02 October - A guardian angel is a form of guardian spirit in the tradition of Catholicism but its existence is not part of the articles of faith. It is an angel assigned to protect the salvation of one or more individuals.

This concept was developed within Christian theology mainly from its study in the 12th century by Honoré d'Autun1 , notably from the passage in the Gospels "Beware lest ye despise one of these little ones, for I say unto you, their angels in heaven continually see the face of my Father which is in heaven" (Mt 18, 10). Faith towards the guardian angels can be traced back to antiquity. The concept of guardian angels and their hierarchy developed massively in Christianity during the 5th century as a result of Pseudo-Denys the Areopagite. The development of devotion to the humanity of Christ and the collapse of the theophanic meaning of the angel led to the weakening of the angelic figure in its function as mediator and messenger in favour of that of protector, individual or collective, and luminous escort of God. Thus, the cult of collective guardian angels (patrons of cities, trades and corporations) developed in the Crown of Aragon at the end of the 14th century, partly under the influence of the Franciscan Francesc Eiximenis and the Dominican Vincent Ferrier, while Pope Paul V instituted the feast of personal guardian angels in 1608.

Pope Francis explained that "we all have, according to the tradition of the Church, an angel who protects us and makes us feel things". The guardian angel "is not a somewhat fanciful doctrine, it is a reality"", everyone has an angel "at his side" who "leads him", like a "fellow traveller". The pope encouraged to "listen to him and follow his advice" because the guardian angel "leads man to the end of his life". "Today, I would ask myself this question: what relationship do I have with my guardian angel? Do I listen to him? Do I say good morning to him in the morning? Do I say to him: "Protect me while I sleep?" Do I talk to him? Do I ask him for advice? He is by my side. Each of us can answer this question today: "How is my relationship with this angel whom the Lord has sent to guard me and accompany me on my journey, and who always sees the face of the Father in heaven".