Angel

From the Greek 'angelos' (messenger).

A messenger of God. Angels play a major role in Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the New Age. The Bible mentions several creatures that are all classified as angels; such as angels, seraphim and cherubim. Satan is described in the Bible as an evil angel.

In the Bible they were described as an intelligent and immortal species, usually presented as being visually indistinguishable from humans; i.e. with a human body and without wings. They delivered messages from God, and either harmed or helped humans.

Because the Bible's cosmology asserts that the earth was flat, which it was covered by a metal firmament or dome, and that God resided in Heaven above the dome, angels have often been portrayed as having wings so that they could fly like birds from Heaven to earth and back.