings. The time frame for the sarcophagus was set to the time of Theodosius I. According to St. John Chrysostom, the addition of wings into their image is a symbolism of the heights they can reach and the sublimity of their existence.

Famous Heavenly Angels:

The most famous of the angels is Angel Gabriel, which is believed to be the leader of all the angels. He is classified as an archangel, which is at the top of the hierarchy. He has been mentioned several times in the bible and is believed to be even the one who delivered the Koran to the prophet Muhammad.

Another famous heavenly angel is Raphael, who is said to be the healer. He helps sick people and is generally called upon to help with terminal illnesses and grave wounds.

Angel Barchiel on the other hand is the angel for the month of February. He is actually not an angel of love, but is dubbed as the bringer of hope for mankind.

Angel Michael, on the other hand, is often depicted as the warrior, defending the heavens from demons. He has a military cloak on and has a profile that is symmetrically perfect.

There is also Metatron, who is very popular in Judaism. This heavenly angel is mentioned in Merkabah and Kabbalist texts and beliefs and is considered to be of the highest in rank. He is also mentioned in the Talmud.

There are many more of heavenly angels mentioned since then. In fact, angels have become for us symbols of goodness, of peace, and of hope.