Editing Uriel (section)

==In Judaism and Christianity==

===Name and origins===
The angels mentioned in the canonical books of the [[Hebrew Bible]] (aka the Tanakh) are generally without names. Of the [[Seven Archangels]] in the [[Angels in Judaism|angelology of Judaism]], only two of them, the archangels [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]] and [[Gabriel]], are mentioned by name in the canonised Jewish scripture.

[[Raphael (archangel)|Raphael]] features prominently in the [[Book of Tobit]] which is accepted as canonical by the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], and the [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]]; it is part of the [[Biblical apocrypha|apocrypha]] in the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Churches]] and the [[Anglican Communion]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia with a New Atlas of the World |date=1914 |publisher=Century Company |page=262 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Leonardo Da Vinci - Vergine delle Rocce (Louvre).jpg|thumb|Uriel, right, in the ''[[Virgin of the Rocks]]'' ([[Louvre]] version) by [[Leonardo da Vinci]], 1483–1486]]

Where a fourth archangel is added to the named three, to represent the four cardinal points, Uriel is generally the fourth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=URIEL – JewishEncyclopedia.com |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14606-uriel |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=www.jewishencyclopedia.com}}</ref> Uriel is listed as the fourth angel by Christian [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]] (under the name [[Phanuel (angel)|Phanuel]]). However, it is debated whether the Book of Enoch refers to the same angel by two different names. Uriel means "God is my flame", whereas Phanuel means "God has turned". Uriel is the third angel listed in the ''[[Testament of Solomon]]'', the fourth being [[Sabrael]].

[[File:Archangel Uriel with Esdras, St Michael and All Angels, Kingsland.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.8|A rare medieval stained-glass panel depicting the Archangel Uriel with [[Ezra|Esdras]]. [[St Michael and All Angels Church (Kingsland, Herefordshire)|St Michael and All Angels Church]], [[Kingsland, Herefordshire]].]]
Uriel appears in the ''[[2 Esdras|Second Book of Esdras]]''<ref>2 Esdras 4:1; 5:20; 10:28.</ref> found in the [[Biblical apocrypha]] (called Esdras IV in the [[Vulgate]]):

<blockquote>‘Et respondit ad mē angelus, quī missus est ad mē, cui nōmen Ūriel,’<ref>4th Esdras 4:1 (Clementine Vulgate (Vercellone Edition 1861))</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>‘And the angel, who was sent to me, whose name [was] Uriel, answered me,’</blockquote>

in which the prophet [[Ezra]] asks God a series of questions, and Uriel is sent by God to instruct him. According to the Revelation of [[Esdras]], the angels that will rule at the end of the world are Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, [[Gabuthelon]], [[Beburos]], [[Zebuleon]], [[Aker (angel)|Aker]], and [[Arphugitonos]]. The last five listed only appear in this book and nowhere else in apocryphal or apocalyptic works.

In [[New Testament apocrypha|Christian apocryphal]] gospels, Uriel plays a role, differing between the sources, in the rescue of [[Jesus]]' cousin [[John the Baptist]] from the [[Massacre of the Innocents]] ordered by [[Herod the Great|King Herod]]. He carries John and his mother [[Elizabeth (biblical figure)|Saint Elizabeth]] to join the [[Holy Family]] after their [[Flight into Egypt]]. Their reunion is depicted in [[Leonardo da Vinci]]'s ''[[Virgin of the Rocks]]''.

Uriel is often identified as a [[cherub]] and the angel of repentance.<ref>[[Books of Adam|Book of Adam and Eve]]</ref> He "stands at the Gate of Eden with a fiery sword",<ref>Abbot Anscar Vonier (1964). ''The Teaching of the Catholic Church''.</ref> or as the angel "who is over the world and over Tartarus.<ref>1 Enoch 20:2.</ref> In the ''[[Apocalypse of Peter]],'' he appears as the angel of repentance, who is graphically represented as being as pitiless as any demon. In the ''[[Life of Adam and Eve]]'', Uriel is regarded as the spirit (i.e., one of the cherubs) of the third chapter of Genesis. He is also identified as one of the angels who helped bury Adam and [[Abel]] in [[Garden of Eden|Eden]].

He checked the doors of Egypt for lamb's blood during the plague. He also holds the key to [[Hell in Christianity|the pit]] during the [[Christian eschatology|end times]], and led [[Abraham]] to the west.

In modern [[Angels in Christianity|angelology]], Uriel is identified variously as a [[seraph]], [[cherub]], regent of the sun, flame of God, angel of the divine presence, presider over Tartarus (hell), archangel of salvation, and, in later scriptures, identified with [[Phanuel (angel)|Phanuel]] ("God has turned"). He is often depicted carrying a book or a papyrus scroll representing wisdom. Uriel is a patron of the arts.

[[File:Archangels.JPG|upright=1|thumbnail|''The Angelic council'', [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] [[icon]] of the [[Seven Archangels]]. From left to right: [[Jegudiel|Jehudiel]], [[Gabriel]], [[Selaphiel|Selatiel]], [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], Uriel, [[Raphael (archangel)|Raphael]], and [[Barachiel]]. Beneath the [[mandorla]] of [[Immanuel|Christ Emmanuel]] are representations of [[cherub]]im (blue) and [[seraph]]im (red).]]

In the Eastern Orthodox churches, Uriel is commemorated together with the other archangels and angels with a [[Calendar of saints|feast day]] of the "[[Synaxis]] of the Archangel Michael and the Other [[Heavenly host|Bodiless Powers]]" on November 8 of the [[Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar|liturgical calendar]] (for those churches which follow the [[Julian calendar]], 8 November falls on 21 November of the modern [[Gregorian calendar]]), and is regarded as the patron saint of the arts and sciences.<ref name="TR" /> In addition, every Monday throughout the year is dedicated to the angels. The [[Anglicanism|Anglicans]] and [[Copts|Coptic Christians]] of [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopia]] and [[Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Eritrea]] venerate archangel Uriel. According to the latter, 11 July is his feast day.<ref name=Story>{{cite web |url=http://www.romereports.com/en/2011/11/27/the-story-of-uriel-the-039-forgotten-039-archangel/ |title=The story of Uriel, the 'forgotten' archangel |date=27 November 2011 |website=www.romereports.com |publisher=Rome Reports |access-date=28 October 2017}}</ref> In the Ethiopian ''[[Homily on the Archangel Uriel]]'', he is depicted as one of the great archangels, and as the {{lang|la|angelus interpres}} who has interpreted prophecies to [[Enoch]] and [[Ezra]], and the helper of both of them. According to the Homily, at the time of the [[crucifixion of Jesus]], Uriel dipped his wing in the blood and water flowing from Christ's flank and filled a cup with it. Carrying the cup, he and the Archangel Michael rushed into the world and sprinkled it all over Ethiopia, in every place where a drop of blood fell a church was built.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Böll |editor-first=Verena |date=2004 |title=Studia Aethiopica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mUppV49qw6AC&q=homiliary+on+uriel&pg=PA440 |location=Wiesbaden |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |page=440 |isbn=9783447048910}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Houlden |first=James Leslie |author-link=Leslie Houlden |date=2003 |title=Jesus in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia, Volume 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=17kzgBusXZIC&q=Uriel+cup+christ+blood+ethiopia&pg=PA265 |location=Santa Barbara, California |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=265 |isbn=9781576078563}}</ref> Thus Uriel is often depicted carrying a [[chalice]] filled with the [[blood of Christ]] in [[Ethiopian art|Ethiopian Orthodox iconography]]. Uriel is honoured in the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Church]]es as well, with churches including statuary of the archangels Gabriel, Uriel, Michael and Raphael.<ref>{{cite web |title=Truss Carvings: Heroes of the Faith |url=https://www.historictrinity.org/our-history/architecture/stone-carvings/ |publisher=Trinity Lutheran Church |access-date=20 May 2023 |language=English}}</ref>

In [[Thomas Heywood]]'s ''Hierarchy of Blessed Angels'' (1635), Uriel is described as an angel of the earth. Heywood's list is actually of the angels of the four winds: Uriel (south), Michael (east), Raphael (west) (serving also a governor of the south, with Uriel), and Gabriel (north). He is also listed as an angel of the four winds in the medieval Jewish ''[[Sefer Raziel HaMalakh|Book of the Angel Raziel]]''<ref>''Sepher Rezial Hemelach''</ref> which lists him as Usiel (Uzziel); according to it, this book was inscribed on a sapphire stone and handed down from Seraph to [[Metatron]] and then to Adam.

At the Council of Rome of 745, [[Pope Zachary]], intending to clarify the church's teaching on the subject of angels and curb a tendency toward [[Worship of angels|angel worship]], condemned obsession with angelic intervention and angelolatry, but reaffirmed the approval of the practice of the reverence of angels. This synod struck many angels' names from the list of those eligible for veneration in the church of Rome, including Uriel. Only the reverence of the archangels mentioned in the recognised Catholic canon of scriptures, namely Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, remained licit. In the 16th century, archangel Uriel appeared before the Sicilian friar [[Antonio del Duca|Antonio Lo Duca]] and told him to build a church in the [[Baths of Diocletian|Termini area]]. Lo Duca told [[Pope Pius IV]] about the apparition, the pope then asked [[Michelangelo]] to design the church, which became the [[Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri|Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs]] located at the [[Piazza della Repubblica, Rome|Esedra Plaza]].<ref name=Story />

In the first half of the 11th century, Bulgarian followers of the dualist heresy called [[Bogomilism]], who lived in the dukedom of [[Ajtony|Ahtum]] in present-day [[Banat]], invoked Uriel in rituals.{{citation needed|date = March 2016}} This was witnessed by [[Gerard of Csanád]], the Catholic bishop of the area after 1028.{{citation needed|date = March 2016}} Uriel was also named in a small exorcism in the 15th century, reported by [[Robert Ambelain]] in ''Arabic Astrology'' on page 18, without indication of date and place of origin: "{{lang|la|Conjuro te diabolo per sanctum Michaelem, sanctum Gabrielem, sanctum Raphaelem, sanctum Urielem}}".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stanzione |first1=Marcello |title=Inchiesta su Uriele: l'Arcangelo scomparso |last2=Alvino |first2=Carmine |date=2011 |publisher=Edizioni Segno |isbn=978-88-6138-407-1 |location=Tavagnacco |page=149 |language=it |chapter=Le attestazioni dirette e accreditate dell'arcangelo Uriele in ambito cristiano-cattolico |quote=IV. Attestazione: Uriele invocato in un esorcismo – Uriele era anche nominato in un piccolo esorcismo del XV secolo, riportato da Robert Ambelain in ''Astrologia Araba'' a pag. 18, senza indicazione di data, luogo datazione ecc: "Conjuro ... Urielem".}}</ref>

In [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]]'s ''Golden Legend'', Uriel is one of the angels of the seven planets, namely of Mars. He is also listed as such in [[Benjamin Camfield]]'s ''A Theological Discourse of Angels'' (1678).<ref>Canfield, ''A Theological Discourse of Angels, Wherein Their Existence, Nature, Number, Order and Offices, are modestly treated of...''</ref>

A scriptural reference to an angel of presence is found in [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 63:9:
<blockquote>In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bible Gateway passage: Isaiah 63:9 – King James Version |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2063%3A9&version=KJV |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=Bible Gateway |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>

===In Enoch===
{{Main|Book of Enoch}}

[[File:Saint Uriel, St Michael & All Angels, Howick.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|Uriel is said to have interpreted prophecies to Enoch and Ezra. Panel painting in [[St Michael and All Angels Church (Howick, Northumberland)|St Michael and All Angels Church, Howick]].]]
The Book of Enoch, which presents itself as written by [[Enoch]], mentions Uriel in many of its component books. In chapter IX, which is part of "The Book of the Watchers" (2nd century BCE), only four angels are mentioned by name. Those angels are Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel (though some versions have a fifth angel: Suryal or Suriel). However, the later chapter XX lists the names and functions of seven angels. Those angels are "Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over [[Tartarus]]", Raphael, [[Raguel (angel)|Raguel]], Michael, [[Sariel|Saraqâêl]], Gabriel, and [[Ramiel|Remiel]].

The Book of the Watchers as a whole tells us that Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel were present before God to testify on behalf of humankind. They asked for divine intervention during the reign of the fallen grigori (fallen watchers). These fallen ones took human wives and produced half-angel, half-human offspring called the [[nephilim]]. Uriel is responsible for warning [[Noah]] about the upcoming [[Genesis flood narrative|great flood]].

<blockquote>Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spoke, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: "<Go to Noah> and tell him in my name 'Hide thyself!' and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it."<ref>1 Enoch 10:1–4.</ref></blockquote>

After judgment has been brought upon the nephilim and the fallen ones (''see'' [[The Book of Giants]]), including the two main leaders [[Samyaza]] and [[Azazel]], Uriel discusses their fates:

<blockquote>And Uriel said to me: "Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons 'as gods', (here shall they stand,) till 'the day of' the great judgment in which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become [[siren (mythology)|siren]]s.' And I, Enoch alone, saw the vision, the ends of all things; and no man shall see as I have seen."<ref>1 Enoch 19:1–3.</ref></blockquote>

Uriel then acts as a guide for Enoch for the rest of the Book of Watchers. He fulfills this capacity in many of the other books that make up Enoch.

===In Anglican tradition===
[[File:Saint Uriel - stained glass window in the cloisters of Chester Cathedral.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1|[[Stained glass]] of archangel Uriel as regent of the sun in the [[cloister]]s of [[Chester Cathedral]].]]
In the traditions and [[hagiography]] of the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] and other [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] churches, Uriel is mentioned as an archangel. He is recognised as the [[patron saint]] of the [[Anglican sacraments|sacrament]] of [[confirmation]]. In some [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]] churches, Uriel is also regarded as the keeper of beauty and light, and regent of the sun and constellations; in iconography he is shown holding in his right hand a Greek [[Ionic order|Ionic column]] which symbolises perfection in aesthetics and man-made beauty, in his left hand a staff topped with the sun.<ref name="CTHA" /> He is celebrated in the Anglican liturgical calendars on the [[Michaelmas|Feast of the Archangels]].<ref>Lesser Feasts and Fasts, p. 380.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Michael and All Angels |url=http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/254.html |access-date=2023-11-08 |website=justus.anglican.org}}</ref><ref>[http://www.stgeorgeslennoxville.com/WhatareAnglicansAnyway.dsp St. George's Lennoxville website, What Are Anglicans, Anyway? page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926170511/http://www.stgeorgeslennoxville.com/WhatareAnglicansAnyway.dsp |date=2008-09-26}}. Retrieved September 15, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://christchurcheureka.org/documents/ChronicleSeptember.pdf Christ Church Eureka website, September Feasts page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511234543/http://christchurcheureka.org/documents/ChronicleSeptember.pdf |date=2008-05-11}}. Retrieved September 15, 2008.</ref> The [[St. Uriel's Episcopal Church|Church of St. Uriel the Archangel]] at [[Sea Girt, New Jersey]] is a testimony to Anglicans' devotion to Uriel.

The Anglican intercessional prayer to Saint Uriel the Archangel is as follows;

<poem style="margin-left: 2em;">O holy Saint Uriel, intercede for us that our hearts may burn with the fire of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Assist us in co-operating with the graces of our confirmation that the gifts of the
Holy Spirit may bear lots o' fruit in our souls.
Obtain for us the grace to use the sword of truth to pare away all that is not in conformity to the most adorable
Will of God in our lives, that we may fully participate in the army of the Church Militant.
Amen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.urielsg.org/our-patron-saint |title=Our Patron Saint |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=www.urielsg.org |access-date=28 August 2018}}</ref></poem>

The longstanding motto of the [[University of Oxford]], {{lang|la|Dominus illuminatio mea}} ("The Lord is my light") is a translation into Latin of Uriel's name.