They aren't human, nor are they divine. But their power is extraordinary. And they are spiritual beings. While some serve God, others rejected him. They're angels.
The Church maintains that their existence is real and that they have a key role in some crucial moments of history, like Christmas.
FR. MARCELLO STANZIONE
Author, 'The Angels of Christmas'
'What does Christmas teach us? That God has ordered angels to bring people to Jesus.'
Marcello Stanzione has written more than 100 books about angels. He isn't a theologian but instead a simple Italian pastor. Still, he takes very seriously his research into the beings which Pope Francis calls 'ambassadors of God.'
POPE FRANCIS
October 2, 2015
'We ask our Lord for the grace of this sensibility. Of listening to the voice of this ambassador from God, who is always with us on His behalf.'
Stanzione says coming into contact with an angel is very simple: one simply just needs to pray, especially before sleep. At night, their advice can offer important information about our life, as it did for Saint Joseph.
FR. MARCELLO STANZIONE
Author, 'The Angels of Christmas'
'Saint Joseph was a person so full of God that even when he slept, he kept contact with the divine. As a matter of fact, the Lord sent him an angel to advise him...In the Bible, often the Angels reveal the secrets of God. They reveal to us what is the mission of our life.'
The unique image of Saint Joseph sleeping is one of the Pope's favorites. He keeps it on his desk and says that he leaves notes describing his concerns because the angel of God revealed solutions to that saint in the dead of night.