Angels-CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM SOCIETY

The Cherubim and Seraphim Society is an independent African
church founded in Nigeria in 1925 by Christianah Abiodun Akinsowon
as a result of angelic visions. The church is organized according
to angelic hierarchies, and members assume such titles as mother
cherub and mother seraph. The founder’s visions involved flights to
heaven, in which an angel escorted her from her bed to the celestial
regions and showed her many sights, including hosts of singing angels.
After several visions, Akinsowon met Moses Orimolade Tumolase,
an itinerant missionary. Together they prayed for guidance and
became the center of an emergent prayer group. Receiving guidance
for a new association, they established the Cherubim and Seraphim
Society, attributing God as the founder and the archangel Michael
as captain.
Church members believe that through the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, the society has learned precisely how God wishes his people to
serve and worship him—in the same manner as the angels serve and
worship God in heaven. Members are quick to point out that they
worship God in the manner of angels; they do not worship the angels
themselves. Among other doctrines, the church believes that every
individual has a personal guardian angel. Members wear to their worship
robes decorated with a variety of symbols. They also stress the
singing of hymns (a primary function of angels), and celebrate the traditional
angel holidays.