Selaphiel on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Saint Selaphiel the Archangel or Saint Sealtiel, Selatiel, or Selathiel ( Hebrew: שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל ''Šəʾaltīʾēl,'' Tiberian: ''Šăʾaltīʾēl'', ''"''I have asked
Saint Selaphiel the Archangel or Saint Sealtiel, Selatiel, or Selathiel ( Hebrew: שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל ''Šəʾaltīʾēl,'' Tiberian: ''Šăʾaltīʾēl'', ''"''I have asked God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
") is one of the archangels
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. 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 relig ...
in Byzantine Catholic The term Greek Catholic Church can refer to a number of Eastern Catholic Churches following the Byzantine (Greek) liturgy, considered collectively or individually.
The terms Greek Catholic, Greek Catholic church or Byzantine Catholic, Byzantine Ca ...
and Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
traditions.
Biblical References
Selaphiel appears in verse 31:6 of the apocryphal Christian text ''The Conflict of Adam and Eve'', which describes how God sends him and Suriyel to help rescueAdam and Eve
Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors. ...
from Satan’s deception, commanding Selaphiel “to bring them down from the top of the high mountain and to take them to the Cave of Treasures.”
Some Christian traditions consider Selaphiel as the angel in in the New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
, who presents the prayers of people on Earth to God in heaven: "Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand."
Patronage
Selaphiel is often seen as the Patron Saint of prayer and worship for members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and some Catholic traditions. In some Orthodox traditions, he is said to help people interpret dreams, break addictions, protect children, preside over exorcisms, and rule over music in heaven. Orthodox Christians will seek his help if their prayer is suffering from distractions, inattentiveness, or coldness. In Catholic tradition, he is depicted with athurible
A thurible (via Old French from Medieval Latin ) is a metal censer suspended from chains, in which incense is burned during worship services. It is used in Christian churches including the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Assyrian Church of th ...
.
Prayers
A prayer often said in Orthodox and Catholic traditions is the simple St. Selaphiel Prayer for Intercession: ''O Pure and Holy Archangel St. Selaphiel (Sealtiel), thou dost bow before the Almighty Lord offering angelic salutations of praise and thanksgiving. Guide us in our prayer. Like thee, we would like to unceasingly pray and worship God in the right way. May our lives be like incense pleasing to God. While awaiting for the inevitable time of separation from this material world, may we praise the Holy Trinity in the spirit of true love and humility throughout the days of our lives in eternity. Obtain for us these favors (name them) and present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord, together with the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.''Iconography
When depicted inicon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
ography by himself or with individual characteristics, he is shown in an attitude of humble prayer
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified ...
, with downcast eyes and arms crossed over his breast. He is also sometimes seen kneeling with incense in a thurible, praying. Prayer is considered his special attribute.
See also
*References
{{Angels in Abrahamic religions Archangels Archangels in Christianity Angels in Christianity Individual angels Eastern Catholic saints Eastern Orthodox saints People celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar