Angels-DAYS OF THE WEEK (ANGELS AND THE)

In ancient times astrology was a universal language or symbolic code
that was used to interpret every imaginable phenomenon. As far back
as Roman times, the days of the week were correlated with the traditional
planets (the Sun, the Moon, and the five planets visible to the
naked eye). Monday is ruled (see rulership) by the Moon (“Moonday”),
Tuesday by Mars, Wednesday by Mercury, Thursday by Jupiter,
Friday by Venus, Saturday by Saturday (“Saturnday”), and Sunday by
the Sun (“Sunday”). In ancient times an activity ruled by a particular
planet was said to be enhanced when carried out on a day ruled by
that planet (e.g., Mercury-ruled Wednesday was good for writing and
sending letters—activities ruled by the planet Mercury).
In later European history angels came to be associated with almost
every aspect of daily life in a manner similar to astrology. Even the
same metaphor of rulership was utilized, with angels said to rule various
objects and cycles. Through this and other connections, astrology
and angelology became associated. With respect to angels and days of
the week, the traditional associations are as follows:
Day of the Week Angel
Sunday (Sun) Michael
Monday (Moon) Gabriel
Tuesday (Mars) Sammael
Wednesday (Mercury) Raphael
Thursday (Jupiter) Sachiel
Friday (Venus) Anael
Saturday (Saturn) Cassiel
Sunday
Michael, whose name means “who is as God,” is the angel who
rules Sunday, the day associated with the Sun. In astrology the Sun is
said to rule the sign Leo, which indicates they share certain characteristics.
Leo is the sign of the king, the central personality of a country
and the person responsible for overseeing the kingdom, coordinating
its activities, and administering justice. Such a description aptly fits
Michael, who in postbiblical Jewish, Christian, and Islamic writings
ranks as the greatest of all angels. He also administers justice as the
angel of the Last Judgment, the “weigher of souls.” In addition,
Michael is chief of archangels and chief of the order of virtues.
Monday
The angel and archangel for Monday, which is associated with the
Moon, is Gabriel, whose name means “God is my strength.” In astrology the Moon is associated with women and childbirth; it also represents
the principle of creativity in the sense of giving birth to ideas.
Thus the correlation between the Moon and Gabriel is fitting since
Gabriel, the chief ambassador to humanity, announced the conception
of Christ to the Virgin Mary, and Muhammad claimed that Gabriel
dictated the Koran to him (thus giving birth to a new religion).
Tuesday
Sammael is the ruler of Tuesday, the day associated with Mars. In
astrology Mars is associated with aggression, conflict, and emotional
passion, as well as with physical skills. Sammael (whose name is an
amalgam of sam, “poison,” and el, “angel”) is an angel of death, the
prince of demons, and a magician in rabbinic literature. In the Sayings of
Rabbi Eliezer he is charged with being the one, who in the guise of a serpent,
tempted Eve, seduced her, and became the father of Cain. In the
Zohar Sammael is the dark angel who wrestled with Jacob at Peniel.
In Longfellow’s The Golden Legend, Judas Iscariot explains to the
rabbi why the dogs howl at night: “In the Rabbinical book it sayeth /The dogs howl when, with icy breath, / Great Sammael, the Angel of
Death, / Takes through the town his flight.”
Wednesday
Raphael, “the Shining one who heals,” rules Wednesday, associated
with Mercury. Traits associated with the planet Mercury (as with the
Roman god) include travel and communication. According to Sophy
Burnham (A Book of Angels), Raphael is especially concerned with pilgrims—
not only travelers but those on pilgrimages to communicate
with God. He is portrayed with staff and sandals, a water gourd, and a
wallet strapped over his shoulder. In the Book of Tobit, Raphael acts as
companion and guide to Tobit’s son, Tobias, revealing himself only at
the end as a servant of the four subprinces of the infernal empire.
Thursday
Sachiel, whose name means “covering of God,” is frequently
described as ruler of Thursday, the day associated with Jupiter. He is a
presiding spirit of the planet Jupiter and an angel of the order of
cherubim. He is invoked from the south (also the west.)
In the lore of witchcraft and black magic he is described as a servant
of the four subprinces of the infernal empire.
Friday
Anael, chief of the order of principalities and one of the seven
angels of the Creation, is ruler of Friday. He thus exercises dominion
over the planet Venus, and as ruler of the planet of love he is concerned
with human sexuality. (In Longfellow’s The Golden Legend,
Anael is referred to as the angel of “the Star of Love.”)
Saturday
Cassiel is one of the rulers of the planet Saturn, associated with
Saturday. He is known as the angel of solitudes and tears, perhaps
reflecting a saturnine temperament given to moroseness and sullenness.
He is also sometimes called the angel of temperance, and the
planet Saturn is strongly associated with the social order. It is an
embodiment of the principle of stability, and the opposite of upheaval.
Cassiel is one of the princes of the order of powers. In Francis
Barrett’s The Magus he is pictured as a bearded jinn riding a dragon.