Meet Archangel Sandalphon, Angel of Music

Archangel Sandalphon's Roles and Symbols

Archangel Sandalphon music drum
Archangel Sandalphon is the angel of music. SuperStock/Getty Images

The Archangel Sandalphon is known as the angel of music. He rules over music in heaven and helps people on Earth use music to communicate with God in prayer.

Sandalphon means "co-brother," which refers to Sandalphon's status as the spiritual brother of the archangel Metatron. The ending of -on indicates that he ascended to his position as an angel after first having lived a human life, believed by some to be the prophet Elijah, who ascended to heaven on a horse-drawn chariot of fire and light.

Other spellings of his name include Sandalfon and Ophan (Hebrew for "wheel"). This refers to ancient people's identification of Sandalphon as one of the living creatures with spiritual wheels from a vision recorded in Ezekiel chapter 1 of the Bible.

Roles of Archangel Sandalphon

Sandalphon also receives the prayers of people on Earth when they arrive in heaven, and he then weaves the prayers into spiritual flower garlands to present to God, according to the liturgy for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.

People sometimes ask for Sandalphon's help to deliver their prayers and songs of praise to God, and to learn how to use their God-given talents to make the world a better place. Sandalphon is said to have lived on Earth as the prophet Elijah before ascending to heaven and becoming an archangel, just as his spiritual brother, Archangel Metatron, lived on Earth as the prophet Enoch before becoming a heavenly archangel. Some people also credit Sandalphon with leading the guardian angels; others say that Archangel Barachiel leads the guardian angels.

Symbols

In art, Sandalphon is often depicted playing music, to illustrate his role as the patron angel of music. Sometimes Sandalphon is also shown as an extremely tall figure since Jewish tradition says that the prophet Moses had a vision of heaven in which he saw Sandalphon, whom Moses described as being very tall.

Energy Color

The angel color of red is associated with Archangel Sandalphon. It is also associated with Archangel Uriel.

Sandalphon's Role According to Religious Texts

Sandalphon rules one of the seven levels of heaven, according to religious texts, but they don't agree on which level. The ancient Jewish and Christian non-canonical Book of Enoch says that Sandalphon rules over the third heaven. The Islamic Hadith says that Sandalphon is in charge of the fourth heaven. The Zohar (a sacred text for Kabbalah) names the seventh heaven as the place where Sandalphon leads other angels. Sandalphon presides over the exit from the spheres of the Kabbalah's Tree of Life.

Other Religious Roles

Sandalphon is said to join the angelic armies that archangel Michael leads to fight Satan and his evil forces in the spiritual realm. Sandalphon is a leader among the seraphim class of angels, who surround God's throne in heaven.

In astrology, Sandalphon is the angel in charge of planet Earth. Some people believe that Sandalphon helps differentiate the gender of children before they're born.

Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Hopler, Whitney. "Meet Archangel Sandalphon, Angel of Music." Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/meet-archangel-sandalphon-124089. Hopler, Whitney. (2021, February 8). Meet Archangel Sandalphon, Angel of Music. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/meet-archangel-sandalphon-124089 Hopler, Whitney. "Meet Archangel Sandalphon, Angel of Music." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/meet-archangel-sandalphon-124089 (accessed March 19, 2024).