Camael, Archangel of Mars

Most people are comfortable with the gentle angels. Camael is not one of them.

In the world of the ancients, there are no tame angels. This is especially true of the Archangel of Mars, who is sometimes called Camael (also spelled Chamuel) and sometimes Samael (or Zamael).

In modern astrology, Mars is called the action or energy principle. But traditional interpretations of Mars go deeper. It's Mars that represents the strength and fortitude to do what must be done, no matter the cost. The stories of the angels Camael and Samael both evoke these themes.

The Archangel Camael has been called the "Archangel of Divine Justice." As a warrior angel, he's been named the leader of the angelic rank of Powers, who guard souls from demons on the path to heaven. Camael has also been linked with the leader of the forces that expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden — the angel who wielded the flaming sword.

But he's also said to be one of the angels who comforted Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. Gabriel would have brought comfort. Camael brought fortitude and strength.

A second angel linked to Mars is the Archangel Samael. He, too, tackles the hard jobs. In some accounts, it's Samael in the form of a snake who tempts Eve with the apple, and Samael who slaughtered the firstborn in Egypt during the Passover. In his role as the "adversary," Samael wrestles with Jacob in the desert, testing his resolve. The Jewish mystical text the Zohar quotes Samael directly: "My entire domination is based on killing. And if I accept the Torah, there will be no more wars. My rule is over the planet Maadim [Mars] that indicates spilling of blood."

The myths surrounding both Camael and Samael depict them doing what must be done, even knowing the cost may be high, or that they will be reviled for it. This is the key to understanding the Angel of Mars: the tradition is careful to distinguish between force in service of something true — the surgeon's cut, the pruning that allows the vine to bear more fruit — and cruelty, which is force that has lost its orientation entirely. Camael acts from the deepest compassion and love. That is what makes him dangerous and trustworthy.

On the Tree of Life, Camael is associated with the sephiroth Geburah — Strength, or Severity. Geburah's virtue is courage. Its vice is cruelty. The distance between them is intention.

When you need strength to do what is hard, to speak out no matter the cost, or to practice some tough love, Camael is your ally. Asking for his assistance on Tuesday, Mars' day, or in the Mars hour is especially fortuitous.

Looking for another Archangel? Return to Introducing the Planetary Archangels.