Angels - Do You Believe in Angels?

Do you believe in angels? I've never thought much about them. At the back of my mind, I always felt that there must be some guardian angel looking after me but I've never given it serious thought until last night...

On Friday 3 Aug 2012, I was on my way to Meteora, the holy monastic city of rocks in Thessaly, central Greece.  The bus stopped at an icon shop before going uphill. I bought 2 small Madonna with roses icons-1 for myself and another as a gift.

 Later, in the bus, the guide announced a raffle draw with prizes donated by the icon shop. After the first few winning numbers were called, the big prize came up. When the guide called out the numbers, I just felt that my number would be called - 288745. Yes, I won the big one! It was a fairly large icon.

That's the Holy Trinity Monastery, made famous by the James Bond movie.  Perched atop a precarious rock, you have to climb 136 steps to reach it.

 

At St Stephen's monastery, the most accessible one at Meteora, I was fascinated with the beauty and serenity of the courtyard. In the church,  was the relic of St Charalambos. Moving closer to the glassed case, I could see the top of the aged skull of St Charalambos, known for warding off illnesses.

Pleased at this unexpected find, I prayed for good health for family and friends.

St Stephen's monastery

 

Fast forward to my return journey to Singapore. I left Greece with the resolve to return and a thought brewing in my mind to visit Turkey in 2013. The word meandros stuck in my head like a reel playing the words over and over again in my thoughts.

Remember the icon that I won? Not one for hanging up religious pictures, initially, I planned to give it away. Then, a voice within me told me to keep it. I've not won many raffles before. This icon was meant for me.

Since I like to travel, this St Christopher icon would be good. St Chris is the protector of travellers. Last night, I decided to check more about the icon online. It was not St Christopher. I tried to figure out the Greek words. Finally, using the clue of the wings, I checked archangels. I am aware of Gabriel the Archangel. It was not Gabriel.

It is the icon of St Michael the Archangel. As I read more about St Michael, I was dumbstruck by a few things. 

In the early days, St Michael was seen as a healing angel. He is the chief of all angels. His feast day - 29 Sept. Coincidentally, my wedding anniversary.

The earliest known sanctuary of St Michael was built in the 4th century by Constantine. Where was it? In modern day Istinye in Istanbul. The waters there were associated with healing.

A miracle at Chonae attributed to St Michael is connected with Colossae, a city by a tributary of the Meander river. Colossae is in Turkey.

Coincidence? To me, it was a profound revelation. My guardian angel is St Michael.

I woke up this morning with another image of an archangel, sword in hand, victorious over the other one. Outside my home, when I was young, my father had placed this picture above the door entrance. I saw it everyday but it never registered in my mind until today. That was St Michael in a combative mode against the dark.

I told Victor and Darren this morning. Told Darren not to laugh at me cos he tends to make fun of things like this. Darren said that when Zachary, my nephew and godson, was young, he liked St Michael. In fact, whenever he played with swords, he would imagine he was St Michael slaying the dragon. My father had taught Zac about St Michael.

Another incident - Today, when I was preparing my prayer of the faithful for mass this weekend, I read the 1st reading Kings 19:4-8. An angel had told Elijah that God had provided him with food and water for his long journey. Never once in my last few years with the lectors have I had any readings to prepare which had mention of angels in them.

Serendipity. I know.

This is the image of my icon.

St.Michael the Archangel