The story of an angel. AT

Angels are mentioned many times in the Bible. They are always present at the most important, epic events. Angels have also featured prominently in art for centuries, from cute cherubs in Renaissance paintings to winged weeping angels on tombstones.

Most of our ideas about who angels are and what they look like are erroneous - at least if we take the Bible as a basis, and not art, which brought many new features to the image.

1. You don't have your own guardian angel

We have all heard stories of people being rescued by a mysterious stranger. Or the words of people who are sure that some supernatural being is taking care of them. It is gratifying to think that someone is immeasurably smarter and knows better than us how to guide a person along the right path and save him from all troubles. But there is nothing in the Bible about the fact that each person has his own guardian angel.

Several passages do speak of guardian angels. For example, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 18:10:

“Do not despise any of these little ones. For I tell you that the angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

The passage is often interpreted as referring to angels who watch over children or all faithful Christians in the world, but there is no word that everyone has their own "personal" angel.

The idea of ​​personal guardian angels is relatively recent. She is the product of the slow evolution of history. In the Middle Ages, there were many stories about saints who met with angels, and the angels allegedly protected them. Gradually, they turned into stories where angels came to the aid of a person in ordinary life - this was talked about in the 18th and 19th centuries. And by the 20th century, people already believed in a guardian angel who stands behind every person’s shoulder and protects him from troubles.

2. Cherubim are not baby-faced angels at all.

We all know what cherubs look like - it is their images that are most often found in art. These are small naked children: charming, plump and winged. Such angels were invented relatively recently by artists, and real biblical cherubs are much more unusual.

Cherubim are very specific angels. God has brought them so close to himself that they serve directly to him and are not messengers to mankind. In the Old Testament, they are mentioned quite often, and they cannot be called charming.

According to the Book of Genesis, two cherubim were ordered to guard the tree of life. Ezekiel, in chapter 1:5-11, gives them Full description. According to Scripture, cherubim looked like humans, with a few exceptions. Their legs ended in calf's hooves. Each had four wings that hid their human arms and four faces. When they moved, the faces never turned. In front, the face was human, on the right - the muzzle of a lion, on the left - a bull or ox, and behind - an eagle.

Each cherub burned as if on fire. Further, Ezekiel describes them as a kind of living and intelligent God's chariot, as a force subject only to God. In his vision, God rides in a chariot with cherubs acting as wheels. Four cherubs stand together, personifying the strength of a lion, the freedom of an eagle, the heaviness and earthiness of a bull, and the wisdom of the greatest divine creation - man. All these beings are the first in their spheres. Each cherub covers the body with one pair of wings and stretches out the others. The wings themselves are covered with eyes.

Very far from cute naked kids, right?

3. Cherubim are not necessarily good.

In pictures, cherubs are always charming. A smile plays on their lips, wings flutter behind their backs. They also usually play the harp. Biblical cherubs are not so cute. For example, consider the Throne of Mercy - the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. We've all seen her - thanks to Indiana Jones.

The two figures on the Throne of Mercy are cherubs whose faces and bodies are hidden by two pairs of wings. Other pairs of cherubs are pulled towards each other. Thus they form a throne, and according to Scripture, the Throne signifies the potentially deadly presence of an angry God. Every year, the high priest held a ceremony: he sprinkled the Throne of Mercy with the blood of sacrificial animals in order to appease God and turn away his wrath for another year.

In order to approach the Throne of Mercy without fear, another specific ritual had to be performed. It was believed that any deviation from the ritual was fatal to the priest, who would be foolish enough not to treat him with due respect. Every year the cherubim were to receive a blood sacrifice. The ceremonies stopped only after the crucifixion of Christ - his sacrifice and blood were enough to satisfy the cherubim forever.

4. People don't become angels

This happens a lot in the movies, but there is no evidence in the Bible that good, righteous people become angels when they die. A couple of passages even point to the impossibility of this.

Both angels and humans were created by God, but they serve different purposes. Hebrews 1:14 clearly states that angels are created to lend a helping hand to those who believe in God. And in the Book of Genesis, chapter 1:26, it is written that angels are spiritual beings capable of taking not only human, but also any form at the will of God.

The book of Peter says that angels are the former righteous:

“And it was revealed to them that they do not serve themselves, but to you, through the wisdom revealed to you through those through whose mouth the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, speaks: wisdom upon which the angels look for a long time.”

The Spirit is preaching to mankind, and the angels want them to be able to hear the same revelations. And these angels were not once human.

5. Angels are neither male nor female

Countless paintings depict male angels appearing before people in biblical scenes, and graveyard sculptures near graves are often made in the form of mourning female angels. But there is not a single word in the Bible about female angels.

Angels are not human, they are not subject to the same biological restrictions. Things like sex and gender issues are generally alien to angels. But throughout the Bible, angels appear as men. Even Greek word"angelos" in the New Testament is a masculine word and does not have a feminine form.

Only two of the Lord's angels have names - Michael and Gabriel - and the others are always referred to as simply "he". Once in the Bible, a female winged creature is mentioned. In Zechariah chapter 5:9 such women appear in a series of visions where there is also a flying scroll. Nothing says that they are angels.

The very idea of ​​a female angel appeared centuries after the Bible. Until about the fourth century, there was not a single artistic representation of angels (at least not known), because Christianity tried to distance itself from the customs of worshiping other religions with "images and idols." After angels appeared in art, they may have been associated with winged creatures from other mythologies, such as Nike and other pagan goddesses.

6. Angels don't have halos

Imagine a biblical angel. Most likely, he will have fluttering clothes, wings and a halo. But the biblical descriptions never mentioned that angels have halos. Moreover, the Bible does not mention halos at all. The closest equivalent to something even remotely similar to a halo, which became the "calling card" of religious art, was the mention of rays of light emanating from several biblical characters - Christ and Moses.

The halo first appeared in art only in the fourth century. Initially, he was only on the images of Christ sitting on the throne. Gradually, the halo became a symbol of goodness, and they began to always draw it with Christ and angels. By the sixth century, the nimbus was "worn" by everyone, including saints.

Christians did not come up with a halo, but rather adopted it. The idea goes back to the ancient kings of Syria and Egypt, who wore halos as crowns to emphasize their connection with the deities and the divine glow surrounding them. In ancient Rome, for example, they liked to describe emperors in rays and crowns. Christian artists simply borrowed the symbol and it stuck.

7. Angels do not have two wings

It is almost never spoken about dipteran angels, although angels are often called "flying". For obvious reasons, the ability to fly is associated with the presence of wings - two, as we are more accustomed to. Seraphim, who occupy one of the highest places in the angelic hierarchy, stand before God's throne and literally burn with love for their Lord, setting an example for everyone else. In the book of the prophet Isaiah, it is written that each seraphim has six wings. Only two wings are needed to fly. Two more wings cover the face, and the third pair covers the legs. Cherubim, on the other hand, are usually described as beings with four wings.

In early Christian art, angels are almost always depicted descending from heaven on wings. One of the earliest examples is angels on Roman sarcophagi. Thus, the famous biblical scene is depicted on the sarcophagus of the Roman politician Junius Basus: an angel appears to Abraham and tells him to sacrifice his son. There is not a word about wings in the Bible, but there are wings on the sarcophagus. The image was made in the year 359 AD - which means that around that time there was a general change in ideas about how angels look. By the end of the century, angels without two wings were no longer represented. Moreover, they have since been strongly associated with the emergence of winged pagan gods and goddesses.

8. There is no Angel of Death in Christianity

The angel of death is a majestic image. Imagine: a creature of dark, otherworldly beauty, whose only purpose is to take other people's lives. Several passages in the Bible, including the Passover story in Exodus 11:4–5 and 2 Samuel 19:35, mention angels taking human life. Indeed, in the Book of Kings, an angel claimed the lives of 185,000 Assyrians. But in the modern view, the angel of death is death itself. In the Bible, the angels who take lives do more than just that. They simply carried out the order of God - one of many.

In addition, Jewish traditions reject the very idea of ​​an angel of death. Only God, and not angels, has power over life and death. But in the end, the image leaked into the official religious canons, and the angel of death became known as Samael. Mentions of him are at first rather inconsequential, it is easy to even forget where they appeared. During the Amoraic period (AD 220-370), there were other references to Samael as the angel of death. In the original texts, the angels are transformed into vengeful and deadly messengers of heaven, and Samael dons the mantle of the angel of death.

Soon Samael moved from the religious canon to folklore and became an independent thinking being. He no longer does God's will. He now hunts and takes lives at will. The body of this Samael from folklore is completely covered with eyes so that nothing escapes his attention. In Jewish tradition, he is sometimes associated with Cain: it is believed that it was Samael who inspired Cain with the desire to kill his brother and gave him the strength to do so.

9. Gabriel - an angel of the lowest rank

Gabriel appears four times in the Bible. One of the references to him says that he comes every Christmas - that's the secret of his popularity with people. It was he who appeared to Mary and told that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. In his other appearances, he also acts as a messenger. He is defined as an archangel, not just an ordinary old angel. It is important.

Archangels in the heavenly hierarchy occupy a position above the angels, but other spiritual beings also stand above them. In fact, there are a lot of angelic ranks.

The Bible says that the angelic hierarchy has three levels - spheres. In each area, there are three more subgroups. The first sphere, which is closest to God, includes seraphim (this is the highest angelic rank), cherubim and thrones - all inseparable from the word of God. In the second sphere there are dominations that teach people to control feelings and instruct earthly rulers, authorities that work miracles, and forces that protect good people from devilish temptations.

In the last, lowest and farthest sphere from God, the archons (they are the beginnings) stand above all. Archons govern other angels of lower rank. Each earthly kingdom has its own archon in charge of ruling the kings. He must ensure that worthy people who rule in the name of God become kings and leaders. Directly below them are the archangels - divine messengers. Such, for example, is Gabriel. Even lower are the angels, who appear to people more often, perform minor miracles and help if necessary.

And even lower in the heavenly hierarchy are people - they are farthest from God. From this point of view, Gabriel, one of the few biblical angels who has a name and who appears in the scenes at the manger of the baby Jesus around the world, is even below average.

10 The Flood Was Caused By The Fall Of The Angels

Angels almost always appear to us as good beings - messengers and servants of God. Even when they sow death, they are doing God's will. But in one of the interpretations of biblical texts, angels are to blame for the global flood (at least in part). And the flood destroyed all mankind except for Noah and his family.

According to the Book of Genesis, before the flood, the Earth was home not only to mankind, but also to beings called the Nephilim (or giants). The Nephilim were born of "sons of God" and "daughters of men." One of the most common interpretations is that the "sons of God" were angels who came to the earthly kingdom and remained there for the pleasures they found. Jude 1:6 speaks of the Nephilim as those who left their lawful home and went to Earth, and in Genesis they appear as the offspring of human women and divine beings.

Debates are being waged among Christians. In Jewish theology, things are much simpler. When God saw the corruption that had taken possession of his creatures, Azael and Samsaveel voluntarily went to Earth to prove that people themselves are responsible for their own destiny. On Earth, they not only experienced earthly pleasures forbidden for angels: Samsaveel also violated one of the most sacred oaths - he revealed the true name of God to a mortal woman. He was not allowed to return to heaven, and the woman, Ishtar, was lifted up to the sky and left among the stars. Samsaveel repented of his deed, but remained between the Earth and the sky. In other versions, as many as 18 angels entered into a relationship with women and produced offspring.

But in both traditions, it was worldly sin that forced God to destroy everything he created, including the Nephilim giants - the descendants of his beloved angels.

Night. From the light of these bright stars it is impossible to fall asleep. They are so beautiful. But gradually the shining luminaries began to dissolve in the night air, and my eyes closed...

***
In the morning, as usual, I am not in the mood: the sun is still shining, and in the light of its rays one could see the shimmering dust particles of the sleepy air. I lay and watched the snow-white clouds slowly float across the sky ...
I walked, as always, to my familiar place, which I took a fancy to. A familiar hill appeared in the distance. I stopped near my favorite tree. She sat down beside him and leaned on his bark. She closed her eyes.
Silence... Calmness... quiet noise of a grass and leaves of a tree. It was so reassuring...
Opening my eyes again and looking around, I saw a familiar path along which beautiful flowers grew. I loved walking this path and smelling my favorite flowers. They were unusual... Although no, very familiar to others, but for me they were better than any other colors... You could even say that they were my friends. The only friends...
There was no one around. Of course, because this is my world. And in my world there is no one but me. I'm always alone. And I like it...

The day was drawing to a close. The ruby ​​sun was hiding, illuminating everything around with a fiery red color. It seemed that the sky was on fire from the rays of the “fireball”. I started moving home...
Warm rain woke me up. The dim rays of the sun made their way through the gray sky, but despite the faint light, it was very light around. Raindrops, resembling small crystals, merged with the rays of the sun and created an amazingly beautiful rainbow that began on one side of the river and ended on the other. It seemed that it was possible to walk on it, like on a bridge. My wings got wet and heavy. I lay down on the wet grass and closed my eyes. I really liked this kind of weather. I even do not know why. It's so soothing...
Thunder rolled across the sky. I opened my eyes in surprise and began to look for a place where I could hide. I ran to the waterfall. Hidden behind it was a cave where I used to hide during thunderstorms. I ran through the water and found myself in a place already familiar to me. It was so beautiful there! Despite the fact that the light of the sun did not fall here, it was very light and comfortable here. The walls of the cave shimmered with different colors, the stalactites seemed like precious stones: they were reflected in the walls of the cave and created a multi-colored glow. At the end of the cave, a small piece of land was covered with grass. This is where I usually lay down and fell asleep. But now I didn't want to sleep. I sat down on the grass and leaned on stone wall. She was very warm. I bent my knees and wrapped my arms around them. I wanted to sing my favorite song:

Here is a drop of rain fell on the grass,
Only I hear the sound of a falling drop.
The lily closes its petals,
And only you can open them in the morning ...

Outside, the storm had died down. The rain has already stopped. Only the sound of drops falling from the leaves of the tree was heard, and the singing of birds that rejoiced at the exit of the sun from the gray clouds. My wings were already dry, and I decided to come out of hiding and bask in the warm rays. I went through the gap where the water from the waterfall did not fall and squeezed my eyes shut out of habit from the light of the bright sun. I smiled and ran to the place where my favorite tree grew. When I began to approach him, I noticed someone's silhouette standing under the dense foliage. I was very surprised, because in my world there was no one but me. The closer I got, the more clearly I saw a figure unfamiliar to me. And finally, I saw her. It was an angel girl, with bright red short hair. She, not noticing me, sat down under a tree and, neatly folding her snow-white wings, wrapped her arms around her knees. She was somewhat similar to me: in her mischievous eyes, naivety and kindness were read. The stranger was sitting under a tree and thinking about something with enthusiasm.
-Hi.
-Hi! she answered, raising her head. There was surprise on her face - and who are you?
- I wanted to ask you the same thing.
-I thought that I was alone in my world, but it turned out that there are those who look like me.
- Apparently so ... - I was a little confused by her words. How is it in HER world if it is MY world?
My name is Tenshi! How about you? - the girl brought out of her thoughts.
-Kaori.
-Beautiful name…
-Thanks!
Tenshi smiled and then added:
Isn't this world beautiful?
-Yes…
I sat down next to her. She looked up at the sky as a flock of beautiful white birds flew over it at that moment. Her eyes reflected the cloudless sky. It's amazing... She has the same eyes as mine... Or rather, what they reflected reminded me of my inner state...

Tenshi became mine best friend. I was not alone. She became like a sister to me. Elder sister. I thought that I would forever be alone in my world, but now I have a friend ...
One day, the day came when you could visit other worlds. I have never been outside of my usual place before. I just didn't feel like it. I just wanted to be in my own little corner of paradise.
But this day, I did something different. Tenshi and I decided to travel.

How to get to another world? I asked.
- You just need to choose the door ...
-Door?
-Yes. Come with me, I'll show you.
-Good. I had never heard of going to other places before, so I was curious. - Have you been to other worlds before?
-Of course. Are you not?
-Not…
-Clear. Let's go where I haven't been yet?
-Let's. And where to?
To the Demon World...
She opened one of the doors, and we found ourselves in a world that was completely different from ours. What surprised me the most was that there were quite a lot of inhabitants here. But they were all somehow the same, gloomy and scary. Exactly the same as their place. The black sky was diluted only with dark gray clouds, from which lightning appeared every now and then and hit the dry, lifeless earth to cracks.
I didn't like it at all... My curiosity let me down. I'd rather stay in my usual place.
Demons... How scary they are. It was terrible to think about what was going on in their souls. If, of course, they had it ...
I got scared. I was about to leave, but suddenly a voice called out to me:

Hello.
I turned around. The one who called me was not like the other inhabitants of this gloomy place. He looked… well… human. For a simple person. No, not at all. I don't even know who he could be.
I looked at him. His face was impassive, and a small smile was visible. He had such beautiful eyes...
“Hi,” I replied.
- You're not from our world, are you?
-Not. And you, not like the others... Are you also not from this world?
He looked at me and then laughed softly. With a smile, he looked up and folded his arms. He looked so hopeless...
-What's so funny?
-Nothing…
-Then why are you laughing?
-It’s just… I don’t have my own world… I’m versatile…
-Interesting. Never met anyone like you. Or rather, I have not met anyone except Tenshi. She is just like me, also an angel.
-Angel…
-?
It's just that I have that side too...
-Yes? What other sides do you have?
-I'm an angel, a demon, well, a human too.
-Marvelous…

I thought about him all the time. I don’t know why, but only his image remained in my head. I wanted to meet him again. I didn't even know his name...
And then suddenly there was a rustling behind. I turned around and recognized a familiar face. Yes, it was him.
-Hi.
“Hi,” he replied, smiling sincerely, “are you surprised by my appearance?”
-Not. I knew that you would be here, because you are also an angel.
-Well, yes…
You know, I forgot to ask you something...
-And what?
-What is your name?
He smiled.
-Makoto.
- My name is Kaori. Nice to meet you.
-Me too.
I thought that this person can be trusted. I wanted to open up to him.
- Do you want me to show you my favorite tree?
-Let's.
-Come with me.
And we moved in the direction of my favorite tree. Today it seemed more beautiful than ever. Many multi-colored flowers adorned its dense green foliage, through which the thin rays of the sun made their way. From this, the tree became even more beautiful and bewitching. We walked over and sat next to him. Ahead was a field of various colors. Somewhere far ahead, the bright blue sky joined the horizon. How beautiful…

Kaori!
I opened my eyes.
-Kao-o-ori!
I got up. Makoto was gone. He must have gotten bored and left. And I fell asleep...
Kaori, where are you?!
- Oh, Tenshi. Tenshi, I'm here!
-Where are you. Thank God! And I've been looking for you everywhere. Already started to worry.
- Don't be afraid.
Why did you leave and didn't say anything?
-I met Makoto and we decided to sit near this tree. I fell asleep, but when I woke up, he was no longer there.
-Makoto?
-Yes. Remember the one we met in the demon world?
-Yes. But what is he doing here?
-He's an angel too.
“Well, what was he doing in the demon world then?”
He's also a demon. And man...
-Yes? I have never met such people.
“Me too…” I thought for a moment and continued, “Listen, Tenshi. I have been wanting to ask you something for a long time...
-About what?
Have you been to the human world?
- No, but what?
-Nothing. I just wonder how people live...
-Not for me. And I wouldn't recommend you go there. Her face darkened and became sad.
-Why?
“It’s just that once you get there, you can’t go back.
-How it is?
-You keep forgetting...
-Weird. How can this be…
I thought about this question for a long time and finally decided to ask Makoto later. After all, he probably knows about the world of people, he is also a person too. I couldn't wait to see him.

I'm not being there.
At the first meeting with Makoto, I began to ask him about the world of people.
-Like this? Why?
I just don't want to be in this world...
But you are also human!
But I'm not proud of it. I don't want to be human, so I don't want to appear in the human world.
What happens to those who enter the human world?
-They forget about the past and become people. People do not know about the existence of other worlds, so they cannot see us. But the rest know about the existence of the human world. Do you know why, unlike other worlds, there are practically no inhabitants left in the world of angels?
-Why?
-Because angels are very inquisitive and fragile beings. They are easy to convince and influence them. They didn't know anything about the human world. They saw beauty in everything. The angels thought that the world of people is very similar to their world. But they were wrong. Lead the worlds of people and angels completely different! But the angels really wanted to see the world of people. And that was their mistake. Therefore, there are practically no angels left ...
Have they all become human?
-Yes.
-This is terrible. How can you forget about your past, about who you were? I can't even imagine...
-Do you know what else?
-What?
-People are mortal. They get old and die.
-Truth?!
-Yes. Only angels and demons are immortal and always remain as they are.
-Marvelous…
-You know, sometimes a person can become a demon and an angel...
-Really?
-Yes. To do this, he must believe in them.
-Only?
It seems easy to you, but people aren't like that.
-That's how...
I thought about it. And suddenly an insight came to me:
-Wait a minute. So that means you...
Yes, I was human. Therefore, after going through all this, I no longer want to appear in the human world. I wasn't like everyone else. I believed in angels and demons...
- ... and became an angel and a demon.
But I'm also human...
-Yes…

When I met Tenshi, I told her about Makoto. She was very surprised. The question swirled around in my head:
- Tenshi...
-What?
What other worlds are there?
- Oh, there are a lot of them.
-Truth?
-Yes.
- Tenshi...
-Yes?
What next world will you go to?
-Probably in the world of elves...
-Great!
- Yeah.

Finally, the long-awaited day came when it was possible to visit another world. Tenshi was still sleeping and I decided to go without her. I have never been so eager to learn more about other places.
I quickly got to the door. There are so many! I walked along the corridor and looked through each one. Suddenly, I saw the one that led to the world of people. A strange feeling came over me. I stopped and turned towards that door. What is it really, this world? I so wanted to reach out and turn the handle of the mysterious passage... Suddenly, the hand, as if obeying my thoughts, unlocked the door by itself, and my body plunged into an imperceptible space...

I woke up abruptly, and the dream vanished. I looked around my room: it was already morning, so the stars on my wallpaper did not glow. What an interesting dream I had… Suddenly I had a sharp pain in my shoulder blades. I wrapped my arms around myself. It's strange, why would that be.
The pain is gone. I got out of bed and made the bed.
-Good morning, Mom!
- Good morning, Kaori!
- You know, Mom, I had such an interesting dream: as if I were an angel!
-Great!
-Yeah!
I went to the kitchen and poured myself some tea. What a beautiful sky today! And somewhere in the distance it looks like it's going to rain...

A tear fell on the grass. And then a few more drops. The red-haired girl sat leaning against a tree and wept softly, covering her face with her hands.
-Why…why…you forgot everything…you forgot everything…everything…

It was a hot summer evening, the streets of the city were empty, and all its inhabitants were now sitting at home near fans and air conditioners, enjoying the artificial coolness. During the day, the sun heated the earth and air so much that it was difficult to breathe, and on the evening news, a report about the victims of this inferno took up a good half of the airwaves.
Dead silence reigned around, but suddenly from a dark, narrow alley there was heard the clatter of heels, which suddenly broke the silence. A young girl named Jane was returning home after a party that turned out to be very unsuccessful, so she decided to go home, leaving her lover there, who, as usual, got drunk and was no longer able to do anything. And so she walked alone through the dark streets of the city.
- Who is this? - she thought, hearing a phone call from her purse.
“Hello,” she said into the phone, but no one answered. Then she looked at the screen of the mobile, but there was absolutely nothing on it, she again brought the phone to her ear.
"Who is it?" Jane asked in a slightly frightened voice. But again no one answered. Then she pressed the reset call and the call was interrupted.
She walked home and thought about that cryptic call. She thought about the moment she looked at the screen. It was very strange, because there was absolutely nothing on it, it was clean, no inscriptions, no incoming call number, nothing, and it glowed somehow more than usual. But gradually she discarded this thought, citing a phone malfunction.
A couple of minutes later, the phone rang again. Jane looked at the screen, and again it was completely blank.
“Yes, who is it?” she asked.
"Be careful," a male voice replied.
- What? What does that mean, who are you?” she asked in confusion. But no one has answered.
Jane fiddled nervously with her phone, trying to find the number in the incoming calls, but to no avail.
- Look, what a beauty! - exclaimed someone from behind. Jane turned around and saw two young men walking not far from her. - Girl, can I meet you?
"No, I'm not free," she replied.
- Oh, come on, look at what gorgeous gentlemen, and you just send us off, - said the second.
- I said no! - Blasted Jane.
“Hey, what a stubborn one, well, we will quickly tame you,” the first one said, going up to her and grabbing her hands.
They leaned her against the wall of the house and covered her mouth with a hand so that she could not call for help.
Well, I think you understand what could happen next, but then suddenly, as if out of thin air, a man appeared.
"Leave her alone," he said calmly.
He was a tall man in a long white cloak of good appearance, he was completely different from the others, but most of all, his eyes were different, they seemed to be the most ordinary, but at the same time they were so deep that it was worth just looking into them, and you could drown.
- Hold her, I'll deal with him, - said the first and went towards the stranger.
But the stranger suddenly stretched out his right hand and a bright beam of light burst out of it. This beam struck directly at the first one, and he, having lost consciousness, fell as if he had been cut down, the stranger looked at the second, seeing all this, he released the girl and rushed to run.
The stranger looked at Jane.
“Be careful,” he said.
Jane looked at him and remembered the call, the voice of both strangers, and on the phone, and now were very similar.
- Listen, did you call me?
But she did not hear the answer, the man who had just saved her in the most unusual way disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. Jane looked around, and, without seeing this stranger, went home.
Returning home, Jane told her friend about the incident with whom she lived in the same apartment, since she could not pay for housing alone.
- And what, he just took and disappeared? - Anne asked when Jane finished the story.
- Yes, here he is standing not far from me, but as soon as I blink, he disappeared, as if he had never been.
“Maybe you had a little too much at the party?”
- Yes? And how then to explain the guy lying next to me, whom he stunned with some ... something ...
All this is strange...
“But do you know what I saw in this stranger? His eyes, they were so ... I don’t even know how to describe them, they seem to be the most ordinary, but at the same time some other, incredibly beautiful, deep, I wanted to look into them forever, - Jane said smiling.
- Oooh, girlfriend, yes you fell in love! - laughing, exclaimed Ann.
- Nothing I did not fall in love ... well, maybe just a little bit ... - Jane said shyly.
“It's impossible to fall in love a little bit,” Ann said, still laughing.
- Well, yes, I fell in love, but there’s still no sense in it, I don’t know him at all, I don’t know anything about him at all.
- Then how does he know your mobile number? So, somewhere you crossed paths.
- If we crossed paths, I would remember, because it is impossible to forget such a thing. Listen, let's leave it until tomorrow, I'm very tired, I want to sleep.
- Okay, let's sleep.
They both lay down in bed and fell asleep after about ten minutes of silence.
In the morning, when Jane woke up, Ann was gone. Jane got up and went to the balcony, flung open the door, and the pleasant cool air engulfed her. The heat had subsided overnight, and now the streets were filled with people. The balcony of the apartment overlooked the square, where there were always a lot of people, Jane threw a casual glance at the square, and for a few seconds it seemed to her that the same stranger was standing in the very center of this square and looking at her. But when she looked again at that place, she did not see it, and thinking that she had simply imagined it, she dismissed the thought of it.
The phone rang and Jane picked up the receiver.
“Yes,” she said.
Jane, this is Dean, I'm sorry I got drunk yesterday, it's just...
- No, Dean, it's not easy, I can't do it anymore, wherever we go, you get drunk all the time, and then you apologize, promising that it won't happen again. You know, I think we should take a break, I need to think about our relationship and decide if I need it.
- No, wait, let's meet and talk, I don't want everything to end like this, I ask you, let's meet.
- Well, at three at the place where we met, I hope you still remember where it is.
- Yes, of course I remember, I'll come, see you, I love you.
Jane hung up and sat down in a chair. Suddenly her mobile phone vibrated. She looked at the screen and again, like last night, it was empty. Then Jane quickly pressed the accept call and brought the phone to her ear.
“Yes, please, just don’t be silent and don’t hang up,” Jane said hastily, afraid that the call would fail.
"Be careful," said the voice.
- Please, tell me who you are, it is very important to me.
"Be careful," the caller repeated.
- What, what does this mean, please answer.
But she did not hear anything else, the call was interrupted. Jane sat for a long time thinking about this call and a thought came into her head. She picked up the phone and decided to call her mobile network operator.
Hello, I'm listening to you.
- Girl, good afternoon, tell me, can I find out the number of the last incoming call to my number?
- Yes, of course, it will take a few minutes, the answer to your request will come in the form of an SMS message.
- Thank you, good afternoon.
- All the best.
A satisfied smile appeared on Jane's face and did not leave for a long time, until a message from the operator came to her number, it was written:
“As of July 16, 09, there is not a single incoming call.
For further information, contact your operator"
- No call? But how then to explain all this? I don't understand how this can be.
Suddenly, the mobile vibrated again.
"Who are you?" Jane asked quickly.
- It's me, Ann, what's the matter with you?
- Oh, it's you, I'm sorry, I thought ...
He called again, didn't he?
- Yes.
- And what did he say?
- Same as yesterday, be careful, I can't figure it out.
- Listen, I've talked to a friend here, he's something of a genius in the field of everything mysterious. What do you judge people by?
- In the eyes, because they are the mirror of the soul.
- So, he was right, that's what he told me, it certainly looks like complete nonsense, but it still makes you think, and so, every person from birth always has a guardian angel behind his back, he protects his ward and before he appears he creates an image for himself, where the main feature is what his ward appreciates most in people, and even angels do not have feelings, so they always treat all requests coldly.
- Yes, and the truth seems to be complete nonsense. Did you believe in this nonsense. I'm sorry, I can't talk anymore, I have to meet Dean, he wants to talk, we'll see what happens.
- Then tell me, bye.
- Bye.
Jane began to get ready for the meeting. Exactly at half past two she left the house and headed towards the park, there was one beautiful place, at the very end of the park, in a small field strewn with flowers, there was a huge oak tree, hanging its branches wide, there, under this oak tree, she met Dean. Then he was completely different, cheerful, romantic, what does time do to people ...
At five minutes to three, she was already approaching this old oak tree and saw Dean beside him.
“Hello, bunny,” he said smiling. He wanted to kiss her, but Jane turned away.
- I came to talk, let's not waste time - Jane said dryly. - I came to say that this can no longer continue, at first I wanted to take a break, but now I want to leave.
"But why, don't you love me anymore?"
- You have to understand me, I'm tired of such a relationship, I just can't take it anymore, a little more and I just don't want to see you, please, let's disperse quietly until we destroy what is left of those feelings that then tied us to this very place.
- So, you want to leave, after everything that happened, like this, take it and tear everything to smithereens?
- Yes, Dean. I want this.
- Well, I will not convince you, I will not say that I will improve, I will only ask for one thing, please, let me touch you one last time, kiss you.
- Good.
Dean took her hand, looked into her eyes and reached out to kiss her, but suddenly he took a sharp step forward, and she was pressed against the oak, he greedily pounced on her and did not want to let go. Jane tried to break free, but he wouldn't let her, then she tried to scream, but only a barely audible wheeze came out because Dean grabbed her by the throat.
- I won't let you go, you'll be mine or nobody's.
An indescribable fear appeared in Jane's eyes, she never expected such a turn and did not know what to do now. But suddenly Dean loosened his grip. A man in a long white cloak appeared behind him and grabbed him by the collar.
“Let her go,” he said.
"Back off, you moron!" Dean said and tried to push him away, but the man in the cape got ahead of him and jerked his collar sharply. Dean flew several meters away and fell to the ground. Jane, seeing yesterday's stranger, threw herself on his neck and clung to him, like a child to its mother.
- It's you again, Lord, how glad I am to see you, - said Jane. She looked into his eyes and suddenly, even to herself, kissed him. The feeling of this kiss was so beautiful that it was impossible to describe it in words.
- I warned you, I said, be careful, why don't you listen to me, you never listen to me.
- Never? But I see you only for the second time in my life.
- Yes, it is, but remember, at the age of eight, you and your girlfriend climbed into the mill, then it seemed to you that someone told you “don't even think about it”, what happened then? You broke loose and almost broke your neck, and at ten you found a lighter and again you didn’t listen to me, that then, oh yes, the neighbor’s barn burned down, then at eleven, thirteen, fourteen, and at fifteen as many as seven times, I I don’t understand, but now, now I was forced to appear to you ...
- Who are you?
- I'm your guardian angel.
- Are you joking?
- Do I look like a clown?
- No, it can't be.
- As you can see, maybe now you are safe and I should leave.
- No, please don't go, I want you to stay with me.
- I'm sorry, but that's against the rules.
- Rules, to hell with these rules, oh, I'm sorry ...
- I can't stay.
- And if he wakes up and comes to my house, and you're not around - pointing at Dean, said Jane.
- I'm always there, - said the angel and was about to disappear, but Jane grabbed his hand.
- What are you doing?
Either you stay or I go with you.
The angel smiled and thought for a moment, took her hand, and together they disappeared into the air.
* * *
"Where are we?" Jane asked.
We are in heaven, where else?
They both stood on a snow-white cloud, and there was nothing and no one around them, it was so quiet here that the silence pressed on their ears.
- Now you will hear something, just don't say a word.
Jane silently nodded and in a second she heard an incredibly beautiful singing coming from somewhere far away. It was so beautiful that I wanted to listen again and again.
"Did the angels sing?" Jane asked when the singing had stopped.
- No, it was a church choir.
- Come on?
- Yes, you people never see what is in front of your nose, you are always looking for happiness, and you don’t notice that happiness is very close, you are looking for love, but you don’t understand at all that the one you need has been with you for a long time and ready for anything for you, but you do not see it, you are blind and ridiculous. You are like helpless kittens, just as cute and stupid.
- We're not that stupid, - Jane said offendedly and took a step to the side.
“Well, maybe it’s quite possible,” said the angel and looked towards Jane, but did not see her, and in the place where she stood, there was a torn cloud.
- My God! - the angel exclaimed and rushed down.
Jane flew down with incredible speed, it seemed that the angel would not have time to catch her, but still he flew to her and grabbed her.
"Now we're both going to crash!" Jane screamed, closing her eyes.
But the angel smiled tenderly and suddenly his white cloak turned into huge wings, he spread them and both of them stopped falling.
"Open your eyes," whispered the angel.
- No no no.
- Don't be afraid, I'm with you.
Jane opened her eyes and saw that they were no longer falling, but flying over the sea, the shores of which were strewn with many trees.
- This can not be, I sleep, I do not believe, I have never felt so good. Where are we flying?
- We're flying to your house, I spent too much time with you, it's against the rules.
- So I don’t want to leave who came up with these stupid rules.
The angel hugged Jane tighter, she felt incredibly good and calm, as if everything had gone, as if there was nothing but the sky, the sea, and the two of them. She closed her eyes and fell asleep mid-flight. The angel saw this and smiled. After some time they were already flying up to the house, the angel did not wake up Jane. He flew to the balcony, the door of that one slowly opened and he brought Jane into the room, laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. Then he looked at Ann, who was already asleep, went over to her, straightened her blanket and went out onto the balcony. The door also slowly closed and the angel, spreading its huge wings, soared up and disappeared into the clouds.
He flew high, it seemed a little more and the air shell of the earth would end and he would end up in space, but he abruptly stopped, drew some kind of symbol in the air and a huge gate appeared in front of him. He headed towards them, and they swung open, letting him into the bright abode.
“Where have you been?” asked the angel a man, well, or similar to a man, standing near the gate.
- I was with a man.
- So long, you know, it's against the rules.
- Yes, I know, and I also know that I loved her.
- What! - He exclaimed. - It's impossible, love is a feeling, and you're an angel, you can't feel.
“Now I can,” the angel said with a blissful expression on his face.
“Then I don’t know any other way but to overthrow you.
- I'm ready.
- I can't believe my ears, you're ready to give up everything for a mortal.
- No, I'm ready to give it up, for the sake of everything.
- I do not understand.
- For all that I can experience, I can be with her, I can live, I can.
You talk like a fool, but sooner or later you will die.
- Yes, I will die, but I will die happy, having experienced this feeling.
- Well, you chose your own path, goodbye, my friend.
He raised both hands and two beams of bright white light escaped from his palms, they embraced the angel and he fell through the clouds.
* * *
Morning came quickly, Jane woke up and saw that she was at home, alone again. As always, she opened the balcony door and began to look at the passers-by. The phone rang again. Jane picked up the phone and heard the voice of an angel there.
- We need to meet.
"Why don't you just fly into my balcony?"
- The situation has changed, be today at seven near the cafe around the corner.
“Okay, is this a date?” Jane joked.
- Yes, it's a date.
The call was interrupted. Jane, not believing her ears, sat down on a chair.
- I'm crazy, I have a date with an angel - she thought. Then she pinched herself and felt pain. So I don't sleep.
As for evil, time went very slowly and it seemed that an eternity had passed before it was seven o'clock. Jane sat at the table and waited for the angel. After a couple of minutes, he arrived. He was already some other, not like before. He walked and smiled. Instead of his snow-white cloak, he wore exactly the same, but only gray, much has changed in him, but one thing remained the same, his eyes ...
"Hi," he said.
- Hello, this is somehow a little strange, I'm a mortal, and you're an angel, looks a bit like the beginning of a vulgar joke.
Well, now I'm not an angel anymore.
- What, how is it?
- That's what I wanted to talk about. You see, yesterday, when I brought you home, I realized one thing that I don’t want to be an angel, I want to be a person who can live, breathe, be free in my thoughts, love, love you, so I was overthrown and now I am the same a person like you.
- Wait. Are you saying that you gave up heaven for me, gave up because you love me?
- Yes, - smiling, said the angel.
“I… I have no words…”
- Is this good or bad
- Good? Are you crazy, it's wonderful! - she exclaimed and threw herself on the angel's neck. - Tell me, what's your name?
- What's your name? But I don't have a name, at least not an earthly one. What name do you like?
- Me, John.
- Well, then, now I'll be John. Jane and John, a little silly, but we're human, we're silly.
John hugged Jane, and they went to roam the streets of the night city.
- It turns out that now we will need to find you housing, make documents.
- No, this has already been done, when I overthrow the angel, they create a legend for him, and then he lives as he wants.
"So we'll be together now?"
Yes, and nothing will separate us...

Many Orthodox can tell how the Guardian Angel saved them from a dangerous step, saved them when danger threatened, guarded them in a difficult situation, and suggested how to do the right thing. His voice is sometimes heard as real as the voices of those who are close to us. But even when he seems to be “silent”, but we suddenly act differently than we intended, contrary to our desires, he leads us, our assistant and guardian, the Guardian Angel. Here are some stories about it.

History first. "I am your father…"

I was baptized late, at the age of 15. This happened at the urgent request of the mother. Then I was unbelieving. After baptism, things began to happen to me that I could not explain from a physical point of view in any way ... I remember that at the age of 19 I was standing at a bus stop. Around ten people, shifting from foot to foot, were waiting for the bus. Suddenly, about 200 meters away, I see a car flying at high speed. A voice sounded in my head: “Move away, otherwise she will run over you!” Moreover, this voice possessed such power that it was very difficult to resist it. And I bounced ten meters deep into the sidewalk. The car with acceleration drove onto the sidewalk exactly at the place where I stood five minutes ago. The hood clanged open and a heavy rectangular box fell at my feet. battery or something like that. It was then that for the first time in my life I crossed myself with feeling.

The explanation for all this came much later.

Another case, when my Guardian Angel reminded me of himself, occurred after my first attempts to become a church member.

I once went for bread, taking my mother's old bag. I look: an elderly, unremarkable person is walking towards me. And suddenly again in my head the same clear inner voice: “Look, this is your father!” (By the way, I had a long-standing childhood grudge against my father: “Everyone has it, but I don’t! Why did he leave me ?!”) Against this background, the inner voice was so shocking that I immediately turned sharply in his direction , not understanding why on earth this rumpled, uninteresting type should be my father. And turned around again. I look: he runs to me and waves his hand: stop, stop! I stopped out of curiosity. He runs up and says:

I am your father.

I know, I answer him.

You cannot know me. You were a year old when your mother and I separated. I recognized you by your bag. Your mother wore it when she was pregnant...

How many times as a child I imagined this meeting. As I will express to him all the resentment accumulated over many years. And then… I couldn’t say anything. Somewhere everything disappeared at the sight of a stranger, averting his eyes ...

It was something else. The state of quiet spiritual joy, in which I was then almost constantly, was immediately replaced by a storm of condemnation and anger. I told this to my sisters in Christ and instead of sympathetic ahs and oohs, I heard a calm answer:

- That's how it should be. You began to pray for your parents, at least through the stump of the deck, but still commemorate your father at the morning rule. Here is the Guardian Angel and showed you the person for whom you are praying. And your condemnation is also understandable. This is just proof that your soul is still covered with sinful layers. Oh, how much you still have to work on yourself to learn how to forgive your debtors. Otherwise, it makes no sense to read "Our Father" either.

The second story. "Ask for forgiveness!"

Badri says:

- My father died during Patriotic War. I was very worried about the impoverished situation in which I was, and decided to become a pickpocket. Once I was riding in a tram, I planned for myself one open mind. And he was about to pull out his wallet, if not for one priest. He sat and did not take his eyes off me. I waited for him to turn away, but he continued to stare at me intently. In the end, he took my hand, and together we got off at the bus stop.

When we were alone, he put a paper bill in my hand, crossed me and said: “Let your Guardian Angel not leave you.” "Which other Guardian Angel?!" I shouted, tore my hand away, hit the priest on the ankle with all my strength and ran away.

When I returned home, I felt sick. Then he lay for three days high temperature unconscious.

All this time, a boy dressed in white did not leave my side. He put his cool hand on my hot forehead and I felt relieved.

All this time, a boy dressed in white did not leave my side. He put his cool hand on my hot forehead and I felt relieved.

I asked, "Don't leave me." “How can I leave you? I am your guardian angel. And then I will be with you when others leave you. But if I protect you, you must help me too.”

After recovering and starting school again, I returned to the place where we "parted" and began to question people. After a long search, I finally found that priest. He recognized me immediately.

“My Guardian Angel sent me to you to ask for forgiveness,” I said, averting my eyes.

Maybe I would not have dared to tell this old story now, if not for one recent incident.

I was already in my sixties when I got into an accident - I fell in a car in a gorge and lay unconscious in intensive care for several days. Surprisingly, but true: all this time I saw that very luminous boy near me, who has not changed at all for so many years ....

History the third. Rescue from a terrorist attack

2004, 31 August. This day is the patronal feast of our Church of the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus. In the morning I was at work, then I got ready for the road.

And so I’m going to Sebezh to my friend’s dacha to work while they left. I took tickets for the Moscow-Riga train (Sebezh is a border town). I arrived at the Rizhskaya station long before the train. Early to the station. I think to go to the right, to the Krestovsky shopping center. The thought arises: "Danger: a terrorist attack." I am surprised at the unexpectedness of the thought, because I was thinking about something completely different. But I turn left, go to Rostik's, take an ice cream... And then it went boom. I was already moving further, like a well-oiled computer: I had to go faster to the station before traffic was blocked, and so on. I looked around: above the place where I was going first, there was a tall black pillar ... Terribly vile impression ... Then more than 10 people died.

I thought later why I got into a dangerous situation at all. Namely: did I mess something up by making the wrong decision? Then everything coincided: the trip turned out to be unsuccessful and unnecessary, I had to quickly return, and it turned out that I was needed at home ...

margarita
(Moscow)

History four. "Don't touch your wife!"

I pleaded, “God! After all, I have to fast, but fasting doesn’t work ... ”The Lord sent an angel to her husband!

It was also a long time ago, 20 years ago, maybe more. My husband and I got married, then married. And I remember that there was great post. And then I got sad. My husband got married to me, but he remained a Lutheran. And the post was incomprehensible to him. Neither bodily nor spiritual. Then I prayed, “Lord! What should I do? After all, I have to fast, but fasting doesn’t work ... ”The Lord sent an angel to my husband! That's how it was. Unfortunately, I no longer remember the details, it would be necessary then to write down everything in detail. Now I regret that I didn't. But what happened is very remarkable.

The husband then slept alone on the second floor due to repairs on the first floor. In the morning he comes running with bulging eyes and tells me. At night an angel came to him, as he later understood. At first, the husband thought awake that it was I who came to him, because the voice of the angel is thin, like that of a woman. Then I realized that it was not my wife. The angel asked if my husband believed in God. To which my husband allegedly replied that not really so .... They discussed something else, I don't remember. But I remember well how the angel strictly ordered the husband not to touch his wife for another 40 days because he broke the fast three times. My husband was quite frightened, I also somehow felt uneasy. I told the two priests everything, who took the angel's prohibition very seriously and advised me to fulfill the prohibition.

THE STORY ABOUT "ANGEL"

Another case of interference on the physical plane, which happened recently, makes a small but beautiful story, although this time only one life was saved. However, it requires some preliminary clarifications. In our team of assistants in Europe there are two people who were once brothers in ancient egypt and are still closely connected. In the present embodiment, there is a significant age difference between them. One of them is already of mature age; the other, though almost a child in body, is already a highly advanced individuality. Naturally it fell to the elder's lot to train the younger and guide him in the occult work to which they are wholeheartedly devoted; and as they are both fully conscious and active on the astral plane, they use almost all the hours when their physical bodies fall asleep in joint work under the direction of their common Master, in order to help - as far as their strength can - the living and the dead.

I take the account of the incident I am about to relate from a letter written immediately after the incident by the senior assistant; for this description is more lively and figurative than any third party's account can be.

"We were about to do very different things when Cyril suddenly yelled, 'What is this?' the poor boy broke his arm and leg, but what was worse, he badly hurt his thigh, and blood flowed in a stream from the open wound. Cyril shouted: "Help him quickly, or he will die!"

In such cases, you need to think quickly. It was clear that two things had to be done at once: stop the blood and get physical help. I had to either materialize Cyril or myself, since we needed physical hands right away to make the dressing, and besides, it would be good for the poor, suffering boy see someone near you. I felt that he would certainly be better off with Cyril than with me, and that I would be more qualified to seek help; so the division of labor was obvious.

The plan worked out perfectly. I immediately materialized Cyril (he doesn't know how to do it himself yet), told him to take the child's tie, wrap it around his thigh and pull it off with a spinning stick. "Won't it hurt him horribly?!" Cyril said, but he still did this, and the blood stopped flowing. The wounded boy seemed to be in a semi-conscious state and could hardly speak, but he opened his eyes and, raising them to a small shining image, which bent over him solicitously, asked: "Are you an angel, sir?" Cyril smiled sweetly and replied: "No, I'm just a boy and I came to help you." Then, leaving Cyril to console the sufferer, I hastened to his mother, who lived about a mile from that place.

You cannot imagine how difficult it was for me to instill in my mother's head the conviction that something had happened and that she should go and see what was the matter. Finally she dropped the pan she was cleaning and said aloud, "I don't understand what is happening to me, but I must go and find my boy." When she decided to go, I could already easily guide her, without ceasing at the same time to support the materialization of Cyril by force of will, so that the poor boy would not be frightened by the sudden disappearance of the "angel".

I must tell you that by materializing the body, the substance is forced to change from its usual form to another, as if temporarily counteracting the cosmic will. It is enough to be distracted for half a second for matter to return to its previous state with the speed of lightning. Therefore, I could give this woman only part of my attention, but still I managed to bring her, and at the moment when she rounded the corner of the cliff, I allowed Cyril to disappear. However, she managed to see him, and now her village has one of the first-class stories about angelic intervention!

This incident happened early in the morning, and in the evening I went (in my astral body) to visit my family to see what was going on. The poor boy's arm and leg were set and the wound was bandaged. He lay in his bed very pale and weak, but apparently he was on the mend. Two neighbors stood near the mother, and she told them a story that looked curious to those who knew the essence of the matter.

She verbosely explained that "suddenly she felt that something in her said that something bad happened to her boy, and necessary I had to go looking for him." At first, she thought that this was nonsense and tried to get rid of this feeling, "but it did not lead to anything, she still had to go." She told how, not knowing why, she went exactly on this road , and not according to another - it just happened - and how, having turned around the corner of the rock and suddenly saw her boy reclining on the rock, and beside him - "the most beautiful child that she had ever seen, in white clothes and shining, with with such rosy cheeks and lovely brown eyes. " It smiled at her with a heavenly smile and suddenly disappeared and so suddenly that at first she did not know what to think. But then she suddenly understood, sank to her knees and began to thank God that he had sent her angel to help her poor boy.

Raising the child to carry him home, she said further, she wanted to take off the handkerchief tightly tied around her thigh, but the boy resisted and began to assure that the angel himself made the knot and did not order him to be touched; and when she afterwards told the doctor about it, he said that the boy would surely have died if she had then untied the bandage.

She then repeated the boy's story. Immediately after his fall, a beautiful little angel came up to him. He knew that it was an angel, because before he fell, he stood on a high rock, and no one was visible for a mile away; only he did not understand why the angel did not have wings, and why he called himself a "simple boy". The angel leaned him against a rock and tied his leg, then spoke to him and persuaded him not to be afraid, because they sent for his mother, and she should come soon. The angel kissed him and did everything to make him feel good, he held the boy's hand with his small, gentle hand and told him beautiful stories, which he now does not quite remember, but which were surprisingly good, because he almost forgot about his wounds until until the mother came. Then the angel told him that he would soon recover and, shaking his hand, disappeared.

Since then, a real religious revival began in the village. The priest began to convince the people that such a wonderful mediation of divine providence was a sign sent down in order to silence all unbelievers and so that a new proof of the truth would appear. Holy Scripture and Christianity; yet no one seems to have noticed the enormous self-importance implied in such a statement.

But the impact on the child was undeniably good, both morally and physically. Everyone agreed that he used to be a desperate and hooligan boy, but now, feeling that at any time his "angel" can be near him, he is afraid to appear in front of him in a bad way and therefore tries not to do or say anything harsh , rude and angry. His only strong desire is to someday see his angel again, and he knows that at the hour of death his beautiful face will be the first thing he sees on the other side.

A beautiful and touching story without a doubt.

The conclusion drawn from this case by the priest and the villagers may be illogical, but in any case, evidence of the existence of at least something outside the material plane will certainly bring people more benefit than harm. And the conclusion of the mother from everything that she saw, in the end, was quite correct, although if she had more accurate knowledge, then she would have expressed it a little differently.

An interesting fact revealed to the author of this letter after research throws a curious light on the hidden causes of such incidents. It turned out that both children had already met in previous lives, and that several thousand years ago, the boy who fell from the cliff was the slave of another boy, and one day, risking his own life, saved his master. After that, he got his freedom. And now - after a long period of time - the master not only returns his debt to his former slave, but also sets before him a high ideal and inspires him to moral life, which will probably change the whole course of its future evolution.

From this we can see how, despite the apparent slowness of its implementation, karma never leaves a good deed without a good result. As Longfellow put it, the divine mill grinds slowly but finely, and will eventually grind everything.

Herman's Story - A Christmas Carol Let me tell you about Herman. Herman was a soldier real person. He is no longer with us. He and many other men witnessed something that was unique almost a hundred years ago. Not so long ago, in 1914 Earth, Herman