ANGEL, a name given to those spiritual intelligent beings, who are supposed to execute the will of God, in the government of the world.
The existence of angels has been admitted in all religions. The Greeks and Latins acknowledged them under the name of genii or dæmons; and, in the alcoran, we find frequent mention of them, the Mahometans assigning them different orders and degrees, and different employments, both in heaven and earth.
ANGEL is likewise a title given to bishops of several churches. In this sense is St Paul understood by some authors, where he says, Women ought to be covered in the church, because of the angels; and thus, in the Revelation, The seven stars are the angels, that is, bishops, of the seven churches.