Jophiel | |
---|---|
Archangel | |
Venerated in | Judaism, Anglicanism |
Feast | 29 September |
Attributes | Flaming sword |
Patronage | Art, artists |
The angel Jophiel (Heb. יוֹפִיאֵלYōp̄īʾēl, "Beauty of God"), [1] [2] also called Iophiel, Iofiel, Jofiel, Yofiel, Youfiel, Zophiel (צֹפִיאֵלṢōp̄īʾēl, "God is my watchman") [3] and Zuriel (צוּרִיאֵלṢūrīʾēl, "God is my rock"), [4] is an archangel in Christian and Jewish angelology. Jophiel is associated with beauty, art, and wisdom.
According to the pseudepigraphal Revelation of Moses, another name for Jophiel is Dina (Hebrew: דִּינָה Dīnā, "Judgement"). [7] In the text, Jophiel/Dina is described as an angel of the seventh heaven, a Cabalistic guardian of the Torah (and wisdom itself), who taught 70 languages to souls at the dawn of creation. [8] The Zohar lists Jophiel as a Great Angel Chief in charge of 53 legions who superintend Torah-readings on the Sabbath. [9] Jophiel is said to be a companion to the angel Metatron. [6]
C. E. Clement, in her book Angels in Art, names Jophiel as the teacher of Ham, Japheth, and Shem. [6] Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa [10] and Thomas Rudd likewise name Jophiel as the teacher of Shem. [11]
In the Anglican tradition, Jophiel is recognized as an archangel. Jophiel is often depicted in iconography holding a flaming sword, [note 1] such as the stained glasses at St Michael's Church in Brighton, St Peter and St John's Church in Kirkley, [12] Holy Trinity Church in Coventry, [13] and a mural at St. John's Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee. [14]
Jophiel is an Archangel of the Kabbalah (although some systems put Raziel in Jophiel’s place) and in several listings, including that of the early medieval theologian Pseudo-Dionysus. [15] The Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum lists Jophiel as the angel of the Sephira Binah, [16] as do the Key of Solomon variant "The Veritable Clavicles of Solomon," [17] and the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, [18] both latter works derived from the Calendarium. [19] Agrippa attributes Jophiel to Saturn, while Paracelsus assigns Jophiel to Jupiter. [6] Rudd attributes the Zodiac to Jophiel [20] along with the Sephira Binah instead of Zaphkiel. [21] Athanasius Kircher names Jophiel as Angelus pulchritudinis, "angel of beauty". [22] According to Robert Ambelain, Jophiel is in charge of the Cherubim, particularly the Shemhamphorasch angels Haziel, Aladiah, Lauviah, Hahaiah, Iezalel, Mehahel, Hariel, and Hakamiah. [23]
In John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, the Archangel Jophiel is depicted as the “cherubim with the swiftest wings.”
2. Angels and ‘angelic entities’ are traditionally neither specifically male or female (note: when Jophiel/Zophiel is historically referenced, the gender is universally most often male, not female). A female depiction is a recent, specific, and subjective attribute incorrectly assumed and likely applied due to the association with beauty and art, as well as an affiliation with ‘Dina’, and the assumption of gender there.
Archangels are the second-lowest rank of angel in the Christian hierarchy of angels, put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 5th or 6th century in his book De Coelesti Hierarchia. The word "archangel" itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other religious traditions.
Alloces is a demon that appears in demonological grimoires such as the Liber Officiorum Spirituum, Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and the Lesser Key of Solomon. He is described in the Lesser Key of Solomon and in the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum as a duke, taking the form of a fire-breathing, lion-headed soldier riding a horse. His purported duties include teaching astronomy, and liberal sciences, and granting familiars. He is claimed to have 36 legions of demons under his command. In the Liber Officiorum Spirituum, Alloces appears as Allogor or Algor, again a duke, but otherwise with a completely different appearance and abilities -- a spear-toting knight who answers questions, provides advice for plans, and commands only 30 legions of demons. In the duplicate entry, Alloces appears as Algor, ruled by the spirit "Orience" (Oriens), again as a knight who explains secrets, but with the additional power of garnering the favor of nobles. According to Rudd, Alloces is opposed by the Shemhamphorasch angel Imamiah.
Vine is a demon listed in demonological grimoires such the Lesser Key of Solomon Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal.
Bifrons is a demon described in the demonological grimoires the Lesser Key of Solomon and the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, as well as being mentioned in the Dictionnaire Infernal. These works describe Bifrons as an earl who initially appears as a monster before adopting a more human form. His duties include teaching arts and sciences, including astrology, geometry, and the properties of different plants and stones. He also moves bodies into different graves, lights candles over graves, and commands either 6, 26, or 60 legions of spirits.
The Lesser Key of Solomon, also known as Lemegeton Clavicula Salomonis or simply Lemegeton, is an anonymously authored grimoire on sorcery. It was compiled in the mid-17th century, mostly from materials several centuries older. It is divided into five books: the Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia-Goetia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria. It is based on the Testament of Solomon and the ring mentioned within it that he used to seal demons.
In demonology, Halphas is the thirty-eighth demon in the Ars Goetia in the Lesser Key of Solomon, ranked as an earl.
Bathin is a demon described in demonological grimoires.
Bune is a demon listed in demonological grimoires such the Lesser Key of Solomon Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, and the Livre des Esperitz.
Paimon is a spirit named in early grimoires. These include The Lesser Key of Solomon, Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, the Livre des Esperitz, the Liber Officiorum Spirituum, The Book of Abramelin, and certain French editions of The Grimoire of Pope Honorius ; as well as British Library, Sloane MS 3824.
Lerajie is a mighty Great Marquis of Hell who has thirty-three legions of Demons under her power. She is said to cause great battles and disputes, and makes gangrene wounds caused by arrows. She can make a lover come to her, and also send them away. She is depicted as a gallant and handsome archer clad in green, carrying a bow and quiver, in the folklore of the Bible. But her true appearance is around 5 feet tall, with shoulder length black hair and bangs. With a long shimmering red wingspan. Leraje is a demon mentioned in demonological grimoires. He appears in the Lesser Key of Solomon, Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and Jacques Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal.
Botis, sometimes Otis, is a demon described in the Lesser Key of Solomon and the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum as a President and an Earl who initially appears as a viper before changing into a sword-toting, fanged, and horned human who discusses matters past, present, and future; brings favor from allies and enemies, and rules 60 legions of demons. In the Munich Manual of Demonic Magic, Botis appears as Otius, and is mostly identical except that he is a preses and Count, appears in the more humanoid form to begin with, and rules only 36 legions of demons. In the Grand Grimoire, Botis appears as a subordinate of Agaliarept. According to Rudd, Botis is opposed by the Shemhamphorasch angel Lauviah.
Gemory is a demon listed in demonological grimoires.
Valac is a demon described in the goetic grimoires The Lesser Key of Solomon, Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, the Liber Officiorum Spirituum, and in the Munich Manual of Demonic Magic as an angelically winged boy riding a two-headed dragon, attributed with the power of finding treasures.
Raphael is an archangel first mentioned in the Book of Tobit and in 1 Enoch, both estimated to date from between the 3rd and 2nd century BCE. In later Jewish tradition, he became identified as one of the three heavenly visitors entertained by Abraham at the Oak of Mamre. He is not named in either the New Testament or the Quran, but later Christian tradition identified him with healing and as the angel who stirred waters in the Pool of Bethesda in John 5:2–4, and in Islam, where his name is Israfil, he is understood to be the unnamed angel of Quran 6:73, standing eternally with a trumpet to his lips, ready to announce the Day of Judgment. In Gnostic tradition, Raphael is represented on the Ophite Diagram.
Raziel, also known as Gallitsur is an angel within the teachings of Jewish mysticism who is the "Angel of Secrets" and the "Angel of Mysteries”. He is also called "Keeper of All Magic." He is one of the angels associated with the sephirah Chokhmah of Kabbalah, alongside Jophiel.
Binah is the third sephira on the kabbalistic Tree of Life. It sits on the level below Keter, across from Chokhmah and directly above Gevurah. It is usually given four paths: from Keter, Chokhmah, to Gevurah and Tiphereth.
Cassiel is an angel appearing in extracanonical Jewish, Christian, and Islamic mystical and magical works, often as one of the Seven Archangels, the angel of Saturn, and in other roles.
Barachiel, also known as Barakel, is one of the Archangels in Judaism, as well as Byzantine Catholic and Eastern Orthodox tradition. He is the Archangel of Blessings.
Nuriel is an angel in Judaism who is responsible for hailstorms. He is the archangel Uriel, whose name changes when inclined towards judgment.
Liber Officiorum Spirituum was a goetic grimoire and a major source for Johann Weyer's Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and the Ars Goetia. The original work has not been located, but some derived texts bearing the title have been found, some in the Sloane manuscripts, some in the Folger Shakespeare Library. Each version bears many similarities to each other and to the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum and the Ars Goetia, though they are far from identical.