Archangel Michael And The Balance
Archangel Michael and the balance
E. Robens
Institute for Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Duisbergweg 10-14, D – 55099 Mainz, Germany
In chemical techniques the balance is one of the oldest and also today one of the most often used measuring instrument. Because the principle of the balance is sophisticated and the instrument is mysterious without knowledge of the laws of nature soon a mythological significance was granted. It was thought to be operated by gods and saints and many pictures show it in their hands. Because the balance is always a copy of a real instrument constructional features and developments may be detected. Because in such drawings and sculptures the balance is always a copy of a real instrument, constructional features and developments of ancient times may be detected.
In the Christian world in particular the archangel Michael was the operator of the balance. Archangel Michael was mentioned first in the Scriptures of the Bible in the Book of Daniel as a helping angel of Israel [1]. In the New Testament in the Letter of Judas he appears as an adversary against the devil. In the Apocalypse during the Last Judgement he is the victorious hero in the struggle with the hell\’s dragon resulting in the downfall of Lucifer and his team. He widespread reverence found first in the Orthodox Church. Since the 11th century, first in Byzantium, he escorts the deceased to the throne of God and acts as a weigher of the soul at the Last Judgement. As the saint patron of Kyiv he became a symbol of freedom of Ukraine.
In the Roman Catholic Church Michael is regarded as the standard-bearer of the heavenly hosts and so he was chosen as the protector of the armies of Christian nations. Venerated as "angel of the people" he became the saint patron of Germany. Michael\’s day is celebrated in autumn with the obvious intention to supersede the Germanic Wodan cult. Many churches and in particular chapels of castles are devoted to
Michael Archangel. He became the angel of the German people and protector of the country. Representations of the archangel, armed as knight with sword and often with scales, are found everywhere [2].
References
1. The Bible, Dan. 10,13,21;12,1; Judas 9; Apocalypse 12,7.
2. R. Vieweg: Kulturgeschichte der Waage. Bizerba, Balingen 1966.
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