▁the ▁ang el ▁Bar a q iel ▁who ▁is ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁ang el ▁of ▁light ning . ▁ ▁Icon ography ▁ ▁In ▁icon ography ▁Bar ach iel ▁is ▁sometimes ▁shown ▁holding ▁a ▁white ▁rose ▁against ▁the ▁ch est , ▁or ▁with ▁rose ▁pet als ▁scattered ▁on ▁the ▁cl othing ▁particularly ▁the ▁clo ak . ▁The ▁scatter ing ▁of ▁rose ▁pet als ▁was ▁to ▁symbol ize ▁or ▁represent ▁God ' s ▁sweet ▁bless ings ▁show ering ▁down ▁on ▁people . ▁In ▁Roman ▁Catholic ism , ▁Bar ach iel ▁is ▁dep icted ▁holding ▁a ▁bread ▁basket ▁or ▁a ▁staff , ▁both ▁of ▁which ▁symbol ize ▁the ▁bless ings ▁of ▁children ▁that ▁God ▁best ows ▁on ▁parents . ▁ ▁Pat ron age ▁Bar ach iel ' s ▁respons ib ilities ▁are ▁as ▁varied ▁as ▁the ▁bless ings ▁for ▁which ▁the ▁arch angel ▁is ▁named . ▁Bar ach iel ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁guard ian ▁ang els ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁written ▁that ▁Bar ach iel ▁may ▁be ▁pray ed ▁to ▁for ▁all ▁the ▁benefits ▁which ▁the ▁guard ian ▁ang el ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁confer ▁if ▁one ▁is ▁not ▁pray ing ▁to ▁the ▁guard ian ▁ang el ▁directly , ▁but ▁as ▁an ▁inter cess ion . ▁He ▁is ▁seen ▁as ▁an ▁official ▁saint ▁in ▁By z antine ▁Catholic ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox ▁tradition , ▁in ▁particular ▁a ▁patron ▁of ▁family ▁and ▁married ▁life . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁seen ▁as ▁the ▁ang el ▁assigned ▁by ▁God ▁to ▁watch ▁over ▁converts ▁( also ▁called ▁" ado pt