Uriel or Auriel ( he, אוּרִיאֵל ''ʾŪrīʾēl'', " El/God is my flame"; el, Οὐριήλ ''Oúriēl''; cop, ⲟⲩⲣⲓⲏⲗ ''Ouriēl''; it, Uriele;

Geʽez Geez (; ' , and sometimes referred to in scholarly literature as Classical Ethiopic) is an ancient Ethiopian Semitic language. The language originates from what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. Today, Geez is used as the main liturgi ...

and Amharic: or ) is the name of one of the

archangel 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 ...

s who is mentioned in the

post-exilic The Second Temple period in Jewish history lasted approximately 600 years (516 BCE - 70 CE), during which the Second Temple existed. It started with the return to Zion and the construction of the Second Temple, while it ended with the First Jewis ...

rabbinic Rabbinic Judaism ( he, יהדות רבנית, Yahadut Rabanit), also called Rabbinism, Rabbinicism, or Judaism espoused by the Rabbanites, has been the mainstream form of Judaism since the 6th century CE, after the codification of the Babylonian ...

tradition and in certain Christian traditions. He is well known in the Russian Orthodox tradition and in

folk Catholicism Folk Catholicism can be broadly described as various ethnic expressions and practices of Catholicism intermingled with aspects of folk religion. Practices have varied from place to place, and may at times contradict the official doctrines and pr ...

(in both of which he is considered to be one of the seven major archangels) and recognized in the

Anglican Church Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...

as the fourth archangel. He is also well known in European esoteric

medieval literature Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (that is, the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. AD 500 to the beginning of t ...

. Uriel is also known as a master of knowledge and archangel of wisdom. In

apocrypha Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...

l, kabbalistic, and occult works, Uriel/Auriel has been equated (or confused) with Urial,

Nuriel Nuriel ( he, נוּרִיאֵל ''Nūrīʾēl;'' meaning: " El is my fire") is an angel in Jewish mythology who is responsible for hailstorms. In Jewish legend, Moses encountered Nuriel in the 2nd heaven. It is said in the Zohar that when a person ...

, Uryan, Jeremiel, Vretil,

Sariel Sariel (Hebrew & Aramaic: שָׂרִיאֵל ''Śārīʾēl'', "God is my Ruler"; Greek: Σαριηλ ''Sariēl'', cop, ⲥⲟⲩⲣⲓⲏⲗ ''Souriēl''; Amharic: ሰራቁያል ''Säraquyael'', ሰረቃኤል ''Säräqael'') is an archange ...

, Suriel, Puruel, Phanuel,

Jacob Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...

Azrael Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism. Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...

, and

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...

. In the Secret Book of John, an early

Gnostic Gnosticism (from grc, γνωστικός, gnōstikós, , 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems which coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized pe ...

work, Uriel is placed in control over the demons who help Yaldabaoth create Adam. Uriel or Auriel (male) / Urielle or Eurielle (female) is also a name assimilated by the Celtic Brittanic culture, because of (7th century), sister of the Breton king Judicael, who popularised the name.

In Judaism and Christianity

Name and origins

The angels mentioned in the older books of the

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' Tanakh The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' Simeon ben Lakish of Tiberias (230–270) even asserted that all of the specific names for the angels were brought back by the Jews from Babylonian knowledge. Of the

seven archangels The concept of Seven Archangels is found in some works of early Jewish literature and in Christianity. In those texts, they are referenced as the angels who serve God directly. Bible The term ''archangel'' itself is not found in the Hebrew Bib ...

in the angelology of post-exilic Judaism, only two of them, the archangels Michael and

Gabriel In Abrahamic religions ( Judaism, Christianity and Islam), Gabriel (); Greek: grc, Γαβριήλ, translit=Gabriḗl, label=none; Latin: ''Gabriel''; Coptic: cop, Ⲅⲁⲃⲣⲓⲏⲗ, translit=Gabriêl, label=none; Amharic: am, ገብ ...

, are mentioned by name in the canonized Jewish scriptures, in the

Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th century BC setting. Ostensibly "an account of the activities and visions of Daniel, a noble Jew exiled at Babylon", it combines a prophecy of history with an eschatology ...

in particular, which is one of the youngest books in the Tanakh.

features prominently in the

deuterocanonical The deuterocanonical books (from the Greek meaning "belonging to the second canon") are books and passages considered by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East to be ...

Book of Tobit. The Book of Tobit is accepted as canonical by the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, the

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...

, the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...

, and the Oriental Orthodox Church. Leonardo Da Vinci - Vergine delle Rocce (Louvre)

Where a fourth archangel is added to the named three, to represent the four cardinal points, Uriel is generally the fourth. Uriel is listed as the fourth angel in Christian

s (under the name Phanuel). However, it is debated whether the Book of Enoch refers to the same angel by two different names. Uriel means "God is my flame", whereas Phanuel means "God has turned". Uriel is the third angel listed in the ''

Testament of Solomon The Testament of Solomon is a pseudepigraphical composite text ascribed to King Solomon but not regarded as canonical scripture by Jews or Christian groups. It was written in the Greek language, based on precedents dating back to the early 1st m ...

'', the fourth being Sabrael. Uriel appears in the '' Second Book of Esdras'' found in the Biblical apocrypha (called Esdras IV in the

Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...

) in which the prophet Ezra asks God a series of questions and Uriel is sent by God to instruct him. According to the Revelation of Esdras, the angels that will rule at the end of the world are Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, Gabuthelon, Beburos, Zebuleon, Aker, and Arphugitonos. The last five listed only appear in this book and nowhere else in apocryphal or apocalyptic works. In Christian

l gospels Uriel plays a role, differing between the sources, in the rescue of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...

' cousin

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

from the Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod. He carries John and his mother Saint Elizabeth to join the

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the fir ...

after their Flight into Egypt. Their reunion is depicted in

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...

's ''

Virgin of the Rocks The ''Virgin of the Rocks'' ( it, Vergine delle rocce), sometimes the ''Madonna of the Rocks'', is the name of two paintings by the Italian Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, of the same subject, with a composition which is identical except fo ...

''. Uriel is often identified as a cherub and the angel of repentance. He "stands at the Gate of Eden with a fiery sword", or as the angel "who is over the world and over Tartarus. In the ''

Apocalypse of Peter The Apocalypse of Peter (or Revelation of Peter) is an early Christian text of the 2nd century and an example of apocalyptic literature with Hellenistic overtones. It is not included in the standard canon of the New Testament, but is mentioned i ...

'' he appears as the angel of repentance, who is graphically represented as being as pitiless as any demon. In the ''

Life of Adam and Eve The ''Life of Adam and Eve'', also known in its Greek version as the ''Apocalypse of Moses'' (, ''Apokalypsis Mōuseōs''; Hebrew: ספר אדם וחוה), is a Jewish apocryphal group of writings. It recounts the lives of Adam and Eve from aft ...

'', Uriel is regarded as the spirit (i.e., one of the cherubs) of the third chapter of Genesis. He is also identified as one of the angels who helped bury Adam and Abel in Eden. He checked the doors of

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...

for lamb's blood during the plague. He also holds the key to the Pit during the

End Times Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that nega ...

, and led

Abraham Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Je ...

to the west. In modern

angelology In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

, Uriel is identified variously as a

seraph A seraph (, "burning one"; plural seraphim ) is a type of celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism. The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Christ ...

, cherub, regent of the sun, flame of God, angel of the divine presence, presider over Tartarus (hell), archangel of salvation, and, in later scriptures, identified with Phanuel ("God has turned"). He is often depicted carrying a book or a papyrus scroll representing wisdom. Uriel is a patron of the arts.

In the Byzantine Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, Uriel is commemorated together with the other archangels and angels with a feast day of the "

Synaxis {{For, the moth genus, Synaxis (moth) A synaxis ( el, σύναξις "gathering"; Slavonic: собор, ''sobor'') is a liturgical assembly in Eastern Christianity (the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the ...

of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers" on November 8 of the

liturgical calendar The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and whi ...

(for those churches which follow the

Julian Calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...

, 8 November falls on 21 November of the modern

Gregorian Calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

), and is regarded as the patron saint of the arts and sciences. In addition, every Monday throughout the year is dedicated to the angels. The

Anglicans Anglicanism is a Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia ...

and

Coptic Christians Copts ( cop, ⲛⲓⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ ; ar, الْقِبْط ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group indigenous to North Africa who have primarily inhabited the area of modern Egypt and Sudan since antiquity. Most ethnic Copts are Co ...

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

and Eritrea venerate archangel Uriel. According to the latter, 11 July is his feast day. In the Ethiopian Homily on the Archangel Uriel, he is depicted as one of the great archangels, and as the who has interpreted prophecies to

Enoch Enoch () ''Henṓkh''; ar, أَخْنُوخ ', Qur'ān.html"_;"title="ommonly_in_Qur'ān">ommonly_in_Qur'ānic_literature__'_is_a_biblical_figure_and_Patriarchs_(Bible).html" "title="Qur'ānic_literature.html" ;"title="Qur'ān.html" ;"title="o ...

and Ezra, and the helper of both of them. According to the Homily, at the time of the

Crucifixion of Jesus The crucifixion and death of Jesus occurred in 1st-century Judea, most likely in AD 30 or AD 33. It is described in the four canonical gospels, referred to in the New Testament epistles, attested to by other ancient sources, and consid ...

, Uriel dipped his wing in the blood and water flowing from Christ's flank and filled a cup with it. Carrying the cup, he and the Archangel Michael rushed into the world and sprinkled it all over Ethiopia, in every place where a drop of blood fell a church was built. Thus Uriel is often depicted carrying a

chalice A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...

filled with the

blood of Christ Blood of Christ, also known as the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in Christian theology refers to (a) the physical blood actually shed by Jesus Christ primarily on the Cross, and the salvation which Christianity teaches was accomp ...

in Ethiopian Orthodox iconography. In Thomas Heywood's ''Hierarchy of Blessed Angels'' (1635), Uriel is described as an angel of the earth. Heywood's list is actually of the angels of the four winds: Uriel (south), Michael (east), Raphael (west) (serving also a governor of the south, with Uriel), and Gabriel (north). He is also listed as an angel of the four winds in the medieval Jewish ''Book of the Angel Raziel'' which lists him as Usiel (Uzziel); according to it, this book was inscribed on a sapphire stone and handed down from Seraph to

Metatron Metatron ( ''Meṭāṭrōn'', ''Məṭaṭrōn'', ''Mēṭaṭrōn'', ''Mīṭaṭrōn'', ''Meṭaṭrōn'', ''Mīṭṭaṭrōn'') or Mattatron ( ''Maṭṭaṭrōn'') is an angel in Judaism mentioned three times in the Talmud in a few br ...

and then to Adam. At the Council of Rome of 745, Pope Zachary, intending to clarify the church's teaching on the subject of angels and curb a tendency toward angel worship, condemned obsession with angelic intervention and angelolatry, but reaffirmed the approval of the practice of the reverence of angels. This synod struck many angels' names from the list of those eligible for veneration in the church of Rome, including Uriel. Only the reverence of the archangels mentioned in the recognised Catholic canon of scriptures, namely Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, remained licit. In the 16th century, archangel Uriel appeared before the Sicilian friar Antonio Lo Duca and told him to build a church in the Termini area. Lo Duca told pope Pius IV about the apparition, the pope then asked Michelangelo to design the church. It is the church of

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs ( la, Beatissimae Virginis et omnium Angelorum et Martyrum, it, Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri) is a basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy, built inside the ruined ''frigida ...

, located at the Esedra Plaza. In the first half of the 11th century, Bulgarian followers of the dualist heresy called Bogomilism, who lived in the dukedom of

Ahtum Ajtony, Ahtum or Achtum ( hu, Ajtony, bg, Охтум, ro, Ahtum, sr, Ахтум) was an early-11th-century ruler in the territory now known as Banat in present Romania and Serbia. His primary source is the ''Long Life of Saint Gerard'', a 1 ...

in present-day

Banat Banat (, ; hu, Bánság; sr, Банат, Banat) is a geographical and historical region that straddles Central and Eastern Europe and which is currently divided among three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania (the counties of T ...

, invoked Uriel in rituals. This is witnessed by Gerard of Csanád, the Catholic bishop of the area after 1028. Uriel was also named in a small exorcism in the 15th century, reported by

Robert Ambelain Robert Ambelain (2 September 1907 – 27 May 1997) was a French essayist. He was involved in the esoteric Masonic Martinist movement and claimed to have revived the Primitive Scottish Rite. He has written several works, such as ''The Maso ...

in ''Arabic Astrology'' on page 18, without indication of date, place of origin etc.: "". In

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely tran ...

's ''Golden Legend'', Uriel is one of the angels of the seven planets. Uriel is the angel of Mars. He is also listed as such in Benjamin Camfield's ''A Theological Discourse of Angels'' (1678). A scriptural reference to an angel of presence is found in

Isaiah Isaiah ( or ; he, , ''Yəšaʿyāhū'', "God is Salvation"), also known as Isaias, was the 8th-century BC Israelite prophet after whom the Book of Isaiah is named. Within the text of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah himself is referred to as "the ...

63:9:

In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

In Enoch

Saint Uriel, St Michael & All Angels, Howick

The Book of Enoch, which presents itself as written by

, mentions Uriel in many of its component books. In chapter IX, which is part of "The Book of the Watchers" (2nd century BCE), only four angels are mentioned by name. Those angels are Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and

(though some versions have a fifth angel: Suryal or Suriel). However, the later chapter XX lists the names and functions of seven angels. Those angels are "Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over

Tartarus In Greek mythology, Tartarus (; grc, , }) is the deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and as the prison for the Titans. Tartarus is the place where, according to Plato's ''Gorgias'' (), souls are judg ...

", Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saraqâêl, Gabriel, and Remiel. The Book of the Watchers as a whole tells us that Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel were present before God to testify on behalf of humankind. They wish to ask for divine intervention during the reign of the fallen grigori (fallen watchers). These fallen take human wives and produced half-angel, half-human offspring called the nephilim. Uriel is responsible for warning Noah about the upcoming

great flood A flood myth or a deluge myth is a myth in which a great flood, usually sent by a deity or deities, destroys civilization, often in an act of divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the primaeval ...

Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spoke, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: " and tell him in my name 'Hide thyself!' and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it."

After judgment has been brought upon the nephilim and the fallen ones (''see'' The Book of Giants), including the two main leaders Samyaza and

Azazel In the Bible, the name Azazel (; he, עֲזָאזֵל ''ʿAzāʾzēl''; ar, عزازيل, ʿAzāzīl) appears in association with the scapegoat rite; the name represents a desolate place where a scapegoat bearing the sins of the Jews during ...

, Uriel discusses their fates:

And Uriel said to me: "Here shall stand the angels who have connected themselves with women, and their spirits assuming many different forms are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons 'as gods', (here shall they stand,) till 'the day of' the great judgment in which they shall be judged till they are made an end of. And the women also of the angels who went astray shall become sirens.' And I, Enoch alone, saw the vision, the ends of all things; and no man shall see as I have seen."

Uriel then acts as a guide for Enoch for the rest of the Book of Watchers. He fulfills this capacity in many of the other books that make up Enoch.

In Anglican tradition

Saint Uriel - stained glass window in the cloisters of Chester Cathedral

In the traditions and hagiography of the Episcopal and other Anglican churches, Uriel is mentioned as an archangel. He is recognized as the

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of the sacrament of confirmation. In some Episcopal churches, Uriel is also regarded as the keeper of beauty and light, and regent of the sun and constellations; in iconography he is shown holding in his right hand a Greek

Ionic column The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite ...

which symbolizes perfection in aesthetics and man-made beauty, in his left hand a staff topped with the sun. He is celebrated in the Anglican liturgical calendars on the Feast of the Archangels. The Church of St. Uriel the Archangel in

Sea Girt, New Jersey Sea Girt is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 1,828,Oh holy Saint Uriel, intercede for us that our hearts may burn with the fire of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Assist us in co-operating with the graces of our confirmation that the gifts of the Holy Spirit may bear lots o' fruit in our souls. Obtain for us the grace to use the sword of truth to pare away all that is not in conformity to the most adorable Will of God in our lives, that we may fully participate in the army of the Church Militant. Amen. The longstanding motto of the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

, ("The Lord is my light") is a translation into Latin of Uriel's name.

In esotericism and occultism

Hermetic Qabalah Hermetic Qabalah () is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, Thelemic orders, mystical-religious societies such as the Bu ...

, Uriel's name is commonly spelled Auriel. He is regarded as the archangel of the North, and of the element of Earth. According to the teaching of the modern Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Uriel is the archangel of North and of Earth, and is thus associated with the vegetation of the Earth. In iconography he is depicted holding stems of ripened wheat and wearing robes of citrine, russet, olive, and black. In the modern Essenian esoteric movement, Ouriel is regarded as the archangel of Summer and the element of Fire.

In literature and popular culture

Literature

*In Milton's '' Paradise Lost'' Book III, Uriel, in charge of the Orb of the Sun, serves as the eyes of God, but unwittingly steers Satan towards the newly created earth. He also fills the role of fourth cardinal point (see above). Milton describes him as the "sharpest sighted spirit in all of Heaven." He is also responsible along with Raphael for defeating Adrammelech. *In

Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champ ...

's poem " Uriel", regarded as a poetic summary of many strains of thought in Emerson's early philosophy, Uriel is an archangel in

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in parad ...

, who upsets the world of gods by proclaiming

relativism Relativism is a family of philosophical views which deny claims to objectivity within a particular domain and assert that valuations in that domain are relative to the perspective of an observer or the context in which they are assessed. Ther ...

and the

eternal return Eternal return (german: Ewige Wiederkunft; also known as eternal recurrence) is a concept that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring, and will continue to recur in a self similar form an infinite number of times across i ...

. *In

George Eliot Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrot ...

's ''

Middlemarch ''Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life'' is a novel by the English author Mary Anne Evans, who wrote as George Eliot. It first appeared in eight installments (volumes) in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midland town, ...

'', ch. XLI, to Uriel, "watching the progress of planetary history from the sun, the one result would be just as much of a coincidence as the other". *In Madeleine L'Engle's book, ''

A Wrinkle In Time ''A Wrinkle in Time'' is a young adult science fantasy novel written by American author Madeleine L'Engle. First published in 1962, the book won the Newbery Medal, the Sequoyah Book Award, the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, and was runner-up for ...

'', Uriel is a fictional planet of the galaxy Messier 101 with mountains and beautiful flowers. *In L'Engle's novel '' Many Waters'', Uriel is a character, one of the Seraphim. *In Dean Koontz's book '' Hideaway'', Uriel speaks and acts through Hatch, one of the book's protagonists, to battle the demon Vassago, who "hitched a ride" with Jeremy Nyebern after he was reanimated. *In

Katherine Kurtz Katherine Irene Kurtz (born October 18. 1944) is an American fantasy writer, author of sixteen historical fantasy novels in the '' Deryni'' series, as well as occult and urban fantasy. Resident in Ireland for over twenty years, she moved to Virg ...

's '' Deryni novels,'' Uriel appears along with

and Michael at major rituals in which they are invoked by name as representatives of the four quarters (Uriel's position is the north, and his colour is green); in some instances the four archangels seem to be luminous energy beings that give their mortal viewers the fleeting impression of having wings. Uriel is the angel of death, escorting souls across the line of life to the afterlife. In '' Camber the Heretic'', the ailing King Cinhil Haldane arranges for a ritual to bestow arcane powers on his three young sons to help ensure the Haldane succession; Cinhil dies once the ritual is complete and Uriel stays behind to conduct Cinhil's soul to join those of his deceased wife and firstborn son. *In

Clive Barker Clive Barker (born 5 October 1952) is an English novelist, playwright, author, film director, and visual artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with a series of short stories, the ''Books of Blood'', which established him as a leading h ...

's novel '' Weaveworld'', the Scourge declares its eternal name as Uriel. The major character Shadwell recognizes learning "...of all the angels and archangels by heart: and amongst the mighty Uriel was of the mightiest. The archangel of salvation; called by some the flame of God." and "Uriel had been the angel left to stand guard at the gates of Eden." * Uriel is a character in '' The Dresden Files'' book series by

Jim Butcher Jim Butcher (born October 26, 1971) is an American author., He has written the contemporary fantasy ''The Dresden Files'', ''Codex Alera'', and '' Cinder Spires'' book series. Personal life Butcher was born in Independence, Missouri, in 1971. H ...

. In ''

Small Favor ''Small Favor'' is the tenth book in ''The Dresden Files'', Jim Butcher's continuing series about wizard detective Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. The book stayed on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list for 3 weeks following its release, ...

'', Uriel is a subtle but powerful player in the war with the Black Council and the Fallen/Denarians. Called the "Watchman", he only reveals himself to the book's protagonist, Harry Dresden, as a janitor named "Jake". In the novel, Harry receives the power of ''soulfire'' and believes that it came from Uriel. He is also referred to as Heaven's "spook". Uriel also appears at the end of Jim Butcher's novella ''The Warrior'', which was released as a part of the anthology, ''Mean Streets''. Uriel appears again in ''

Changes Changes may refer to: Books * ''Changes'', the 12th novel in Jim Butcher's ''The Dresden Files'' Series * ''Changes'', a novel by Danielle Steel * ''Changes'', a trilogy of novels on which the BBC TV series was based, written by Peter Dickinson ...

'', when Harry Dresden asks him for help, after being paralyzed from the waist down. Uriel tells him that he cannot help him and that he is limited to what he has already done. He also tells Harry that Maggie is indeed his daughter, something that Harry had not been entirely sure of. In '' Ghost Story'', Uriel uses his influence to offer Harry the opportunity to come back to Earth as a spirit to find out the identity of his killer. This is not revealed until close to the end of the book, when Uriel also shows Harry that his friends and family will be okay in his absence. He also shows how Harry was unduly influenced to take up the mantle of the Winter Knight and redresses this imbalance by telling him that Mab, the Winter Queen cannot change who he is. At another point in the book, Uriel briefly shows displeasure when Harry nicknames him "Uri" (omitting "el" (God) from the phrase making up Uriel's name). Unlike his appearances in ''

'' and ''The Warrior'', Uriel's form in ''Changes'' and ''Ghost Story'' is that of a young man with blond hair, rather than an old janitor. During his appearance in ''

Skin Game ''Skin Game'' is a 1971 American independent comedy western directed by Paul Bogart and Gordon Douglas, and starring James Garner and Lou Gossett. The supporting cast features Susan Clark, Edward Asner, Andrew Duggan, Parley Baer and R ...

'', his form is that of an olive-skinned young man with dark hair. He is not bound by linear time, and is responsible for protecting Free Will. The author has described the character as a VP of Creation. *In ''Angelglass'' by David Barnett, Uriel meddles in Earth's affairs and is cast down to see if he can "improve" the course of history by personal intervention. *In William J. Clark's novel, ''Winning the Lottery'', Uriel is the guardian angel of the narrator, and later of his wife and children. He and the other three archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, play an active role in various plot elements, and become a common thread in an attempt to open a dialog between the Western and the Muslim worlds. *In Richard Kadrey's ''Kill the Dead'', Uriel is one of the original fallen angels and revealed to be the father of protagonist James "Sandman Slim" Stark. *In

Garth Nix Garth Richard Nix (born 19 July 1963) is an Australian writer who specialises in children's and young adult fantasy novels, notably the '' Old Kingdom'', '' Seventh Tower'' and '' Keys to the Kingdom'' series. He has frequently been asked if hi ...

's ''Abhorsen'' trilogy one of the "nine bright shiners" is named Yrael and appears as a being of living fire. *In '' Angelfall'' by

Susan Ee ''Angelfall'' is a post-apocalyptic fantasy novel written by Korean-American author Susan Ee. It is the first book in the ''Penryn & the End Of Days'' trilogy. The story is narrated by Penryn Young, a 17-year-old girl living in the San Francisco ...

Uriel is shown to be one of the main antagonists of the series, one of the surviving Archangels vying for the role of Messenger. *In

Nalini Singh Nalini Singh (born September 01, 1945) is an Indian journalist. She has been the anchor for several current affairs programs on Doordarshan, and is most known for her program, 'Aankhon Dekhi', on investigative journalism. She had made another ...

's romance novel ''Angels' Blood'', Uriel is the target of vampire hunter Elena, who is hired by the archangel Raphael. *In Scott Alexander's novel ''Unsong'', Uriel is one of the most powerful archangels. He is responsible for converting the world to run on mathematics, and ultimately fixing bugs in the source code of the universe when it begins to break down. *In the Dan Simmons novel ''The Rise of Endymion'', Uriel is the name of one of the spaceships flown by the Pax church.

Other media

*In

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...

's oratorio '' The Creation'', Uriel, voiced by a tenor, is one of the three angelic narrators, along with Gabriel (soprano) and Raphael (bass). *In the apocrypha of

White Wolf Publishing White Wolf Publishing was an American roleplaying game and book publisher. The company was founded in 1991 as a merger between Lion Rampant

's '' Vampire: The Masquerade'' series, Uriel is the third of the angels sent to Caine, after Caine rejects the offers of redemption from Michael and Raphael. Uriel offers Caine God's mercy but Caine rejects it for the third time, Uriel then curses Caine and all his future spawn with a hunger for blood and unliving bodies. *In Neon Genesis Evangelion, "Arael" is the name of the 15th Angel, which appears in Episode 22. Its appearance resembles a vaguely bird-shaped bolt of lightning. *In the video game series ''

Darksiders ''Darksiders'' is a hack and slash action-adventure video game franchise created by Vigil Games, now developed by Gunfire Games, which consists of some of the original members of Vigil. The series is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, where mank ...

'', Uriel (Voiced by Moon Bloodgood) is portrayed as the leader of Heaven's armies known as the Hellguard and is depicted as female. * In the TV show '' Supernatural'', Uriel (played by

Robert Wisdom Robert Ray Wisdom (born September 14, 1953) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in '' The Wire,'' Norman "Lechero" St. John in ''Prison Break'', and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu movie ''Vacation Friends''. ...

) appears in 4 episodes and is described as a " specialist" when he first appears to series protagonists

Dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

and Sam Winchester, prepared to wipe out a town in order to prevent an augur of the apocalypse. He is later revealed to be attempting to ensure Lucifer's release while killing other angels, but is killed in a confrontation with the renegade angel

Anna Milton Anna Milton is a fictional character portrayed by actress Julie McNiven on The CW Television Network's drama and horror television series '' Supernatural''. First appearing in the fourth season, Anna is a fallen angel who champions humanity ov ...

. A past version of Uriel appears in the episode "The Song Remains the Same" when Anna travels back in time to stop the Apocalypse by killing Dean and Sam's parents before they can have children, as Michael and Lucifer can only wage their apocalyptic final battle if Dean and Sam will consent to act as their vessels on Earth. Anna tricks the younger Uriel into helping her attack the Winchesters, but Uriel is subsequently banished and his memories erased by Michael, who uses the Winchesters' father John as a temporary vessel. *In the TV show ''

Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...

'', Uriel (appearing in 2 episodes, played by

Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Ou ...

) is a minor antagonist of the main character with the power to understand innate patterns. *In Highschool DxD, the mythological angel Uriel is one of the Four Great Seraphs alongside Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, being the only Angel who inherited the Flame of God, having powers to manipulate divine flames. *In the TV series ''

Good Omens ''Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch'' is a 1990 novel written as a collaboration between the English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. The book is a comedy about the birth of the son of Satan and the c ...

'', Uriel is played by Gloria Obianyo. *In Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo franchise of videogames, "Auriel" is the Archangel of Hope, the only feminine member of the Angiris Council, and the most light-hearted of them. *On Bladee’s 2022 album

Spiderr ''Spiderr'' is the eighth studio album by Swedish musician Bladee. It was released on 30 September 2022 via Year0001. The album was announced via Bladee's Instagram on 15 September 2022 and along with the announcement, a song and accompanying v ...

, the final track is titled “URIEL OUTRO.”

Gallery

File:Image of Uriel the Archangel, Cairo.jpg, Fresco of archangel Uriel at the Hanging Church in

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

, 13th century File:Архангел Уриил - mosaic fragment, XIVth century.jpg, 14th-century Russian

mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

fragment of Uriel File:Hosios Loukas (south cross-arm) - Uriel by shakko.jpg, Mosaic of archangel Uriel in Hosios Loukas File:Dionisius - uriil.jpg, Fresco by Dionisius depicting St Uriel,

Ferapontov Monastery The Ferapontov convent (russian: Ферапонтов монастырь), in the Vologda region of Russia, is considered one of the purest examples of Russian medieval art, a reason given by UNESCO for its inscription on the World Heritage List ...

, Russia File:Sant’Uriele Arcangelo (Pala d’oro).jpg, Archangel Uriel depicted on Pala d'Oro, St Mark's Basilica, Venice File:Warriorangel.jpg, 18th-century Cuzco School painting of Uriel as a warrior angel File:Washington Allston - Uriel Standing in the Sun - WGA00192.jpg, ''Uriel Standing in the Sun'' by Washington Allston, 1817 File:St.Michael - Deckenfresco Engel Uriel.jpg, Archangel Uriel, fresco at the ceiling by Johann Georg Unruhe from Saint Michael parish church, Untergriesbach, 1780 File:Fresco of Archangel Uriel.jpg, Fresco of archangel Uriel at a Russian Orthodox church File:Archangel Uriel, St Martin's in the Bull Ring.jpg, Archangel Uriel as the regent of constellations, St Martin in the Bull Ring File:Archangel Uriel statue at the San Miguel Church, Manila.jpg, Statue of archangel Uriel at the San Miguel Church File:LOC Painting 07.jpg, Mural of archangel Uriel by Henry O. Walker in Thomas Jefferson Building, inspired by Emerson's poem '' Uriel'' File:Monumento a la familia Stirling - Argois.JPG, Statue of archangel Uriel at the File:St Augustine's Church, Kilburn Park Road, London NW6 - geograph.org.uk - 995920.jpg, Carving of St Uriel at

St Augustine's, Kilburn Saint Augustine's, Kilburn, is a Church of England church in the area of Kilburn, in North London, United Kingdom. Because of its large size and ornate architecture, it is sometimes affectionately referred to as "the Cathedral of North London", ...

File:Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (Dayton, Ohio) - stained glass, St. Uriel.JPG, A stained glass window of Uriel in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...

) File:Archangel Uriel, St Andrew's, Chippenham.jpg, Uriel as the regent of the sun and of constellations, St Andrew's Church, Chippenham File:St Uriel, St Mary the Virgin's, Lynton, Devon.jpg, St Uriel as the regent of constellations, St Mary the Virgin's Church, Lynton File:Archangel Uriel, St James' Church, Grimsby.jpg, Stained glass of St Uriel at the Church of St James, Grimsby File:Archangel Uriel, Holy Trinity Church, Kingston upon Hull.jpg, Stained glass of St Uriel at the Holy Trinity Church, Hull

Notes

External links

Jewish Encyclopaedia
Uriel

What about angels, demons, miracles, and the supernatural?

Themes of seeing in ''Paradise Lost'' with Milton's use of Uriel.

Online copy of the golden legend
{{Authority control Archangels Archangel in Judaism Archangels in Christianity Angels of the Presence Angels in the Book of Enoch Testament of Solomon Anglican saints Eastern Catholic saints Eastern Orthodox saints Oriental Orthodox saints