When and how were the Angels created?

Based on the testimony of Holy Scripture and Tradition, the Church says that the Angels were created by God before the creation of the visible world. In the Symbol of Faith we confess: "I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible..." This invisible means the spiritual world. The Apostle Paul writes about the same thing in the following way: "For by Him all things were created, both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things stand."13

In the Book of Job we read how the Lord menacingly says to Job, who is arguing with God: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you know. Who has put a measure on it, if you know?.. On what are its foundations established, or who laid its cornerstone, with the general rejoicing of the morning stars, when all the sons of God shouted for joy?" 14 "Sons of God" is a characteristic biblical phrase for angels, both good and evil. These words of the Lord show that at the creation of our planet, Angels were already present and rejoicing. How the Angels were created is unknown to us. We remember how God creates the world: "And God said, and it was so!" This is probably what happened in the case of the Angels: "By that speech and was, by that command was created".. 15

The opinion that the Angels were created before the material world was also dominant among the Holy Fathers. Thus, in St. Gregory the Theologian we read: "Since it was not enough for the Goodness of God to exercise only in the contemplation of Himself, but it was necessary that the good should be poured out, go on and on, so that there would be as many benefactors as possible (for this is the property of the highest Goodness), then God invents, first, angelic and heavenly powers. And thought became a deed that is filled with the Word and done by the Spirit. So... the intelligent world was created by God... And since the first creatures were pleasing to Him, He invents another world, material and visible; and this is the harmonious composition of heaven, earth, and that which is between them." Prep. St. John of Damascus, accepting the opinion of St. Gregory the Theologian about the time of the creation of the Angels, adds: "I agree with Gregory the Theologian: for it was more proper to first create an intellectual essence, then a sensual one, and then from both essences – man."

The Ministry of Angels

"You want to know," says Blazh. Augustine, is the name of the Angelic nature? It is a spirit. Do you want to know his position? This is an Angel. In his essence he is a spirit, and in his activity he is an Angel."

The main ministry of the Angels is the continuous praise of God, co-celebration in the accomplishment of the great events of the Divine economy,16 as well as participation in the salvation of man. Concern for the salvation of man fell on the Angels after the fall of our forefathers, so St. Basil the Great says that this ministry of the Angels is "only temporary." After the end of the history of our world, the Angels, together with righteous people, will enter the eternal and blessed Heavenly Kingdom. Angels and people here will be friends and heirs of a blessed life.

Probably, there is no need to emphasize that the angels do not praise the Lord under compulsion. The incessant doxology is something completely spontaneous and comes from the Angels themselves, when they contemplate in utter amazement and ecstasy the endless Beauty of God and the greatness of His creation. This primary ministry of angels is mentioned in many testimonies of the Holy Scriptures.

The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord surrounded by ineffable glory, seated on a throne high and exalted. Around Him with reverence and fear "stood the Seraphim; each of them (had) six wings, two of which they covered their faces, not daring to look and not enduring the sight of God's glory; with the help of the other two, they flew, calling to each other, and all together in one Divine harmony sang: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of His glory."17 Also on Christmas night, as the Evangelist Luke relates, "suddenly there appeared with an angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, glorifying God and crying out: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!" 18

The service of the Angels to the mystery of God's Economy is the fruit of both love and gratitude to the Creator, as well as the result of the desire for one's own progress on the path to endless perfection. For this reason the Angels desire with great trepidation to penetrate into the mysteries of the Divine Economy.19

The care of the angels for our salvation is the most well-known and beneficial angelic ministry for us. The Apostle Paul says that angels "are ministering spirits sent to minister for those who are to inherit salvation."20 From the Gospel we know that angels fulfill this ministry of theirs with great zeal and joy, and therefore they rejoice in heaven even "over one sinner who repenteth."21