Seraphim Angel

Unlike the gentle, human-like apparitions we’re familiar with, angels look strange, terrifying even. And it would appear that there’s a good reason behind it. According to the Christian angel hierarchy, seraphim hold the highest rank. In art, the four-winged cherubim are painted in blue to symbolize the sky, while the six-winged seraphim are painted in red to symbolize fire. The Hebrew term “Saraph” means “venomous desert snake” and “Seraph” means “to burn.” These terms are the two main historical influences on Seraphim’s name. The Bible describes seraphim as having six wings, four of which are used to cover their heads and feet in front of God as a symbol of humility, and the remaining two are used to fly. They are second in ranking in the angel hierarchy, with their sheer presence emitting holiness. And unlike the ophanim and cherubim, seraphim are not guard-angels. Seraphim are described by prophet Isaiah as angelic beings that continually worship God by surrounding God’s throne and singing “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory” in unison when God approaches. While they’re the epitome of helpfulness and forgiveness, their appearance instills fear in the prophet. Several historians suggest that the description of the Seraphim’s wings and flames may have been based on the connection with Egyptian imagery and description of the cobra.