A man walks down the street It's a street in a strange world Maybe it's the third world Maybe it's his first time around Doesn't speak the language He holds no currency ... He looks around, around He sees angels in the architecture Spinning in infinity He says, "Amen and Hallelujah!" —Paul Simon, Call Me Al (video)

During Christmastide you can see them, coming through the mail slot with their cards, waiting patiently on the tops of trees, helping to sell knick-knacks in advertisements. You might even see them on a can of vegetables, "Peas on Earth, Goodwill to All".

But wait a few weeks and you'll see them in their normal abodes. Peek through the windows of a church, look up at the roof, check out the weathervane. They're in cemeteries, on bridges, helping children. Angels in the architecture. They're everywhere.

On bridges, doors, columns, roofs, walls and windows

• 
  "Angel with the Column" by Antonio Raggi on the Bridge of Angels, Rome
• 
  Archangel Michael, Saint Isaac's Cathedral, St. Petersburg, Russia
• 
  Angel atop Alexander Column, St. Petersburg, Russia
• 
  Apostle Matthew with an angel on the roof of Saint Isaac's Cathedral, St. Petersburg

• 
  Mosaic of the four archangels, St John's Church, Warminster
• 
  Stained-glass window designed by Edward Burne-Jones, St. James's Church, Staveley, Cumbria
• 
  St Michael and All Angels Church, Brighton

And weathervanes

• 
  Weathervane on Santa Justa Chapel, São Lázaro, Braga, Portugal
• 
  Weathervane in São João do Souto, Braga, Portugal.
• 
  Weathervane in Póvoa de Lanhoso, Portugal

Jacob's ladder

• 
  Relief of Jacob wrestling with the angel with Jacob's ladder in Bad Doberan, Germany
• 
  Jacob's Ladder in the Cappella Palatina, Palermo

An angel in Staglieno

• 
• 
  Giulio Monteverde's Angel of the Resurrection
• 

The music of the angels with trumpets and otherwise

• 
  Angel in Meaux Cathedral
• 
  Angel in Tyrol
• 
  Angel in Amberg

• 
  Angel with a bagpipe in Burgos, Spain
• 
  Angel with a tuba in Waldburg, Austria

Guardian angels

• 
  Angel at Kolpingstraße 5 in Limburg an der Lahn
• 
  Angel in Saint Michael parish church in Untergriesbach
• 
  Angel in Kusel

	George Bailey: Look, I think maybe you better not mention getting your wings around here. Clarence Odbody: Why? Don't they believe in angels? George: A... Yeah, but... you know... Clarence: Then why should they be surprised when they see one? —It's a Wonderful Life (video)

May the better angels of our nature always appear when we need them. Happy holidays to all!