National Be an Angel Day

National Be an Angel Day is a celebration of good deeds. Many religions believe in the presence of personal guardian spirits, called daimons in ancient Greece, geniuses and junos in ancient Rome, and angels in Christianity. These spirits are believed to help people do good deeds, protect and guide them, and pray for them as they navigate through life and journey to eternal life. The idea behind National Be An Angel Day is that people can also perform angelic functions themselves by being kind, merciful, understanding, and sympathetic

History

National Be an Angel Day was created in 1993 by Clergywoman Jane Howard Feldman. Social media has helped to popularize this unusual holiday, and it is now celebrated by individuals and various organizations alike. Jane is the author of several books, such as “Communicating with Angels” (published in 1992), “Driving Under the Influence of Angels” (2002), and “Angels by My Side” (2004). The purpose of creating this national day is to encourage people to do good deeds.

Interesting facts

Interestingly, in early Christian images from the 3rd-4th centuries, angels did not look very different from humans. Frescoes and marble sarcophagi from that time period depict bald, bearded or teenage-looking angels, all without wings and dressed in ordinary clothes. The depiction of winged angels as we know them today, as seen in art from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, was likely influenced by ancient images of the winged goddess of victory Nike and the young god of love Eros (also known as Cupid).

How to take part

• There are many ways to celebrate National Be an Angel Day:
• Thank everyone who has done something good for you.
• Help a stranger in need, whether it be an elderly person, a woman, or a child.
• Do spontaneous acts of kindness, such as giving up your seat on public transportation, baking a cake for your neighbors, giving flowers to a person you don’t know, or praising someone else’s pet.
• Donate money or time to a charitable organization.
• Share information about the holiday on social networks using the #BeAnAngelDay hashtag.

When is National Be an Angel Day celebrated in 2024?

National Be an Angel Day is observed on August 22 each year.

Observations