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The Grigori - Angelic Watchers The Grigori (from Greek egrgoroi, "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).
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)
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. References
to other Grigori 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. 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. 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. Partial List of Grigori and Their Sources
Version 1.2, November 2002
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