The Grigori (from Greek egrḗgoroi, "The Watchers") are, in one popular version, a group of fallen angels described in Biblical apocrypha who mated with mortal women, giving rise to a race of hybrids known as the Nephilim, who are described as giants in Genesis 6:4. A different idea of the Grigori appears in some traditions of Italian witchcraft where the Grigori are said to come from ancient stellar lore. References to angelic Grigori appear in the books of Enoch and Jubilees. In Hebrew they are known as the Irin, "Watchers," found mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Daniel (chapter 4). Integrated Regional Information Networks, commonly known as IRIN, is a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tasked with providing information relevant to those responding to and affected by complex emergencies, such a conflict-induced forced migration, and natural disasters, such as hurricanes and... Egregore (also egregor) is an occult concept representing a thought form or collective group mind, an autonomous psychic entity made up of, and influencing, the thoughts of a group of people. ... This article is about the entities from Christian mythology. ... The biblical apocrypha includes texts written in the Jewish and Christian religious traditions that either were accepted into the biblical canon by some, but not all, Christian faiths, or are frequently printed in Bibles despite their non-canonical status. ... For other uses, see Nephilim (disambiguation). ... Jack the Giant-Killer by Arthur Rackham. ... For other uses, see Genesis (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Book of Jubilees (ספר היובלים), sometimes called the Lesser Genesis (Leptogenesis), is an ancient Jewish religious work. ... Hebrew redirects here. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... For other uses, see Book of Daniel (disambiguation). ...

According to the Book of Enoch, the Grigori numbered a total of 200 but only their leaders are named:

These are the names of their chiefs: Samyaza, who was their leader, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danel, Azkeel, Saraknyal, Asael, Armers, Batraal, Anane, Zavebe, Samsaveel, Ertael, Turel, Yomyael, Azazyel (also known as Azazel). These were the prefects of the two hundred angels, and the remainder were all with them. (1Enoch 7:9)

In Enoch, the Watchers are angels apparently dispatched to Earth simply to watch over the people. They soon begin to lust for the human women they see, and at the prodding of their leader Samyaza, they defect en masse to marry and live among men. The children produced by these relationships are the Nephilim, savage giants who pillage the earth and endanger humanity. Samyaza, Azazel, and the others become corrupt, and teach their human hosts to make metal weapons, cosmetics, and other necessities of civilization that had been kept secret. But the people are dying and cry to the heavens for help. God sends the Great Flood to rid the earth of the Nephilim, but sends Uriel to warn Noah so as not to eradicate the human race. The Grigori are bound "in the valleys of the Earth" until Judgment Day. (See Jude 1:6) Samyaza (Aramaic: שמיחזה, Greek: Σεμιαζά) also Shemyazaz, Sêmîazâz, Semjâzâ, Shemyaza, Samyaza, Shemhazai, and Amezarak (Ethiopic corruption) is a fallen angel of Christian tradition that ranked in the heavenly hierarchy as one of the Grigori (meaning Watchers in Greek). ... Daniel was the 7th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch and the name means judgement of God. Categories: Book of Enoch | Hebrew Bible/Tanakh-related stubs ... Chazaqiel was the 8th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... For other uses, see Azazel (disambiguation). ... Make-up redirects here. ... This article is about great floods. ... Dyonisius: Fresco depicting archangel Uriel. ... This article is about the biblical Noah. ... This article or section should be merged with End times and Last judgment The Last Judgement - Tympanum sculpture at the Abbey Church of Ste-Foy, Conques-en-Rouergue, France In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgement is the ethical-judicial trial, judgement, and punishment/reward of individual humans (assignment to heaven...

The Watchers story in Enoch is derived from Genesis chapter 6. Verses 1-4 describe the "Origin of the Nephilim" and mention the "Sons of God" who beget them: For other uses, see Genesis (disambiguation). ...

When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw how beautiful the daughters of man were, and so they took for their wives as many of them as they chose. Then the Lord said: "My spirit shall not remain in man forever, since he is but flesh. His days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years." At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later), after the sons of God had intercourse with the daughters of man, who bore them sons. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4)

Here, the "sons of God" are given no specific name or function; they could represent fallen angels, or simply heavenly beings that mate with women. For other uses, see Nephilim (disambiguation). ...

The Book of Jubilees adds further details about the Watchers. The Book of Jubilees expands and reworks material found in Genesis to Exodus 15. ...

In the Book of Daniel an Aramaic term used to denote angels is "watchers" (`îrîn).<sup>[1]</sup> Each of these heavenly beings is called by the double name "watcher and holy one" (`îr weqadîsh), which denotes one type of heavenly being not two. The term "watcher" probably derives from the verb "to be awake" or "to be vigilant," so that the implication of calling the angels "watchers" is that they are constantly on watch as sentinels for Yahweh.^[2] For other uses, see Book of Daniel (disambiguation). ...

Angels were fairly popular in Jewish folklore, which often describes them as looking like large human beings that never sleep and remain forever silent. While there are good and bad Watchers, most stories revolve around the evil ones that fell from grace when they took "the daughters of man" as their mates. Jewish mythology is the body of mythology of the Jewish people and Judaism as understood by some people. ...

References to other Grigori

In the early stellar cults of Mesopotamia there were four "royal" Stars (known as Lords) which were called the Watchers. Each one of these stars "ruled" over one of the four cardinal points common to Astrology. This particular system would date from approximately 3000 BC. The star Aldebaran, when it marked the Vernal Equinox, held the position of Watcher of the East. Regulus, marking the Summer Solstice, was Watcher of the South. Antares, marking the Autumn Equinox, was Watcher of the West. Fomalhaut, marking the Winter Solstice, was Watcher of the North. In the star myths the Watchers themselves were depicted as gods who guarded the Heavens and the Earth. Their nature, as well as their "rank", was altered by the successive lunar and solar cults that replaced the older stellar cults. Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ...

Eventually the Greeks reduced the Watchers to the gods of the four winds.

Earlier mystical Hebrew sects organized the Watchers into an Archangel hierarchy. According to this system the Watchers were ruled over by four great Watchers known as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Auriel. In the Old Testament (Daniel 4: 13 17) there is reference made to the Irin, or Watchers, which appear to be an order of angels. In early Hebrew lore the Irin were a high order of angels that sat on the supreme Judgment Council of the Heavenly Court. In the Apocryphal Books of Enoch and Jubilees, the Watchers were sent to Earth to teach law and justice to humankind. The most common associations found in various texts on Medieval magic regarding the Watchers are as follows:

1. Araqiel: taught the signs of the earth. 2. Armaros: taught the resolving of enchantments. 3. Azazel: taught the making of weapons of war. 4. Barqel: taught astrology. 5. Ezequeel: taught the knowledge of the clouds. 6. Gadreel: taught the art of cosmetics. 7. Kokabiel: taught the mystery of the Stars. 8. Penemue: taught writing. 9. Sariel: taught the knowledge of the Moon. 10. Semjaza: taught Herbal enchantments. 11. Shamshiel: taught the signs of the Sun. Arakiel (Aramaic: פלא פקתן, Greek: ‘Αραθάκ Κιμβρά) is a fallen angel from the pseudepigraphical Book of Enoch. ... Armârôs (Aramaic: תרמני, Greek: Αρεαρώς) was the eleventh on a list of 20 leaders of a group of 200 fallen angels called Grigori or Watchers. ... For other uses, see Azazel (disambiguation). ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... Kôkhabîêl (Aramaic: כוכבאל, Greek: χωβαβιήλ) the angel of the stars, [1] was the 4th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... In Enoch lore, one of the Watchers/Grigori. ... Sariel is one of the archangels mainly from Judaic and Islamic traditions. ... Samyaza, also known as Semjaza and Shemhazai, is a fallen angel ranking in the heavenly hierarchy as a Grigori (also known as Watchers). In the Book of Enoch he is portrayed as an angel consumed with lust for mortal women. ...

It is these same angels who are referred to as the Sons of God in the Book of Genesis. According to Christian belief their sins filled the Earth with violence and the world was destroyed as a result of their intervention. Richard Cavendish, in his book The Powers of Evil, makes references to the possibilities of the Giants mentioned in Genesis 6:4, being the Giants or Titans of Greek Mythology. He also lists the Watchers as the fallen angels which magicians call forth in ceremonial magic. Cavendish mentions that the Watchers were so named because they were stars, the "eyes of night."

Christian theologians joined the Watchers to an evil class of fallen angels known as the principalities of the air. St. Paul, in the New Testament, calls the Fallen Angels "principalities": "for we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers...against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in High Places". It was also St. Paul who called Satan "The prince of power of the air", and thus made the connection of Satan (himself connected to "a star", Isiah 14: 12 14) and etheric beings, for they were later known as demons and as principalities of the Air.

This theme was later developed by a French theologian of the 16th Century, named Sinistrari, who spoke of beings existing between Humans and Angels. He called them demons and associated them with the Elemental natures of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. This, however, was not a new concept but was taught by certain Gnostic sects in the early days of Christianity. Clement of Alexandria, influenced by Hellenistic cosmology, attributed the movement of the Stars and the control of the four elements to angelic beings. Sinistrari attributed bodies of fire, air, earth, and water to these Beings, and concluded that the Watchers were made of fire and air. Cardinal Newman, writing in the mid 1800s, proposed that certain angels existed who were neither totally good nor evil, and had only "partially fallen" from the Heavens. Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special, hidden mysticism (esoteric knowledge) that only a few possess. ... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ... John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (February 21, 1801—August 11, 1890), English cardinal, was born in London, the eldest son of John Newman, banker, of the firm of Ramsbottom, Newman and Co. ...

In some witchcraft and Wiccan systems the Watchers are beings who guard portals that link worlds together. Within such systems they are viewed as a spiritual race, a set of deities, or as spirits of the four elements. The Watchers are associated with the four quarters of north, east, south, and west. In some Traditions the Watchers are associated with the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. They are also linked to each solstice and equinox, as well as to a specific star. Witch redirects here. ... For the book series Wicca see Sweep (book series) and Circle Of Three. ... A portal in fiction is a magical or technological doorway that connects two distant locations. ...

In Charles Leland's book Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches, he recounts the tale of "The Children of Diana, or how the fairies were born" in which it is stated that Diana created "the great spirits of the stars". In another legend titled "How Diana made the Stars and the Rain" Leland writes that Diana went "to the fathers of the Beginning, to the mothers, the spirits who were before the first spirit". Some Italian witches believe that the Grigori (Watchers) are such an ancient race and this reference may well speak of them. Charles Godfrey Leland (1824–1903) was an American humorist and folklorist, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and educated at Princeton University, and in Europe. ... Title page of the original edition of Aradia Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches is an 1899 book by Charles Godfrey Leland. ...

Over half a century following Leland's works, Gerald Gardner wrote of the Watchers and their connection to Wicca. In Wiccan religion the Watchers are evoked at quarterly "Watchtowers" to guard and witness the rites performed before them. In some Traditions each new initiate is taken to the four quarters and formally introduced to each of the Watchers. The Watchers are known by many names including the Old Ones and the Dread Lords of the Outer Spaces.

In many Witchcraft/Wiccan traditions the Watchers are not only the guardians of the portals to other realms, but also protectors of the magic circle, and witnesses to rites. Each of the ruling Watchers oversees a Watchtower, which is now a portal marking one of the four quarters of the ritual circle. In Ancient times a "Tower" was a military fighting unit, and a "Watchtower" was a defending home unit, similar to a National Guard. Witch redirects here. ... For the book series Wicca see Sweep (book series) and Circle Of Three. ... A portal in fiction is a magical or technological doorway that connects two distant locations. ... This article is about the magicians organization. ... National Guard may refer to: A military force: Cypriot National Guard United States National Guard National Guard (France), active during the French Revolution Saudi Arabian National Guard A part of the Military of Kuwait Iraqi National Guard A part of the Military of Venezuela Portuguese Republican National Guard National Guard...

Partial List of Grigori and Their Sources

• Armaros (also Amaros) in Enoch I taught men the resolving of enchantments.
• Araqiel (also Arakiel, Araqael, Araciel, Arqael, Sarquael, Arkiel, Arkas) in Enoch I taught humans the signs of the earth. However, in the Sibylline Oracles, Araqiel is referred to not as a fallen angel, or Grigori, but as one of the 5 angels who lead the souls of men to judgement, the other 4 being Ramiel, Uriel, Samiel, and Azazel.
• Azazel in I Enoch taught men to make knives, swords, shields, and how to devise ornaments and cosmetics.
• Baraqel (Baraqiel) taught men astrology (from Enoch I).
• Chazaqiel taught men the signs of the clouds (meteorology) in Enoch I.
• Kokabiel (also Kakabel, Kochbiel, Kokbiel, Kabaiel, and Kochab), in The Book of the Angel Raziel, is a high-ranking, holy angel but, in general apocryphal lore and also in Enoch I, he is a fallen Grigori, resident of nether realms, and commands 365,000 surrogate spirits to do his bidding. Among other duties, he instructs his fellows in astrology.
• Penemue in I Enoch 69.8 "taught mankind the art of writing with ink and paper," and taught "the children of men the bitter and the sweet and the secrets of wisdom."
• Sariel (also Suriel, Zerachiel, and Sarakiel) is one of the 7 archangels originally listed in the Enoch books as Saraqel. Apocryphally, he is the governor of the zodiacal sign of Aries. In the Enoch books, he also teaches of the courses of the moon (at one time regarded as forbidden knowledge).
• Samyaza (also Shemyazaz, Shamazya, Semiaza, Shemhazi, Semyaza and Amezyarak) is one of the leaders of the fall from heaven and is referred to in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Vocabulaire de l' Angelologie.
• Shamsiel, once a guardian of Eden, in the Zohar, served as one of the 2 chief aides to the archangel Uriel (the other aide being Hasdiel) when Uriel bore his standard into battle, and is the head of 365 legions of angels and also crowns prayers, accompanying them to the 5th heaven. He is referred to in Jubilees as one of the Grigori. In I Enoch he is a fallen angel who teaches the signs of the sun.

Armârôs (Aramaic: תרמני, Greek: Αρεαρώς) was the eleventh on a list of 20 leaders of a group of 200 fallen angels called Grigori or Watchers. ... Enchantment may refer to: Look up enchantment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Arakiel (Aramaic: פלא פקתן, Greek: ‘Αραθάκ Κιμβρά) is a fallen angel from the pseudepigraphical Book of Enoch. ... Araqiel was the 2nd Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... The surviving Sibylline Oracles are not the famous Sibylline Books of Roman history, which were lost not once, but twice, and thus there is very little knowledge of the actual contents. ... This article is about the entities from Christian mythology. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ... Râmîêl (Aramaic: דעמאנל, Hebrew: רעמיאל Greek:‘Ραμιήλ) is the 6th leader mentioned in the Book of Enoch, he is a Grigori or Watcher. ... Dyonisius: Fresco depicting archangel Uriel. ... Samael in Judaism Samael is an important figure in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer, and destroyer. ... For other uses, see Azazel (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Azazel (disambiguation). ... Baraqel is one of the fallen angels in the Enoch listings. ... Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). ... Chazaqiel was the 8th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... For other uses, see Cloud (disambiguation). ... // Meteorology (from Greek: μετέωρον, meteoron, high in the sky; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ... Kôkhabîêl (Aramaic: כוכבאל, Greek: χωβαβιήλ) the angel of the stars, [1] was the 4th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... In Judeo-Christian theologies, apocrypha refers to religious Sacred text that have questionable authenticity or are otherwise disputed. ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: Article about a manga series that does not exist. ... In Enoch lore, one of the Watchers/Grigori. ... Sariel is one of the archangels mainly on the Judaic and Islamic traditions. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Archangel Zerachiel (Gods command) is one of the primary angels who leads souls to judgment. ... This article is about the astrological concept. ... Aries, the ram, is the first astrological sign of the zodiac and its origins are from the Aries constellation. ... This article is about Earths moon. ... Samyaza (Aramaic: שמיחזה, Greek: Σεμιαζά) also Shemyazaz, Sêmîazâz, Semjâzâ, Shemyaza, Samyaza, Shemhazai, and Amezarak (Ethiopic corruption) is a fallen angel of Christian tradition that ranked in the heavenly hierarchy as one of the Grigori (meaning Watchers in Greek). ... The Dead Sea scrolls consist of roughly 1000 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1979 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea) in the West... Shamsiel, also spelled Shamshel or Shamshiel, was the 16th Watcher of the 20 leaders of the 200 fallen angels that are mentioned in an ancient work called the Book of Enoch. ... For other uses, see Garden of Eden (disambiguation). ... The Zohar (Hebrew: זהר Splendor, radiance) is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. ... 12th century icon of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel (Saint Catherines Monastery, Mount Sinai). ... Dyonisius: Fresco depicting archangel Uriel. ... Dyonisius: Fresco depicting archangel Uriel. ... For other uses, see Prayer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Heaven (disambiguation). ... Sol redirects here. ...

Pop Culture References to Grigori

In the role-playing game (RPG) In Nomine, Grigori were all banished from heaven because of the Nephilim. They are also the only Angelic Choir with no rules for creating player characters. This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... In Nomine is a role-playing game designed by Derek Pearcy and published in 1997 by Steve Jackson Games, based on the French game In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas. ...

In Half-Life 2 there is a balding priest who dwells within the city of Ravenholm named Father Grigori. The city was once a Combine free paradise but has since turned into a living hell, filled with fire and headcrab zombies. Half-Life 2 (commonly abbreviated to HL2) is a science fiction first-person shooter computer game that is the sequel to Half-Life. ... Father Grigori, voiced by Jim French, is a character in Valve Softwares computer game sequel Half-Life 2, appearing throughout the Ravenholm chapter (Chapter 6) of the game. ...

In the film Dogma, one of the main antagonists is a grigori named Bartleby. Dogma is a 1999 comedy film, written and directed by Kevin Smith, who stars in the film along with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Bud Cort, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, George Carlin, Janeane Garofalo, and Alanis Morissette. ...

References

Further reading

• Collins, Andrew (2001) From the Ashes of Angels: The Forbidden Legacy of a Fallen Race. Bear & Company. ISBN 978-1879181724
• Lumpkin, Joseph B. (2006) Fallen Angels Watchers, and the Origins of Evil. Fifth Estate. ISBN 978-1933580104

External links

A short essay on the Watcher story at Fickle Muses, and an extended version of same.