Is St. John the Baptist an angel?

Awhile back, when Ace was about three, he asked me if St. John the Baptist was an angel. Instinctively, I told him no."Then why does he have wings in that icon?"Hmm...good question. Why does he have wings? I had never really noticed his wings before. Isn't it funny how we become so accustomed to the things around us that we stop really seeing them? After church I couldn't find our priest, so I asked our Gerondissa.  And I was amazed by what she told me (and my spiritual father confirmed the story at a later time)!Before Lucifer fell, he was the head archangel. When he and his army were banished to Hades, that entire rank was left empty.St. John was obviously Christ's forerunner on Earth but what I didn't know was he was also his forerunner in hell. When he died, he went to hell like all before him did, before Christ bridged heaven and earth, and while he was there he preached the message of repentance. Just like he did on earth.In return for this, Christ will establish him as the head archangel after His second glorious coming.I also asked what would happen to the rank of angels that were banished along with Lucifer and he told me that monastics who earn the great schema on earth (and obviously membership into the Kingdom of Heaven) will fill that rank.I just thought that was incredible! We can learn from our children every day!Many years to those of you who are celebrating your nameday today! May St. John intercede for us always!