One of the most important angels, described as an
archangel, seraph, and cherub. Uriel probably means
“fire of God” or “God is my light.” Uriel is often identi-
fied as one of the four primary angels, along with
Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, possibly aspects of the
ANGEL OF THE LORD
. He is not part of the official
Catholic canon, but he is prominent in Jewish texts
and apocryphal writings.
Uriel is among the angels identified as the
ANGEL OF
DEATH
;
ANGEL OF GREAT COUNSEL
;
ANGEL OF PEACE
;
ANGEL OF TRUTH
; and as one of the
ANGELS OF THE
EARTH
;
ANGELS OF THE PRESENCE
;
ANGELS OVER THE
CONSUMMATION
and one of the
ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION
sent to destroy
SODOM AND GOMORRAH
. He is an angel
of September, summer, and Libra and Aquarius.
In 1 Enoch Uriel (Suriel) is identified as a guide to
ENOCH
on his trip through the layers of heavens; he is
the angel who “watches over thunder and terror.” As a
cherub, Uriel is said to guard the Gate of Eden with a
fiery sword in hand. He also appears as a “benign
angel” who attacks
MOSES
for not observing the cir-
cumcision rite of his son, a role also credited to
Gabriel. In the Testament of
SOLOMON
, Uriel thwarts
Error, who leads men astray. He is one of the seven
PLANETARY RULERS
. (See
THWARTING ANGELS
.)
Uriel is portrayed as a stern and punishing angel.
Enoch said he is head of the seven archangels, and he
presides over Tartarus or
HELL
, where he pursues pun-
ishment of sinners. According to the Apocalypse of St.
Peter, this punishment consists of burning sinners in
everlasting fire and hanging blasphemers by their
tongues over unquenchable fires. On the day of judg-
ment, he will break the brazen gates of Hades and
assemble all the souls before the judgment seat.
Uriel is among the angels identified as the dark
angel who wrestles with
JACOB
. In the Prayer of
Joseph, Uriel states, “I have come down to earth to
make my dwelling among men, and I am called Jacob
by name.” The exact meaning of this statement is not
clear, but it suggests that Uriel might have become
Jacob, thus making him the first angel of record to
become a mortal.
Various Jewish sources relate the story that when
Cain kills Abel and tries to bury the corpse, earth
spews it up again and cries, “I will receive no other
body until the clay that was fashioned into Adam has
been restored to me!” At this Cain flees, and Michael,Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael place the corpse upon a
rock, where it remains many years without corrupting.
When Adam dies, these same archangels bury both
bodies at Hebron side by side, in the very field from
which God had taken Adam’s dust.
According to midrashim and 1 Enoch, the
FALLEN
ANGELS
Azael and Semyaza (see
WATCHERS
) cause
such wickedness on earth that the archangels tell
God. He sends Raphael to bind Azael hand and
foot, heaping jagged rocks over him in the dark Cave
of Dudael, where he now abides until the last
days. Gabriel destroys the Fallen Ones by inciting
them to civil war. Michael chains Semyaza and his
fellows in other dark caves for 70 generations. Uriel
becomes the messenger of salvation who visits
NOAH
.
Dispatched by Metatron, he warns Noah about the
coming Flood.
Like Metatron, Uriel also is credited with giving the
gift of the
KABBALAH
to humanity. He is said to have led
Abraham out of Ur and to have interpreted prophecies
for the benefit of humanity. In 4 Ezra, Uriel reveals
heavenly mysteries to
EZRA
and answers weighty ques-
tions about evil and justice. He serves as a guide of the
luminaries.
Uriel appears in
QUMRAN TEXTS
, such as the Gospel
of Barnabas.
Uriel was condemned as one of the
REPROBATED
ANGELS
in 745
C
.
E
. by a church council, but he was
later reinstated. He is often portrayed as holding a
flame in his open hand.
