Feast of the Guardian Angels
Encyclopedia
The Feast of the Guardian Angels
is a feast of the Catholic Church officially observed on 2 October. In Germany
and some other places, the feast is observed on the first Sunday in September with the permission of the Vatican. Catholics set up altars in honor of guardian angels as early as the 4th Century, and local celebrations of a feast in honor of guardian angels go back to the 11th Century. The feast was first kept by the Franciscan order in 1500. However, it was not placed in the General Roman Calendar until 1607 by Pope Paul V
. The papal decree establishing the feast was cosigned by Robert Bellarmine
, which has led some scholars to speculate that the feast was created under the influence of the Society of Jesus
. It was originally ranked as a double. Clement X elevated it to the rank of an obligatory double, and, finally, Leo XIII raised the feast to the rank of a double major. it is ranked an obligatory memorial. The feast is also observed by some Anglo-Catholic
s within the Anglican Communion
and most churches of the Continuing Anglican movement
.
On October 2, 1795, Pius VI granted 100 days of indulgence
for making the Devotions to our Guardian Angels and Patron Saints, as well as a plenary indulgence on the actual feast day to those who make the devotion twice a day for an entire year. The Devotion reads:
John XXIII wrote a Meditation for the Feast of the Guardian Angels, which reads, in part:
The Feast of the Guardian Angels was of seminal importance to Josemaría Escrivá, who considered himself to have been inspired by God to found Opus Dei
on October 2, 1928. The significance of the day of his inspiration was evident to Escrivá, who believed that it was a sign that the work of the order would be carried out under the protection of angels. Escrivá dated his discovery of "spiritual childhood," a notion which is, according to John Coverdale, "the foundation of the spirit of Opus Dei," to October 2, 1931. According to Escrivá, this idea also came to him while he was praying to his guardian angel.
Guardian angel
A guardian angel is an angel assigned to protect and guide a particular person or group. Belief in guardian angels can be traced throughout all antiquity...
is a feast of the Catholic Church officially observed on 2 October. In Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and some other places, the feast is observed on the first Sunday in September with the permission of the Vatican. Catholics set up altars in honor of guardian angels as early as the 4th Century, and local celebrations of a feast in honor of guardian angels go back to the 11th Century. The feast was first kept by the Franciscan order in 1500. However, it was not placed in the General Roman Calendar until 1607 by Pope Paul V
Pope Paul V
-Theology:Paul met with Galileo Galilei in 1616 after Cardinal Bellarmine had, on his orders, warned Galileo not to hold or defend the heliocentric ideas of Copernicus. Whether there was also an order not to teach those ideas in any way has been a matter for controversy...
. The papal decree establishing the feast was cosigned by Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine
Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation...
, which has led some scholars to speculate that the feast was created under the influence of the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. It was originally ranked as a double. Clement X elevated it to the rank of an obligatory double, and, finally, Leo XIII raised the feast to the rank of a double major. it is ranked an obligatory memorial. The feast is also observed by some Anglo-Catholic
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
s within the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
and most churches of the Continuing Anglican movement
Continuing Anglican Movement
The term Continuing Anglican movement refers to a number of churches in various countries that have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion. These churches generally believe that "traditional" forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some...
.
On October 2, 1795, Pius VI granted 100 days of indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
for making the Devotions to our Guardian Angels and Patron Saints, as well as a plenary indulgence on the actual feast day to those who make the devotion twice a day for an entire year. The Devotion reads:
O Angel of God, to whose holy care I am committed by the supernal clemency, enlighten, protect, defend, and govern me. Amen.
John XXIII wrote a Meditation for the Feast of the Guardian Angels, which reads, in part:
We must remember how admirable was the intention of divine Providence in entrusting to the angels the mission of watching over all mankind, and over individual human beings, lest they should fall victims to the grave dangers which they encounter.
The Feast of the Guardian Angels was of seminal importance to Josemaría Escrivá, who considered himself to have been inspired by God to found Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
on October 2, 1928. The significance of the day of his inspiration was evident to Escrivá, who believed that it was a sign that the work of the order would be carried out under the protection of angels. Escrivá dated his discovery of "spiritual childhood," a notion which is, according to John Coverdale, "the foundation of the spirit of Opus Dei," to October 2, 1931. According to Escrivá, this idea also came to him while he was praying to his guardian angel.