Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels

A 1959 Catholic missal has this to say about the October 2 feast of The Holy Guardian Angels:

"God has given each one of us a special angel for our protection and assistance both in soul and body, especially at the hour of death.  This knowledge should fill us with reverence for and devotion to our guardian and give us confidence in the face of difficulties.  The Church celebrates today a special liturgical feast in their honor but we should not fail to invoke the assistance of our guardian angel every day of our lives."

 The liturgical color is white.
 

Above is the favorite old picture of a guardian angel and below is the favorite old prayer to one's guardian angel:

The Guardian Angel Prayer
(in Latin and English)

"Angele Dei,
qui custos es mei,
me tibi commíssum pietáte supérna,
illúmina, custódi, rege et gubérna.
Amen."

"Angel of God, my guardian dear
to whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this day (or night) be at my side
to light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen."

The feast dates from 1411, when in Valencia, Spain, it was introduced in honor of the guardian angel of that city. It was added to the Roman Calendar in 1608. Devotion to the guardian angels, however, dates back much further.

By the way, October 2 is an appropriate occasion to read about St. John Bosco and his gray dog.

Image:
Leiber's "Guardian Angel", from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.