Gabriel

What it is

Gabriel is an archangel, a high-ranking angel, in Jewish, Christian and Muslim belief. He is a heavenly messenger: he makes God's purposes known and explains visions. The Book of Daniel gives his clearest Jewish role, where he interprets Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke he announces the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Muslims believe he brought the first Quranic verses to Muhammad. Several churches revere him as a saint, and 1 Enoch and other early writings add ranks and duties. He is also called the guardian angel of the Israelites, set against angels of other nations.

Where it comes from

The Book of Daniel is the only book of Jewish scripture that names Gabriel explicitly; there he explains Daniel's visions. Jewish writings from the Second Temple period (516 BC to 70 AD) expanded angelic ranks, and 1 Enoch is the first place he is called an archangel. Enoch places him among seven holy angels and among four angels at God's sides, and says he will help cast fallen angels into darkness at judgment. Rabbinic tradition puts him at God's left, below Michael, and calls both guardian angels. One third-century teacher, Shimon ben Lakish, held that the names Michael, Raphael and Gabriel came from the Babylonian exile.

How it is done

Gabriel is honoured in liturgy and on feast days. Churches that revere him as a saint keep commemorations tied to the annunciation and to his appearances. In Kabbalistic teaching he is not addressed in prayer: only God answers prayer, and Gabriel acts as God's agent. Coptic tradition points to a medieval work, the Investiture of the Archangel Gabriel, which ties one feast to the day he was given the rank of archangel.

Tools and materials

Christian art gives Gabriel a white lily, a trumpet, a shining lantern, a scroll, a scepter and a branch from Paradise. The lily appears in annunciation scenes. Gold is linked with Gabriel as the colour of fire. Kabbalah ties him to the sefira Yesod, an emanation, and says he acts with Michael in God's court.

What it is for

He serves as a messenger and revealer. In Daniel he explains visions; in Luke he foretells the birth of John the Baptist and then the birth of Jesus to Mary. Muslims believe he brought the first five verses of Al-Alaq to Muhammad. As guardian angel of the Israelites he is said to defend them against the angels of other peoples. In 1 Enoch he is sent with other archangels to seize fallen angels and hold them in darkness until judgment.

Who does it

Gabriel is an angel, not a human office, so no training or initiation belongs to him. In Rabbinic and Kabbalistic thought he acts as God's agent and is not prayed to. Churches that revere him as a saint commemorate him in public worship on his feast days. Latter-day Saint teaching identifies him with the prophet Noah: Noah is the mortal name and Gabriel the heavenly one.

Peoples and places

Jewish tradition calls Gabriel the guardian angel of the Israelites and ranks him beneath Michael. The Ethiopian Jewish canon includes 1 Enoch, and the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches also use that book. The Coptic Orthodox Church keeps three feasts for him. Muslims associate him with revelation to prophets, including Muhammad. Samaritanism, Yazidism, Alawism, Mormonism, Rastafari, Bábism and the Baháʼí Faith are among the other traditions that venerate him.

What people believe

The setting is Abrahamic: one God, angels as agents, and revealed scripture. Gabriel carries messages and explains visions. Rabbinic tradition ranks Michael at God's right and Gabriel at the left. Kabbalah links Gabriel with Yesod. In 1 Enoch the archangels oppose fallen angels and will cast them into darkness at judgment. Latter-day Saints hold that Gabriel and Noah are the same individual.

When it is done

Catholic celebration was fixed at 24 March in 1921 and moved to 29 September in 1969, shared with Michael and Raphael; that date is Michaelmas. Older sources give 18 March, and one 1856 book names 7 April. Western Rite Orthodox and the pre-1969 Roman calendar keep 24 March. Eastern Orthodox keep 26 March and 13 July, and the Archangels' feast on 8 November, which is 21 November on the Julian calendar. Coptic days are 13 Paoni, 22 Koiak and 26 Paoni. Ethiopian dates are 28 December and 26 July.

How scholars and sceptics see it

Scholars read Gabriel mainly through textual history. Many infer that the unnamed angel in Daniel 10 to 12 is Gabriel, and some identify Ezekiel's 'man clothed with linen' with him through Talmud Yoma. Shimon ben Lakish derived the angelic names Michael, Raphael and Gabriel from the Babylonian exile. 1 Enoch is not canonical for most Jewish or Christian bodies, but Ethiopian Jews and the Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches include it. Study of the Quran links Gabriel to the first verses of Al-Alaq.

Compare and confuse

Gabriel is one of the few angels named in the New Testament, with Michael and Abaddon. Michael is his usual partner: Michael stands at God's right, Gabriel at the left, and Michael works in heaven while Gabriel carries God's will on earth. In Arabic he is Jibrīl or Jibrāʾīl; in Hebrew Gaḇrīʾēl; in Amharic Gabrəʾel. 1 Enoch also names Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Saraqâêl and Remiel.

Today

Veneration continues across many churches. The 29 September date is kept by the Catholic Church, the Church of England, Lutheran churches, the Anglican Communion and Western Orthodox churches. Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches keep the Archangels' feast on 8 November, and Coptic and Ethiopian calendars have their own days. Latter-day Saints identify Gabriel with Noah. Baháʼís and Rastafari are listed among other traditions that honour him.

Questions people ask about Gabriel

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle

• Gabriel on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data