Archangel Jeremiel: Meaning, 4 Ezra, Enoch, Associated Stones

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Jeremiel, “mercy of God”, is named in 4 Ezra 4:36 as the archangel of souls who wait. Sources, the link with Remiel, Orthodox traditions and modern readings of hope.

Key points

Names	Jeremiel, Jérémiel, Hiérémiel, Jerahmeel, Yerahmiel
Meaning of the name	Yerahme’el: “God will have mercy”, “mercy of God”
Sources	4 Ezra 4:36; Apocalypse of Zephaniah; sometimes identified with Remiel (Enoch 20:8)
Ancient tradition	Archangel who answers Ezra about the time of waiting
Modern tradition	Archangel of hope, visions and consolation
Feast	8 November (Synaxis of the Archangels), among Orthodox who count him
Modern stones	Amethyst, lepidolite, angelite

Who is Jeremiel?

Jeremiel (Jérémiel in French), also written Jerahmeel, is an archangel named in one major ancient text: the fourth book of Ezra. His Hebrew name, Yerahme’el, combines rahamim (compassion, mercy) and El (God): “God will have mercy”. He is not named in the Bible recognised by the Catholic and Protestant Churches, and his figure is discreet, compared with those of Michael or Gabriel. He is presented in our guide to the archangels.

Do not confuse him with the prophet Jeremiah, whose name is different. However, the name Yerahme’el is borne by several men in the Hebrew Bible (for example 1 Chronicles 2:9 and Jeremiah 36:26), which can feed the confusion.

Origin and textual sources

Source	Status	What it says about Jeremiel
4 Ezra (or 2 Esdras), chapter 4, verse 36	Jewish apocalypse written towards the end of the first century, transmitted as an appendix to the Latin Vulgate; outside the Catholic canon	The souls of the righteous ask how long they must wait. The archangel Jeremiel answers that it will be when the number of those like them is complete. Some ancient versions read Uriel or Remiel at this point.
Apocalypse of Zephaniah	Ancient Jewish apocalypse preserved in Coptic	An angel named Eremiel, interpreted as Jeremiel, is in charge of the abyss and the abode of the dead, where souls have waited since the Flood.
First book of Enoch, chapter 20, verse 8	Ancient Jewish text, outside the Jewish, Catholic and Protestant canons	Remiel is one of the seven holy angels, “set over those who rise”. Several authors identify him with Jeremiel; others distinguish them.
Orthodox tradition	Liturgical calendar	Some calendars count an eighth archangel, Jerahmeel, alongside the seven, in the feast of 8 November.

In the major religions, Jeremiel is not a recognised angel. The Catholic Church retains only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. For the closely related Remiel, see the page on the archangel Remiel.

Iconography

There is no ancient iconography specific to Jeremiel. Some modern presentations show him with scales, as in a few late Orthodox icons, but we have not been able to confirm this attribute in an ancient source. Most contemporary images are free illustrations, in shades of violet or lavender.

Symbolism: waiting and mercy

The passage in 4 Ezra depicts a wait: the righteous await the end of times. Jeremiel’s answer is striking, because it gives no date: the wait ends when a number is reached. Readers have seen in it an image of patience, and a way of saying that history does not belong to impatience.

The name itself recalls compassion. Associated with hope, Jeremiel has become, in modern literature, the archangel of those who wait for change, who mourn a project, who need consolation. These are symbols: they commit to no outcome.

Feast, day and colour

He has no Roman feast. In Orthodox tradition, he may be associated with 8 November, the day of the Synaxis of the Archangels. No day of the week is stably attributed to him. Modern colours vary: pale violet, lavender, sometimes midnight blue. There is no consensus: these choices come from recent authors.

What belongs to tradition and what is modern

Ancient Jewish texts: an archangel named in 4 Ezra (late first century) and, in the form Eremiel, in the Apocalypse of Zephaniah; these are apocalyptic texts, not normative texts.
Eastern Christian traditions: an eighth archangel in some Orthodox calendars.
Modern systems: a figure of the archangel of hope and consolation, with colours and stones. They are recent, vary from one author to another, and rest on no religion.

The Catholic Church does not recognise any named archangel beyond Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. This does not make these correspondences useless: they serve as supports for the imagination and for attention. They should not be taken as facts.

Stones associated in modern traditions

Violet and pale blue tones are the most often cited. A recent convention, with no ancient source:

Amethyst: violet quartz (hardness 7), which fades in strong sunlight
Lepidolite: pink-lilac mica, soft, to be handled with care
Angelite: pale blue anhydrite, soft, which dislikes prolonged contact with water

Each stone entry gives its care and precautions.

Respectful practice

A notebook of waiting: write down three things you are waiting for and cannot control, then, for each one, a small gesture that depends on you. No result is promised.
A gentle candle (white or lavender) placed on a stable base and a non-flammable surface. Never leave it unattended.
A word of consolation: write to someone going through a difficult period. A concrete gesture matters more than invocation.
If you are a believer: pray with the words of your own tradition. Jeremiel is not recognised by the major Churches; respect their position.

If waiting or sadness weigh heavily on you, speak to someone close to you, to your doctor or to a professional. In France, 3114 (suicide prevention, free, 24 hours a day) responds to any distress; in an emergency, call 17 or 112 (the emergency number throughout the European Union).

Frequently asked questions

What does Jeremiel mean?

From the Hebrew name Yerahme’el: “God will have mercy” or “mercy of God”. It is a traditional etymology.

Is Jeremiel in the Bible?

No, not in the Catholic and Protestant canons. He appears in 4 Ezra 4:36, an apocryphal text, which is included as an appendix to the Vulgate.

Are Jeremiel and Remiel the same angel?

Many authors identify them, because the versions of 4 Ezra and Enoch sometimes read one name and sometimes the other. Others distinguish them. Both have their own page on our site.

What is the link with the prophet Jeremiah?

None. The prophet’s name (Yirmeyahu) is different from that of the archangel (Yerahme’el).

Which stones are associated with Jeremiel?

Amethyst, lepidolite and angelite are the most often cited, according to recent conventions that vary from one author to another.