Why Do Angels Have Wings

Angels refer to winged creatures that have the likeness of humans but are generally considered divine. They are said to be messengers from heaven which is appropriate since the term came from ancient Greek ‘angelos, which means messenger. Since they are believed to be spiritual beings questions were raised as to why they would need wings for flight or to transport themselves.

The most logical place to look for the origin of the angel’s wings is the Bible. In the books of Exodus and Isaiah, there were accounts that described the ‘cherubim, and ‘seraphim,, spiritual beings that possessed wings. But in other chapters, angels were also described as spiritual beings but there were no mention of them having wings. This led to the conclusion that winged angels belonged to a higher order of spirits who wielded more power than the ordinary angels.

Another theory explains that during ancient time’s artists and painters had a hard time conveying the idea of flight for these beings in their works that they resorted to placing wings. This could explain why most angels were made of feathers which can be attributed to birds being the only creatures known to fly.

Still in other versions like in Greek Mythology, gods who visited humans often transformed themselves into birds to facilitate a faster way of moving. Many believe that spiritual beings like angels possess such power and that translated to their image as having wings.

Whatever the truth about angels’ wings is, only one thing is for sure. The image of a winged angel has become so popular that it is now the most widely accepted description and definition of the creature or being. It has become a universal character that in every language and culture they are believed to exist and they always bring about good fortune, safety, and health.