Why Angels Are Not Exclusive to the Western Religions

When most people think of Angelic Beings, Christianity is the first thing that comes to mind, but there are other groups of people (now and in the past) who believe and work with Angels on a daily basis.

Although most modern conception of Angels comes from the orthodox religions of the Western world (Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism), working and communicating with these beings is not limited to followers of the Western religions. In fact, many cultures around the world have their own version of Angels and they are thoughts that pre-date modern religions. In this article I will introduce to you some of the "other" Angels residing around the world.

The ancient cultures of Egypt, Babylon, and Persia all acknowledge some form of a celestial winged being.

The ancient Romans knew angels as Lares. These beings were household deities that protected the hearth and family. Supposedly the offspring of Hermes and Lara, the Lares were held in extremely high regard in Rome and small statues were placed in high places around the house and some even on the roof of the residence. Sanctuaries and shrines built to the Lares were called Larariums and could be found in every house. These shrines resided in the atrium or peristylium of the household. It was here that food was sacrificed to them on the holidays. Over time, their influence grew to include homes, field, cities, seas and countries. The Greek version of Lares was called a daimon and this was a guardian angel that represented his or her highest spiritual self. Modern worshippers of the Greco-Roman religions (Nova-Roma and Hellenismos) still give respect and thanks to the Lares on a daily basis.

In Scandinavian mythology, Valkyries are the equivalent of angels. These beautifully winged female creatures served the great god Odin and their main purpose was to gather the souls of the worthy slain warriors and carry their souls to Valhalla, the Norse version of Heaven. Valkyries are often depicted as shieldmaidens in battle garb riding on the backs of wolves and are said to "weave the web of war."

Hindus and Buddhists call their adaptation of angels, Devas. Deva is the Sanskrit word for "god." In Hinduism, Devas are celestial beings that control the four elements of nature. In Buddhism, devas are deities who resides in various section of Heaven as a reward for good deeds but can still be reincarnated onto the Earth plane. At present time, Devas are thought of mostly as nature spirits or "architects of nature" and would be akin mostly likely to the Fairies, but we still cannot their resemblance to the Angels.

In conclusion, Angels have a wide and varied history that far pre-dates the monotheistic faiths of the West.