Home » Feast Days & Memorials » Feast of the Guardian Angels

Feast of the Guardian Angels

 The Guardian Angel 1656 Oil on canvas, 225 x 143 cm Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, RomeThe concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine that, although not specifically stated in Scripture, can be inferred from the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

A feast in honor of the guardian angels was first observed in the 16th century. In 1615, Pope Paul V added it to the Roman calendar.  The photo here is from Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, Rome.  Pietro da Cortona, 1656, oil on canvas.