The answer
The doctrine of the guardian angel is based on Scripture (see Gen. 48:16; Tob. 3:25; Acts 12:15). Further, Christ says, “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that, in heaven, their angels always see the face of My Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 18:10). And the Psalmist says, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (Ps. 91:11). And, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him” (Ps. 34:7). Also, those gathered in the upper room said to the maid that the one who is knocking on the door is not Peter but his angel (Acts 12:15). St. Paul also asked women to cover their hair “because of the angels” (1 Cor. 11:10).
The Jews thought that two angels accompany them when they return from the synagogue on the Sabbath, one good and the other evil. This particular teaching appears in some early Christian writings, for example, in the Epistle of Barnabas639 and in the works of St. Clement of Alexandria. In the book, The Shepherd of Hermas we find: “There are two angels with a man—one of righteousness, and the other of iniquity … When anger comes upon you, or harshness, know that the devil is in you. When these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of iniquity is in you. Now that you know his works, depart from him, and in no respect trust him, because his deeds are evil, and unprofitable to the servants of God.”640
Origen notes that “We must believe that angels, since they are the servants appointed by God, to be with the believers as they pray that they may pray with them. Every believer— even the youngest in the church—is helped by an angel who beholds God’s face and His divinity and thus, the angel aids us as much as possible in whatever we ask for.”
“… each believer, although the humblest in the Church, is said to be attended by an angel, who is declared by the Saviour always to behold the face of God the Father.”641
“But when a person shall have accepted the faith, then Christ, who is the redeemer and redeemed him from the malignant lords with the price of his own blood, delivers the person believing in God to an angel who is holy and always sees the ‘face of the Father’ because of his purity.”642
“… if we must say that every human soul has been placed under some angel, as under a father.”643
“Every soul who, after she has turned to God and come to faith, undoubtedly experiences conflicts of thought and assaults of evil spirits, which strive to call her back to the attractions of her former life and the errors of unbelief. But lest this should happen, lest the evil spirits should again find foothold in her, God's providence looked forward in such wise as to provide the little ones and those who, being as yet but babes and sucklings in Christ, cannot defend themselves against the wiles of the devil and the attacks of evil spirits, with angel champions and guardians. These are ordained by Him to act as tutors and governors of those who, as we said, are underage and so unable to fight for themselves.”644
“Or at least since the Lord in the gospel testifies that the hearts of sinners are besieged by ‘seven demons’ (Luke 11:26), ‘the priest’ appropriately ‘sprinkles seven times before the Lord’ in purification that the expulsion ‘of the seven evil spirits’ from the heart of the person purified may be shown by ‘the oil shaken seven times from the fingers.”645
“For the just are those who need the help of angels of God, to keep them from being overwhelmed by demons, so that their hearts not be pierced by "an arrow flying in the darkness’ (cf. Ps. 91:5).”646
“When the angels saw the Lord of hosts walking on earth, they followed Him and walked on the way which He first opened, since He assigned them to care for those who believe in Him. So the angels are serving your salvation. When He took flesh, they had to follow him. I can hear them say, ‘If He took a mortal body, how can we stand idle? Come all you angels. Come! Let us descend from heaven.’ For this reason, there were numerous angels praising God and glorifying Him at the birth of Christ. The place was full of them.”647
So, every individual has a guardian angel, as does every city and every church.
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Notes
639 “Epistle to Barnabas,” in Staniforth, Maxwell, and Andrew Louth, eds. Early Christian Writings, Penguin Classics, 2000, pp. 155–184, 18: p. 179.
640 Pastor of Hermas (or Shepherd of Hermas) Commandment 6.2 (ANF 2:24).
641 Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) 2.10.7 (ANF 4:296).
642 Origen, The Commentary of Origen on the Gospel of St Matthew. Vol. 2, trans., Ronald E. Heine (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018), 13.28: p. 422.
643 Origen, The Commentary of Origen on the Gospel of St Matthew. Vol. 2, trans., Ronald E. Heine (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2018) 13.5: p. 404.
644 Origen, Origen: The Song of Songs, Commentary and Homilies Commentary 2.3 (ACW 26:117).
645 Origen, Homilies on Leviticus 1–16 8.11.14 (FOTC 83:175).
646 Origen, Homilies on Numbers, trans., Thomas P. Scheck (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2009) 5.3.4: p. 20.
647 Origen, In Ex. hom. 1.7.