WITH ANGELS UNA WARES...

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33941, 6 September 1975, Page 11

WITH ANGELS UNA WARES...

Be careful as you walk round the Cathedral for there are, at my reckoning, at least 110 angels in picture or carving, not to mention 11 cherubs. And don’t dismiss angels too easily.

In the life of Jesus they announced his birth to Mary, to Joseph and to the Shepherds. They comforted him after his 40 days in the wilderness, and in the Garden of Gethsemane.

They appeared at the empty tomb and at the ascension, and twice at least Jesus mentions them.

In medieval times the subject of angels was studied with care. Nine orders or classifications were observed, namely: Angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, and five more with suprising titles — thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, and principalities, derived from two texts (Ephesians 1.21 and Colossians 1.16).

They could be distinguished, we are told,

by the number of their wings and by their apparel. We have the nine orders portrayed in the rose window, the big round window at the west end, but unfortunately our artist did not do his homework and they all look identical.

In Genesis 3.24 The Lord placed cherubim on guard at the Garden of Eden, armed with a flaming sword which turned every way. Was the flaming sword lightning?

There is a suggestion the cherub was thunder and the seraph lightning. Check this with Psalm 18 verse 10 onwords, which describes a thunder storm.

We have several archangels: Gabriel in two stained glass windows, Michael in two windows and also carved in stone. At the bottom of the centre window, above the high altar there are Gabriel holding a lily, Michael in armour, and Raphael with a fish tied to his staff. The carved angels on the choir screen are holding trumpets, a stringed instrument and an organ.

The eight coats of arms of the other New Zealand dioceses are held by two angels each, at the top of the panelling in the sanctuary. These are flying angels.

Bishop Warren saw some on a mosaic in Ravenne and his sketch was the basis of a design by Mr Johnston of the School of Fine Arts and the carving was done by Mr Jake Vivian.

But in St. Luke’s Church the angels in the picture of the ascension have no wings. Archdeacon Witty says that a former vicar, The Rev W. W. Sedgwick, later Bishop of Waiapu, wrote to Mr. Hole, the artist in England, and asked him to make a copy of this famous picture.

Mr Hole replied that he never made a copy, and sent the picture as before but the angels had no wings.

Bishop Warren suggests that it was Sedgwick who asked for no wings. He thought wings were superstitious. An angel in St. Michael’s church is said to have peacock feathers. Above the high altar there are four half angels, or angel busts, if that is a polite way of referring to celestial beings. Each one is holding a shield with the instruments of the passion of Christ — nails, hammer, sponge with vinegar on it, and a ladder. The saddest Cathedral angels are at the base of the eagle lecturn, about IBin high and delicately carved in wood. Time and again vandals break off the slender wings. The late Mr George Worthington, a Cathedral sidesman, used to carve new ones. Now I wonder whether I could get them cast in metal and painted — too strong for idle hands to break. The Bible says: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13.1