Fairies and Angels- what’s the difference? (2024)

FAQs

Fairies and Angels- what’s the difference? ›

Fairies tend to be small, often no taller than a child, while angels are commonly depicted as tall and majestic figures. Additionally, fairies do not necessarily have religious connotations, whereas angels are often associated with spirituality and are considered divine messengers in various religious beliefs.

One big-difference between fairies and angels is that fairies are much closer to the Earth plane than angels. Another big difference between angels and fairies is that angels are spiritual beings whose purpose revolves around carrying out the Divine will and serving humanity.

– Fairy wings look like insect wings, similar to dragonfly or butterfly wings. Angel wings are bird's wings and feathered. They tend to be bigger and more dramatic than a fairy's utilitarian insect wings. – Fairies are usually clothed in bright colored naturals: flower petals, leaves or some sort of plant.

Writing in 1887, Lady Jane Wilde popularised the Irish belief that: fairies are the fallen angels who were cast down by the Lord God out of heaven for their sinful pride…and the devil gives to these knowledge and power and sends them on earth where they work much evil.

Belief in elves and other fairy-like beings originates from before the Christianisation of Europe, and such creatures only came to be described as 'Pagan' from the Middle Ages. Only once these beliefs had segued into later Christian culture did they become associated with the angels and demons of Christian cosmology.

There are no specific biblical passages that directly address or reference fairy beliefs. The Bible does not mention the concept of fairies, which are mythological or folkloric creatures. However, some people interpret a few passages as having connections to fairy beliefs.

Folklorists and mythologists have variously depicted fairies as: the unworthy dead, the children of Eve, a kind of demon, a species independent of humans, an older race of humans, and fallen angels. The folkloristic or mythological elements combine Celtic, Germanic and Greco-Roman elements.

noun. an imaginary supernatural being, usually represented in diminutive human form and characterized as clever, playful, and having magical powers. slang. a male hom*osexual. away with the fairies informal.

In Irish mythology, what we would call "fairies" are called Fae. These Fae were humanoids who were extremely good looking but with an absence of wings. They also had two courts: The good (seelie) and the bad (unseelie).

The angels of the Bible were not winged. (The winged Cherubim and Seraphim are figures derived from the Near Eastern tradition of winged zoomorphic guardian figures and are not angels since they perform none of the angelic functions.)

What do fairies want from humans? ›

Fairies love shiny things, particularly things no one else seems to want, like old buttons, charms and paperclips. They don't however like human money. That is why they like to give it away when they collect your teeth.

Tradition says that abductions took place to increase the strength of fairy stock, and because they needed red blood in order to secure their place in Heaven.

These 'fallen angels' are also called evil spirits, unclean spirits, or more simply demons. In the Greek world the word 'daimon' was a positive word referring to supernatural creatures midway between gods and human beings.

According to Britannica, fairies are mythical creatures belonging to ancient folklore, usually known for having magical powers, sometimes dwarf-sized in appearance and “characteristically beautiful or handsome.” Here's more about the origin of these characters and if they're real or simply a work of fiction.

In medieval times, it was supposed that arteries carried a fluid, called "spiritual blood" or "vital spirits", considered to be different from the contents of the veins. This theory went back to Galen. In the late medieval period, the trachea, and ligaments were also called "arteries".

The human treatment of love is a concept many faeries do not understand, and thus a "human"-like love of a faery to a mortal is frowned upon. For the fae folk, servitude is love.

Fairy Spiritual Meaning

Faires symbolize a deeper connection to nature, unseen realms, and your inner child. They might highlight your intuition, a yearning for enchantment, or a reminder that hidden sources of support and guidance are all around you.

“Fairy” is a non-gendered word, unless an individual fantasy author makes it different for their story. “Nymph,” on the other hand, is feminine. The original meaning of the word was “bride.” And “satyr” is male, though late in antiquity artists made up “satyresses.”

The terms 'fairy' and 'faerie' refer to supernatural beings that are typically depicted as small, magical creatures with wings. The difference is that 'fairy' is the more common spelling, while 'faerie' is an archaic and uncommon spelling.