Powers of the angelic rank. Hierarchy of angels. The ranks of angels - what is it and why are they needed

30.12.2020

The ranks of angels are an important part of Christian culture. After all, even in heaven there is a strict hierarchy. We will help you to understand the angelic Chinaz in this article.

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The ranks of angels - what is it and why are they needed

The kingdom of God is like any organization. If these words seem blasphemous to you, then think about it - where did people get their structure of society from? God made man in his own image and likeness, which means he gave us a hierarchy. Moreover, remember that it bears the title Archangel, that is, the commander-in-chief of the heavenly host. This alone can say that the orders of angels do exist.

Antique icon Image of St. Michael the Archangel, leader of the heavenly host. Russia XIX century.

What are they created for? As in any organization, so in heaven, there must be a reporting structure. Without it, the organization will be in disarray, anarchy. And just for refusing to obey, he was expelled. And remember that each of the angels has its own, so to speak, field of activity. So without a clear hierarchy, it is simply impossible to establish order in such a structure. In general, nine angelic ranks were created by God precisely in order to manage the heavenly kingdom as efficiently as possible.

The creator, of course, is endowed with limitless power and possibility - how else would he have created the whole world? But it is worth understanding that even he sometimes needs to be distracted from one problem in order to tackle another. Moreover, the real world is too fragile to withstand the direct intervention of a deity. Do not forget, which is the Voice of God. After all, if the Creator addresses a person directly, then he simply cannot withstand the power of a true voice and will die. This is why God needs help. Excess power imposes its limitations.

Nine angelic ranks

Yes, this seemingly monolithic organization has its problems. On at least one occasion, a schism has brewed among the angels. But it happened because of which he was able to attract a few rebels to his side. From this we can conclude that the basis of the problems is not in the rationality of the hierarchy, which no one questions. The problem is that only the Lord himself can be perfect in this world. Even Adam and Eve, his beloved children, succumbed to the temptations of the Serpent. Yes, you can make a discount on the freedom of choice given to them. But if their souls were completely pure, then the flattering speeches of the Enemy would not have had their destructive effect.

If we sum up all of the above, it turns out that there is no way in Heaven without a hierarchy. Everything is like people. But should this be surprising? Unlikely. Any organization is designed to exclude, so to speak, the human factor. In our case - angelic. It doesn't always work, but how could it be otherwise? Even a being as perfect as God can have mistakes.

9 angelic ranks of the heavenly hierarchy

We have already talked about how many angelic ranks there are in the Christian religion. There are 9 angelic ranks. Now let's figure it out in essence - what are the angelic ranks and their names? You need to start the story with the fact that the ranks are divided into triads angels. They were created for a reason - each triad unites a certain group of angels. The first is those who are directly close to the Lord. The second - emphasizes the divine basis of the universe and world domination. The third is those who are directly close to humanity. Let's dwell on each in more detail.

Angelic ranks in Orthodoxy

The first triad consists of seraphim, cherubim and thrones. . These six-winged creatures live in constant motion. Often they are confused with the muses, who can also kindle the fire of life in the souls of mortals. But at the same time, seraphim can scorch a person with their heat. Cherubim are guardian angels. It is from them that the protection of the tree of life consists, which appeared after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. The first representatives of the great Distrust, because before the Exile, the tree did not need to be protected. Thrones are not part of the interior. They are the third rank of the first triad, they are often called Mirrors of Wisdom. They reflect the divine providence, and with their help, heavenly souls can predict the future.

The second triad includes powers, dominations and powers. Forces are engaged in transmitting to mortals a piece of divine power. They help in difficult times to take, so to speak, by the head and not despair. Dominations - the middle rank in the angelic hierarchy, personify the craving for freedom and independence, tell people the craving to remove themselves from inequality. Authorities - the rank that closes the second triad. In some texts, the Gospel, for example, it is said that the authorities can be both helpers of good and minions of evil. Carry out manifestations of divine power in the human world.

The third triad completes the hierarchy ladder. It includes principles, archangels and angels. Beginnings - the angelic rank that governs the human Hierarchies. There is a version that it was with their permission that the monarchs were anointed. Archangels are senior angels who govern the actual angels. As an example - the archangel Michael the archangel, the head of the angelic army. Angels are the ones who are most involved in people's lives. They bring news from God, fight in his name, give him honor and glory.

These are all angelic ranks that exist in the Christian religion. In different interpretations, there can be a different number of them, from 9 to 11. But the most reliable is the one mentioned in the writings of Dionysius the Areopagite. They were written at the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 6th century. This is a whole collection of research texts, the purpose of which was to bring clarity to the lives of celestial beings. The theologian asked difficult questions and tried to answer them as clearly as possible. He did it. The key to such success was the spirituality of the researcher and the most powerful power of thought. He read many texts just to satisfy his and our curiosity. It can be said that the theologian simply summed up everything that had been written before him. And this is true, but partially. Even for such a seemingly simple work, titanic efforts were required.

Angelic ranks in Orthodoxy

Between Orthodox and Catholic there is a difference in culture. She also touched on the roles assigned to the angelic ranks. Yes, if you look in general, the differences will not be evident. All the same, even if different denominations, but one and the same religion. What is the difference between the angelic ranks in Orthodoxy?

All 9 angelic ranks are depicted in the "Assumption" by Francesco Botticini.

First, there are no triads in the Orthodox religion. There are degrees here. There are also three of them, and are called - Higher, Middle, Lower. They differ from each other by "remoteness" from the divine throne. This does not in any way mean that God loves the Lower Degree less than the Highest. Of course not. It's just that if the first one directly contacts people, doing the will of God, then mortals hardly see the second one.

The next big difference is the degree of personalization. In Orthodoxy, individual angelic personalities appear more often. They are honored as intercessors and guardians. In Catholicism, this happens much less frequently. Although here, like the Catholics, there are 9 angels, 9 angelic ranks. Both denominations used the same texts, and small differences can be attributed to different interpretations. , for example, display wisdom rather than guards. They have the highest spiritual wisdom, they can use it. For the good, of course, by suggesting to his brothers how best to fulfill this or that command of the Lord.

Let us dwell on the last degree, the lower angelic rank, their description and meaning. In Orthodoxy, they are given the most attention, because they are more often shown to people. Some higher archangels are given names such as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. Ordinary angels communicate most closely with people, even become personal guardians and intercessors. take guardianship over every mortal, instructing him and helping, pushing along the path of God's Plan, the so-called Great Plan.

God immediately created various kinds of angelic forces. The difference between them in nature was not the result of different degrees of "cooling" of the Angels in love, as Origen taught. Dionysius the Areopagite brought into the system the church doctrine of the nine angelic ranks. He writes that the Heavenly World has a hierarchical structure, since not all angelic ranks equally accept divine enlightenment. The lower ranks receive enlightenment from the higher ones. The angelic world is a single whole and, at the same time, a ladder. All Angels to a certain extent participate in the Divine and the Light communicated from Him, but the degrees of their knowledge and perfection are not the same.

The angelic hierarchy consists of three triads. The first, the highest, is - Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. All of them are in the closest and immediate proximity to God, "as if on the threshold of the Divine", at the very Trinity sanctuary. They have access to direct and immediate knowledge of the Divine mysteries. They live in inexpressible illumination, contemplate God in a bright light.

six-winged seraphim(Heb. - flaming, fiery), which are mentioned only by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:2), burn with love for God and incite others to it.

Cherubim(Heb. - chariots) - spiritual creatures that the prophet Ezekiel saw in the images of a man, an ox, a lion and an eagle (Ezek. 1). These symbols mean that the Cherubim combine the qualities of intelligence, obedience, strength and speed. Cherubim stand before the throne of God (Rev. 4:6-7). They are the spiritual vehicle of the Supreme (Ezekiel 1:10) so God is called sitting on cherubs (1 Sam. 4:4).

The cherub guarded the entrance to paradise (Gen. 3:24). Images of two Cherubim overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant, the place of the direct presence of God (Ex. 25:18-20). The king of Tire, symbolizing, according to the holy fathers, Satan, is called the overshadowing cherub (Ezekiel 28:14), which indicates his initial closeness to God.

The many-eyed Cherubim, according to Dionysius the Areopagite, shine with the light of knowledge of God. They send down wisdom and enlightenment for knowledge of God to the lower ranks. They are "rivers of wisdom" and "places of God's rest"; hence some of the Cherubim are called " Thrones", since God Himself rests on them not sensually, but spiritually, with a special abundance of grace.

The middle hierarchy is: Dominions, Powers and Powers.

dominance (Col. 1:16) rule over the successive ranks of Angels. They instruct earthly rulers appointed by God in wise management. They teach to control feelings, to tame sinful lusts, to enslave the flesh to the spirit, to overcome temptations. Forces (1 Pet. 3:22) they work miracles and send down the grace of wonderworking and clairvoyance to the saints of God. They help people in carrying out labors, strengthen them in patience, bestow spiritual strength and courage. Authorities (1 Pet. 3:22; Col. 1:16) have the power to tame the power of the devil. They repel demonic temptations from us, protect ascetics, help them in the fight against evil thoughts. They also have power over the forces of nature, such as wind and fire. (Rev. 8:7).

The lower hierarchy includes: Principles, Archangels and Angels.

Beginnings (Col. 1:16) they rule over the lower Angels, directing their activity towards the fulfillment of Divine commands. They are entrusted with managing the universe, protecting countries, peoples and tribes. They teach earthly authorities to fulfill their duties not for the sake of profits and personal glory, but in everything to seek the glory of God and the benefit of others.

Archangels (1 Thess. 4:16) proclaim great and glorious things. They reveal the secrets of faith, prophecy and the will of God to people, that is, they are the conductors of Revelation.

Angels (1 Pet. 3:22) closest to people. They proclaim the intentions of God, instruct in the virtues and a holy life. They protect the faithful, keep us from falling, raise the fallen.

Saint Dionysius the Areopagite is aware of the imperfection of such a systematization. He writes: “How many ranks of celestial beings, what they are and how they perform the secrets of the hierarchy, only God knows exactly, the Culprit of their hierarchy; they also know their own own forces, their light, their sacred and premier bureaucracy. And we can be told about this as much as God has revealed to us through them, as those who know themselves.”

Blessed Augustine also argues in a similar way: “What there are Thrones, Dominions, Principles and Powers in the heavenly abodes, I unshakably believe, and that they differ from each other, I undoubtedly contain; but what they are and how they differ from each other, I do not know.

Some holy fathers believe that the listed nine ranks do not cover all the existing angelic ranks, there are others that will open only in the Future Age (Eph. 1:21).

The well-known Orthodox theologian, Archpriest John Meyendorff, believes that for the Christian tradition, the hierarchical structure of the angelic world proposed by Dionysius the Areopagite presents great inconvenience. “Old Testament angelology is complex and does not fit into the hierarchy of Dionysius. So, Seraphim in the book of the prophet Isaiah is a direct messenger of God (in the system of Dionysius, Seraphim would have to use the underlying hierarchy). The Church honors the Archangel Michael as the head of the heavenly host (in the Epistle of the Apostle Jude, he fights with Satan), but in the system of Dionysius, the archangel rank is one of the lowest in the heavenly hierarchy. This was noticed by the holy fathers, so they accepted the hierarchy of Dionysius with reservations. Thus, St. Gregory Palamas claims that the Incarnation of Christ violated the original order: in violation of all hierarchical ranks, God sent the Archangel Gabriel, that is, one of the lower Angels, to announce to the Virgin Mary the good news of the Incarnation. Reflecting the same thought, the hymns of the feasts of the Ascension and the Assumption proclaim that the Angels were surprised that the human nature of Christ and the Mother of God "ascends from earth to heaven" completely independently of the angelic hierarchy.

So, it should be borne in mind that the classification of the Celestial Powers of Dionysius the Areopagite is rather arbitrary and schematic, it is unable to satisfactorily explain some of the facts of Revelation and the phenomena of spiritual life. For example, if we strictly follow the scheme of Dionysius, then our communication with God is possible only through Angels. However, in the Holy Scriptures there are any number of examples of people communicating with God without the mediation of Angels.

Archangels

In the canonical books of the Bible, only two names of the Archangels are mentioned:

1) Michael(from Heb. - “who is like God”; Dan. 10:13; Jude 1:9) - Archangel of the incorporeal Forces.

2) Gabriel(from Heb. - "man of God"; Dan. 8:16; Luke 1:19) - a servant of the Divine fortress and a messenger of the mysteries of God.

Four names appear in non-canonical books:

3) Raphael(from Heb. - "God's help"; Tov. 3:16) - a healer of ailments.

4) Uriel(from Heb. - “the fire of God”; 3 Ezra 4: 1) - a servant of Divine love, kindling love for God in hearts and enlightening with the light of God-knowledge.

5) Selaphiel(from Heb. - “prayer to God”) - a minister of prayer, teaching prayer.

6) Jeremiel(from Heb. - "the height of God"; 3 Ezra. 4:36).

In addition, pious tradition speaks of two more Archangels:

7) Yehudiel(from Heb. - “Praise of God”) - an assistant in labor and an advocate for rewards for those who work for the glory of God.

8) Barahiel(from Heb. - "God's blessing") - a servant of God's blessings.

There is an opinion that seven of them are coming to the throne of God. In this sense, the following words from the Revelation of John the Theologian are interpreted: Grace to you and peace from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne” (Rev. 1:4). This is, of course, a rather arbitrary interpretation. The exact meaning of this text is hidden from us.

There are prayers with petitions to each of the Archangels according to their ministry.

1. Holy Archangel Michael, conqueror, conquer my passions.

2. Holy Archangel Gabriel, messenger of God, announce to me the hour of death.

3. Holy Archangel Raphael, healer, heal me from mental and physical illness.

4. Holy Archangel Uriel, enlightener, enlighten my feelings of soul and body.

5. Holy Archangel Yehudiel, glorifier, glorify me with good deeds.

6. Holy Archangel Selaphiel, prayer book, pray to God for me, a sinner.

7. Holy Archangel Varahiel, bless me, a sinner, spend my whole life in spiritual salvation.

8. Holy Angel of God, my Guardian, save my sinful soul.

9. O my Most Holy Lady Theotokos, all the Heavenly Powers of the holy Angels and Archangels and all the saints, have mercy on me, help me in this life, in the outcome of my soul and in the Future Age. Amen

The basis for the creation of the church doctrine about angels is the writtenin the 5th century, the book of Dionysius the Areopagite "On the Heavenly Hierarchy" (Greek "Περί της ουρανίας", Latin "De caelesti hierarchia"), better known in the edition of the VI century. The nine angelic ranks are divided into three triads, each of which has a particular feature.

First triad – seraphim, cherubim and thrones - characterized by close proximity to God;

Second triad – strength, domination and power - emphasizes the divine basis of the universe and world domination;

Third triad – beginnings, archangels and angels proper - characterized by close proximity to man.

Dionysius summarized what had been accumulated before him. Seraphim, cherubim, powers and angels are already mentioned in the Old Testament; dominions, principalities, thrones, powers, and archangels appear in the New Testament.

According to the classification of Gregory the Theologian (4th century)the angelic hierarchy consists of angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, forces, radiances, ascensions and understandings.

According to their position in the hierarchy, the ranks are arranged as follows:

seraphim - the first

cherubs - the second

thrones - third

domination - the fourth

strength - fifth

power - sixth

beginning - seventh

archangels - eighth

angels are the ninth.

Jewish hierarchical constructions differ from Christian ones, since they appeal only to the first part of the Bible - the Old Testament (Tanakh). One source lists ten ranks of angels, starting with the highest: 1. hayot; 2. ofanim; 3. arelim; 4. hashmalim; 5. seraphim; 6. malakim, actually "angels"; 7. elohim; 8. bene Elohim ("sons of God"); 9. cherubs; 10. ishim.

In "Maseket Azilut" ten angelic ranks are given in a different order:1. seraphim led by Shemuel or Yehoel; 2. Opanim, led by Raphael and Ophaniel; 3. Cherubim, led by Cherubiel; 4. Shinanim, over whom Tzedekiel and Gabriel are placed; 5. tarshishim, whose chiefs are Tarshish and Sabriel; 6. we are with Cephaniel at the head; 7. Hashmalim, whose leader is called Hashmal; 8. malakim, led by Uzziel; 9. Bene Elohim, led by Hofniel; 10. Arelim, led by Michael himself.

The names of the elder angels (archangels) vary in different sources. Traditionally, the highest rank is attributed to Michael, Gabriel and Raphael - the three angels named by name in the biblical books; the fourth is usually added to them by Uriel, found in the non-canonical 3 Book of Ezra. A common notion is that there are seven higher angels (associated with magical properties 7), attempts to list them by name have been made since the time of 1 Enoch, but there are too great discrepancies. We confine ourselves to listing the "magnificent seven" adopted in the Orthodox tradition: these are Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Yehudiel, Barachiel, Jeremiel, headed by the eighth - Michael.

The Jewish tradition is extremely high position also leads to the archangel Metatron, who in earthly life was the patriarch Enoch, but in heaven he turned into an angel. He is the vizier of the heavenly court and almost the deputy of God Himself.

1. Seraphim

In Hebrew tradition, the endless singing of the seraphim is known as"trisagion" - Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh (“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of the Powers of Heaven, the whole earth is full of his radiance”), which is considered a song of creation and celebration. Being the closest creatures to God, seraphim are also considered "fiery" because they are engulfed in flames. eternal love.

According to the medieval mystic Jan van Ruysbrok, the three orders of seraphim, cherubs and thrones never take part in human conflicts, but are with us when we peacefully contemplate God and experience constant love in our hearts. They give birth in people divine love.

St. John the Evangelist on the island of Patmos had a vision of angels: Gabriel, Metatron, Kemuel and Nathaniel among the seraphim.

Isaiah is the only prophet who mentions seraphim in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) when he talks about his vision of fiery angels over the Throne of the Lord: "Each had six wings: two covered the face, two covered the legs, and two were used for flight."

Another mention of the seraphim can be considered the book of Numbers (21:6), where a reference is made to "fiery serpents". According to the "Second Book of Enoch" (apocryphal), seraphim have six wings, four heads and faces.

Lucifer stepped out of the rank of seraphim. In fact, the Fallen Prince was considered an angel who overshadowed everyone else until he lost God's Grace.

seraphim – In Judaic and Christian mythologyangels, especially close to God.The prophet Isaiah describes them this way: “In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the Lord sitting on a high throne, and the edges of His robe filled the whole temple. Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two each one covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And they called to each other and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory / ”(Is. 6. 1-3). According to the classification of Pseudo-Dionysius, together with the cherubim and the thrones, the seraphim belong to the first triad: “... the most holy Thrones, the many-eyed and many-winged Orders, called in the language of the Jews Cherubim and Seraphim, according to the explanation of Holy Scripture, are in the greater and most immediate before the others

closeness to God ... as for the name of the Seraphim, it clearly shows their unceasing and everlasting aspiration for the Divine, their ardor and speed, their ardent, constant, unrelenting and unswerving impetuosity, also their ability to really elevate the lower to the heavenly, excite and inflame them to like heat: it also means ability, scorching and burning. thereby purify them – always open. their inextinguishable, constantly identical, light-like and enlightening power. banishing and uchichtozhayuschayu all obscuration.

2. Cherubim

Word "cherub" means "fullness of knowledge" or "outpouring of wisdom".This choir has the power to know and contemplate God and the ability to understand and communicate divine knowledge to others.

3. Thrones

Term "thrones", or "many-eyed", indicates their proximity to the throne of God.This is the rank closest to God: they receive both their divine perfection and consciousness directly from Him.

Pseudo-Dionysius reports:

“So, it is right that the highest beings are consecrated to the first of the heavenly Hierarchies, since it has the highest rank, especially because to it, as the closest to God, the first Theophany and consecrations originally belong, And they are called burning Thrones and an outpouring of wisdom.

heavenly Minds, because these names express their God-like properties ... The name of the highest Thrones means that they

completely free from any earthly attachment and, constantly rising above the valley, peacefully strive for the mountain, with all their might

immobile and firmly attached to the truly Highest being,

accepting His Divine suggestion in complete dispassion and immateriality; also means that they wear God and slavishly carry out His divine commands.

4. Dominions

The holy dominions are endowed with sufficient power to rise above and free from earthly desires and aspirations.Their duty is to distribute the duties of the angels.

According to Pseudo-Dionysius, “the significant name of the holy Dominions ... means some non-servile and free from any low attachment to the earthly exaltation to the heavenly, not in any way shaken by any violent attraction to dissimilar to them, but the dominion is constant in its freedom, standing higher any humiliating slavery, alien to any humiliation, removed from any inequality to itself, constantly striving for true Mastery and, as far as possible, holyly transforming both itself and everything subordinate to it into a perfect likeness to Him, not clinging to anything that accidentally exists, but always wholly turning to the true-existent and incessantly partaking of the sovereign God-likeness ”

5. Forces

The powers are also the angels from whom Abraham received his power when God told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. The main duties of these angels are to work miracles on Earth.

They are allowed to interfere with everything that concerns the physical laws on earth, but they are also responsible for enforcing these laws. By this rank, the fifth in the Hierarchy of Angels, humanity is given valor as well as mercy.

Pseudo-Dionysius says: “The name of the holy Powers means some powerful and irresistible courage, communicated to them as far as possible, reflected in all their God-like actions in order to remove from themselves everything that could reduce and weaken the Divine illuminations bestowed by them, strongly striving for imitation of God, not remaining idle from laziness, but steadfastly looking at the highest and all-strengthening Power and, as far as possible, according to its own forces, is made in Her image, completely turned to Her as the source of Forces and God-like descending to the lower forces to impart power to them.

6. Authorities

Powers are on the same level as dominions and powers, and are endowed with power and intelligence second only to God's. They provide balance to the universe.

According to the Gospels, the authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. Among the nine angelic ranks, the authorities close the second triad, which, in addition to them, also includes dominions and powers. As Pseudo-Dionysius says, “the name of the holy Authorities signifies equal to the Divine Dominions and Forces, slender and capable of receiving Divine illuminations, the Chin and the device of the worldly spiritual dominion, which does not use autocratically for evil the granted domineering powers, but freely and decently to the Divine as itself ascending who brings others holy to Him and, as much as possible, becomes like the Source and Giver of all power and portrays Him ... in a completely true use of his sovereign power.

7. Beginnings

It is also believed that they are the guardians of the peoples of the world. The choice of this term, as well as the term "authorities", to designate the ranks of the angels of God is somewhat doubtful, since c. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, “principalities and authorities” are called “spirits of wickedness in high places,” against whom Christians must fight (“Ephesians 6:12”).

Among those who are considered "chief" in this rank are Nisrok, an Assyrian deity who is considered by occult writings to be the main prince - a demon of hell, and Anael - one of the seven angels of creation.

The Bible says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, neither angels nor

Beginnings, no Powers, no present, no future... can separate us

from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 8:38). By

classification of Pseudo-Dionysius. beginnings are part of the third triad

along with the archangels and the angels themselves. Pseudo-Dionysius says:

“The name of the heavenly Authorities means the God-like ability to rule and govern in accordance with the sacred order, befitting the commanding Forces, both to turn to the Beginning without Beginning, and others, as it is characteristic of the Authorities, to guide Him, to imprint in oneself, as far as possible, the image of the inaccurate Beginning, etc. finally, the ability to express His premier leadership in the well-being of the ruling Forces .., The proclaiming order of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels alternately rules over the human Hierarchies, so that in order there is an ascent and conversion to God, communion and unity with Him, which also from God graciously extends to all Hierarchies, is inspired through communication and pours out in the most sacred harmonious order.

8. Archangels

Archangels - The word is of Greek origin and is translated as “angel chiefs”, “senior angels”.The term "Archangels" appears for the first time in the Greek-language Jewish literature of the pre-Christian time (Greek edition of the "Book of Enoch" 20, 7) as a transfer of expressions like (" Grand Duke”) in the appendix to Michael of the Old Testament texts (Dan. 12, 1); then this term is taken up by New Testament authors (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16) and later Christian literature. According to the Christian heavenly hierarchy, they rank directly above the angels. Religious tradition has seven archangels. The chief here is Michael the Archangel (Greek, “supreme commander”) - the leader of the armies of angels and people in their universal battle with Satan. Michael's weapon is a flaming sword.

Archangel Gabriel - best known for his participation in the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary about the birth of Jesus Christ. As a messenger of the innermost secrets of the world, he is depicted with a flowering branch, with a mirror (reflection is also a way of knowing), and sometimes with a candle inside the lamp - the same symbol of a hidden mystery.

Archangel Raphael - known as a heavenly healer and comforter of the afflicted.

Less frequently, four other archangels are mentioned.

Uriel - this is a heavenly fire, the patron of those who have devoted themselves to the sciences and arts.

Salafiel - the name of the supreme minister, with whom prayer inspiration is associated. On the icons he is painted in a prayerful pose, with his arms folded crosswise on his chest.

Archangel Yehudiel - blesses the ascetics, protects them from the forces of evil. In his right hand he has a golden crown as a symbol of blessing, in his left - a scourge that drives away enemies.

Barahiel - the role of the distributor of the highest blessings was assigned to ordinary workers, especially farmers. He is depicted with pink flowers.

The Old Testament tradition also speaks of the seven heavenly archangels. Their ancient Iranian parallel is the seven good spirits of Amesha Spenta("immortal saints") finds a correspondence with the mythology of the Vedas.This points to the Indo-European origins of the doctrine of the seven archangels, which in turn correlates with the most ancient ideas of people about the septenary structures of being, both divine and earthly.

9. Angels

Both Greek and Hebrew words expressing the concept"angel" means "messenger". Angels often performed this role in the texts of the Bible, but its authors often give this term another meaning. Angels are the incorporeal helpers of God. They appear as humans with wings and a halo of light around their heads. They are commonly mentioned in Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious texts. Angels have the appearance of a man, “only with wings and dressed in white clothes: God created them from stone”; angels and seraphim - women, cherubs - men or children)<Иваницкий, 1890>.

Good and evil angels, messengers of God or the devil, converge in the decisive battle described in the book of Revelation. Angels can be ordinary people, prophets, inspirers to good deeds, supernatural bearers of all kinds of messages or guides, and even impersonal forces, like winds, cloud pillars or fire, that led the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. Plague and pestilence are called evil angels. St. Paul calls his illness "the messenger of Satan." Many other phenomena, such as inspiration, sudden impulses, providences, are also attributed to angels.

Invisible and immortal. According to the teachings of the church, angels are sexless invisible spirits, immortal from the day of their creation. There are many angels, which follows from the Old Testament description of God - "the Lord of hosts." They form a hierarchy of angels and archangels of the entire host of heaven. The early church clearly divided nine types, or "ranks," of angels.

Angels served as mediators between God and his people. The Old Testament says that no one could see God and stay alive, so direct communication between the Almighty and a person is often portrayed as communication with an angel. It was the angel who prevented Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Moses saw an angel in a burning bush, although the voice of God was heard. An angel led the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. From time to time, biblical angels look just like mortals until their true nature is revealed, like the angels who came to Lot before the horrific destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Unnamed spirits. Other angels are mentioned in Scripture, such as a spirit with a fiery sword that blocked Adam's path back to Eden; cherub and seraphim, depicted as thunderclouds and lightning, which recalls the faith of the ancient Jews in the god of thunder; the messenger of God, who miraculously rescued Peter from prison, in addition, the angels who appeared to Isaiah in his vision of the heavenly court: “I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the edges of His robe filled the whole temple. Seraphim stood around Him; each of them has six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

Hosts of angels appear several times on the pages of the Bible. Thus, a choir of angels announced the birth of Christ. Archangel Michael commanded numerous heavenly hosts in the battle against the forces of evil. The only angels in the Old and New Testaments who have their own names are Michael and Gabriel, who brought the news of the birth of Jesus to Mary. Most of the angels refused to identify themselves, reflecting the common belief that revealing a spirit's name would diminish its power.

Orders of Angels

The Bible speaks of 8 orders of angels. These are: Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Forces.

Why such a diversity of the inhabitants of Heaven?.. The teachers of the Church thought about it. Origen (III century) suggested that the difference in ranks of Angels is due to their cooling in love for God. The higher the rank, the more faithful, more obedient to God the Angel is, and vice versa. However, the Orthodox Church rejected this interpretation.

St. Augustine (4th century) wrote: “I unshakably believe that there are Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Powers in the heavenly abodes, and that they differ from each other, I undoubtedly contain; but what they are and in what exactly they differ from each other, I do not know.

The most profound and thoughtful work on this subject belongs to the theologian of the 5th century, St. Dionysius the Areopagite. He wrote an essay, which is called “On the Heavenly Hierarchy” and in which the question is clarified - how do the Angels differ from each other.

St. Dionysius divides all Angels into three triads. In each triad there are 3 ranks (in total, he gets 9 ranks).

The first triad, closest to God, are: Cherubim, Seraphim and Thrones.

The second triad: Dominions, Forces, Powers.

Finally, the third triad: Principles, Archangels, Angels.

St. Dionysius says that the rank of an Angel depends on the position in the Heavenly Hierarchy, that is, on proximity to the King of Heaven - God.

The highest angels glorify God, stand before Him. Other Angels, whose rank is lower in the Heavenly hierarchy, perform various tasks, for example, they protect people. These are the so-called service spirits.

The work of St. Dionysius is a remarkable achievement of Orthodox mysticism, theology and philosophy. For the first time, a coherent teaching appears, trying to show the principles of the interaction of God with the world through angelic beings; for the first time, the diversity of the ranks of Angels, which the Bible mentions, is put in order. However, it should be remembered that the classification of angelic ranks by St. Dionysius is not a strictly scientific work - rather, mystical reflections, material for theological reflections. Angelology of St. Dionysius, for example, cannot be used in the study of biblical angelology, since biblical angelology proceeds from other theological principles, develops according to other laws than St. Dionysius. However, for the work of the theologian, the system of St. Dionysius is irreplaceable, and this is why: in his work, the Byzantine thinker shows that the closer the Angelic rank is to God, the more he becomes a partaker of the blessed Light and grace of God.

Each of the triads of Angels, writes St. Dionysius, has its general purpose. The first is purification, the second is enlightenment, and the third is perfection.

The first triad, the first three higher ranks - Cherubim, Seraphim and Thrones - are in the process of being cleansed of any admixture of something imperfect. Being close to God, in constant contemplation of the Divine Light, they achieve the highest degree of purity and clarity of their angelic spirit, striving to resemble the Absolute Spirit - God. And there is no limit to this perfection. No other creature of God can achieve that dizzying degree of purity in which these Angels are. No one ... except Mary of Nazareth - the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. We sing of her, who carried under her heart, gave birth, swaddled, raised the Savior of the world, as “The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison.”

The second triad - Domination, Strength, Power - is constantly enlightened by the light of God's Wisdom, and in this there is also no limit for it, for God's Wisdom is limitless. This enlightenment is not of a mental nature, but of a contemplative one. That is, the Angels in awe and amazement contemplate the boundless and perfect Wisdom of God.

Finally, the work of the last triad - the Beginnings, the Archangels, the Angels - is perfection. This is a more understandable and concrete form of service. These Angels, joined to God's perfection and to His will, convey this will to us and thus help us to improve.

St. Dionysius also emphasizes the fundamental difference in the characteristics of the natures of the Angels that make up different triads. If the angelic nature of the first, highest, triad can be described as light and fire, then in the second, Dionysius notes power and material characteristics, and the third triad is understood completely as serving the will of God, addressed to the world.

St. Dionysius determined not only the general ministry of the triads of Angels, but also the specific ministry of each of the nine ranks.

And to find out what kind of service they carry, the very name of the rank will help us.

So, the name Seraphim, which is worn by the highest Angels, is translated in Hebrew as “flaming”, and the name Cherubim means “an abundance of knowledge or an outpouring of wisdom” (St. Dionysius the Areopagite). Finally, the name of the third rank of the first triad - the Thrones - means the Angels withdrawn from everything earthly, and shows us the desire of these Angels to "cleave motionlessly and firmly" to the Lord.

Accordingly, one can understand the properties and qualities of the other two angelic triads.

Dominations - instruct earthly rulers to wise management.

Forces - work miracles and send down the grace of miracles to the saints of God.

Authorities - have the power to tame the power of the devil. They reflect all our temptations and also have power over the elements of nature.

Beginnings - govern the universe, the laws of nature, protect peoples, tribes, countries.

Archangels - proclaim the great and glorious Mysteries of God. They are the bearers of the revelation of God.

Angels are present in every person, they inspire spiritual life, keep in everyday life.

Certainly, the opinion of St. Dionysius should not be considered indisputable. In the holy fathers (and even in St. Dionysius himself) we come across the idea that there are many more angelic ranks than nine, their ministries are more diverse than those listed above, but this is not revealed to us. The system of St. Dionysius is only an introduction to angelology, a starting point for further theological research on these issues.

The great John of Damascus, who himself greatly appreciated the work of St. Dionysius, so summed up the opinion Orthodox Church on this question: “Whether they are essentially equal or different from each other, we do not know. But God alone knows who created them, Who knows everything. They differ from each other in light and position; or, having a degree according to the light, or participating in the light according to the degree, and enlighten each other because of the superiority of rank or nature. But it is clear that the higher angels communicate both light and knowledge to the lower ones.

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The basis for the creation of the church doctrine about angels is the book of Dionysius the Areopagite “On the Heavenly Hierarchy” (Greek “”, Latin “de caelesti hierarchia”) written in the 5th century, better known in the edition of the 6th century. The nine angelic ranks are divided into three triads, each of which has a particular feature.
The first triad - seraphim, cherubim and thrones - is characterized by immediate proximity to God;
The second triad - strength, domination and power - emphasizes the divine basis of the universe and world domination;
The third triad - beginnings, archangels and angels proper - is characterized by close proximity to man.
Dionysius summarized what had been accumulated before him. Seraphim, cherubim, powers and angels are already mentioned in the Old Testament; dominions, principalities, thrones, powers, and archangels appear in the New Testament.

According to the classification of Gregory the Theologian (4th century), the angelic hierarchy consists of angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, heads, powers, radiances, ascensions and understandings.
According to their position in the hierarchy, the ranks are arranged as follows:

seraphim - the first
cherubs - second
thrones - third
domination - fourth
strength - fifth
power - sixth
start - seventh
archangels - eighth
angels are the ninth.

Jewish hierarchical constructions differ from Christian ones, since they appeal only to the first part of the Bible - the Old Testament (Tanakh). One source lists ten ranks of angels, starting with the highest: 1) hayot; 2) ofanim; 3) arelim; 4) hashmalim; 5) seraphim; 6) malakim, actually "angels"; 7) elohim; 8) Bene Elohim (“sons of God”); 9) cherubs; 10) ishim.

In "maseket azilut" ten angelic ranks are given in a different order: 1) seraphim headed by Shemuel or Yehoel; 2) Opanim, led by Raphael and Ophaniel; 3) cherubim, led by Kerubiel; 4) Shinanim, over whom Tzedekiel and Gabriel are placed; 5) tarshishim, whose chiefs are Tarshish and Sabriel; 6) ishim with Cephaniel at the head; 7) Hashmalim, whose leader is called Hashmal; 8) malakim, led by Uzziel; 9) Bene Elohim, headed by Hofniel; 10) Arelim, led by Michael himself.

The names of the elder angels (archangels) vary in different sources. Traditionally, the highest rank is attributed to Michael, Gabriel and Raphael - three angels named by name in biblical books; the fourth is usually added to them by Uriel, found in the non-canonical 3 Book of Ezra. There is a common notion that there are seven higher angels (associated with the magical properties of the number 7), attempts to list them by name have been made since the time of 1 Enoch, but there are too big discrepancies. We will limit ourselves to listing the “magnificent seven” adopted in the Orthodox tradition: these are Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Yehudiel, Barachiel, Jeremiel, headed by the eighth - Michael.

Judaic tradition also assigns an extremely high position to the archangel Metatron, who in earthly life was the patriarch Enoch, but in heaven he turned into an angel. He is the vizier of the heavenly court and almost the deputy of God Himself.

1. Seraphim

Seraphim are angels of love, light and fire. They occupy the highest position in the hierarchy of ranks and serve God, taking care of his throne. Seraphim express their love for God by constantly singing laudatory psalms.
In the Hebrew tradition, the endless singing of the seraphim is known as "trisagion" - Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh ("Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of the Powers of Heaven, the whole earth is full of his radiance"), which is considered a song of creation and celebration. Being the closest creatures to God, the seraphim are also considered "fiery", since they are enveloped in the flames of eternal love.
According to the medieval mystic Jan van Ruysbrok, the three orders of seraphim, cherubs and thrones never take part in human conflicts, but are with us when we peacefully contemplate God and experience constant love in our hearts. They generate divine love in people.
St. John the Evangelist on the island of Patmos had a vision of angels: Gabriel, Metatron, Kemuel and Nathaniel among the seraphim.
Isaiah is the only prophet who mentions seraphim in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) when he talks about his vision of fiery angels over the Throne of the Lord: "Each had six wings: two covered the face, two covered the legs, and two were used for flight."
Another mention of seraphim can be considered the book of Numbers (21:6), where a reference is made to "fiery serpents". According to the "Second Book of Enoch" (apocryphal), seraphim have six wings, four heads and faces.
Lucifer stepped out of the rank of seraphim. In fact, the Fallen Prince was considered an angel who overshadowed everyone else until he lost God's Grace.

Seraphim - In Jewish and Christian mythology, angels, especially close to God. The prophet Isaiah describes them this way: “In the year of the death of King Uzziah, I saw the Lord sitting on a high throne, and the edges of His robe filled the whole temple. Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two each one covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And they called to each other and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory / ”(Is. 6. 1-3). According to the classification of Pseudo-Dionysius, together with the cherubim and the thrones, the seraphim belong to the first triad: "... the most holy Thrones, the many-eyed and many-winged Orders, called in the language of the Jews Cherubim and Seraphim, according to the explanation of Holy Scripture, are in the greater and most immediate before the others
closeness to God ... as for the name of the Seraphim, it clearly shows their unceasing and everlasting desire for the Divine, their ardor and speed, their ardent, constant, unrelenting and unswerving swiftness, also their ability to really elevate the lower to the heavenly, excite and inflame them to similar heat: it also means ability, scorching and burning. thereby clean them - always open. their inextinguishable, constantly identical, light-like and enlightening power. banishing and uchichtozhayuschayu all obscuration.

2. Cherubim

The word "cherub" means "fullness of knowledge" or "outpouring of wisdom". This choir has the power to know and contemplate God and the ability to understand and communicate divine knowledge to others.

3. Thrones

The term "thrones" or "many-eyed" indicates their proximity to the throne of God. This is the rank closest to God: they receive both their divine perfection and consciousness directly from Him.

Pseudo-Dionysius reports:
“So, it is right that the highest beings are consecrated to the first of the heavenly Hierarchies, since it has the highest rank, especially because to it, as the closest to God, the first Theophany and consecrations originally belong, And they are called burning Thrones and an outpouring of wisdom.
heavenly Minds, because these names express their God-like properties ... The name of the highest Thrones means that they
completely free from any earthly attachment and, constantly rising above the valley, peacefully strive for the mountain, with all their might
immobile and firmly attached to the truly Highest being,
accepting His Divine suggestion in complete dispassion and immateriality; also means that they wear God and slavishly carry out His divine commands.

4. Dominions

The holy dominions are endowed with sufficient power to rise above and free from earthly desires and aspirations. Their duty is to distribute the duties of the angels.

According to Pseudo-Dionysius, “the significant name of the holy Dominions ... means some non-servile and free from any low attachment to the earthly exaltation to the heavenly, not in any way shaken by any violent attraction to dissimilar to them, but the dominion is constant in its freedom, standing above all humiliating slavery, alien to all humiliation, removed from all inequality to itself, constantly striving for true Mastery and, as far as possible, holyly transforming both itself and everything subordinate to it into a perfect likeness to Him, not clinging to anything that accidentally exists , but always fully turning to the true-existing and incessantly partaking of the sovereign God-likeness ”

5. Forces

The powers known as "brilliant or shining" are the angels of miracles, help, blessings that appear during battles in the name of faith. It is believed that David received the support of the Forces for the battle with Goliath.
The powers are also the angels from whom Abraham received his power when God told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. The main duties of these angels are to work miracles on Earth.
They are allowed to interfere with everything that concerns the physical laws on earth, but they are also responsible for enforcing these laws. By this rank, the fifth in the Hierarchy of Angels, humanity is given valor as well as mercy.

6. Authorities

Powers are on the same level as dominions and powers, and are endowed with power and intelligence second only to God's. They provide balance to the universe.

According to the Gospels, the authorities can be both good forces and minions of evil. Among the nine angelic ranks, the authorities close the second triad, which, in addition to them, also includes dominions and powers. As Pseudo-Dionysius says, “the name of the holy Authorities signifies equal to the Divine Dominions and Forces, slender and capable of receiving Divine insights, the Chin and the device of a worldly spiritual dominion, not using autocratically for evil the granted domineering powers, but freely and decently to the Divine as ascending itself. who brings others holy to Him and, as much as possible, becomes like the Source and Giver of all power and portrays Him ... in a completely true use of his sovereign power.

7. Beginnings

The beginnings are legions of angels protecting religion. They constitute the seventh choir in the hierarchy of Dionysius, following immediately before the archangels. The beginnings give strength to the peoples of the Earth to find and experience their destiny.
It is also believed that they are the guardians of the peoples of the world. The choice of this term, as well as the term "authorities", to designate the ranks of the angels of God is somewhat doubtful, since c. The "Epistle to the Ephesians" refers to "principalities and authorities" as "spirits of wickedness in high places" against whom Christians must fight ("Ephesians" 6:12).
Among those who are considered "chief" in this rank are Nisrok, the Assyrian deity, who is considered by occult writings to be the main prince - the demon of hell, and Anael - one of the seven angels of creation.

The Bible says, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
Beginnings, no Powers, no present, no future... can separate us
from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 8:38). By
classification of Pseudo-Dionysius. beginnings are part of the third triad
along with the archangels and the angels themselves. Pseudo-Dionysius says:
"The name of the heavenly Authorities means the God-like ability to rule and govern in accordance with the sacred order, befitting the commanding Powers, both to turn to the Beginning without Beginning, and others, as it is characteristic of the Authorities, to guide Him, imprint in oneself, as far as possible, the image of the inaccurate Beginning, etc. finally, the ability to express His premier leadership in the well-being of the ruling Forces .., The proclaiming order of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels alternately rules over the human Hierarchies, so that in order there is an ascent and conversion to God, communion and unity with Him, which also from God graciously extends to all Hierarchies, is inspired through communication and pours out in the most sacred orderly order.

8. Archangels

Archangels - The word is of Greek origin and is translated as "angel chiefs", "senior angels". The term "Archangels" appears for the first time in the Greek-language Jewish literature of the pre-Christian time (Greek edition of the "Book of Enoch" 20, 7) as a transfer of expressions like ("great prince") in the application to Michael of the Old Testament texts (Dan. 12, 1); then this term is taken up by New Testament authors (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16) and later Christian literature. According to the Christian heavenly hierarchy, they rank directly above the angels. Religious tradition has seven archangels. The chief here is Michael the Archangel (Greek “supreme commander”) - the leader of the armies of angels and people in their universal battle with Satan. Michael's weapon is a flaming sword.
Archangel Gabriel is best known for his participation in the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary about the birth of Jesus Christ. As a messenger of the innermost secrets of the world, he is depicted with a flowering branch, with a mirror (reflection is also a way of knowing), and sometimes with a candle inside the lamp - the same symbol of a hidden mystery.
Archangel Raphael is known as a heavenly healer and comforter of the afflicted.
Less frequently, four other archangels are mentioned.
Uriel is a heavenly fire, the patron of those who have devoted themselves to the sciences and arts.
Salafiel is the name of the supreme minister, with whom prayer inspiration is associated. On the icons he is painted in a prayerful pose, with his arms folded crosswise on his chest.
Archangel Yehudiel blesses the ascetics, protects them from the forces of evil. In his right hand he has a golden crown as a symbol of blessing, in his left - a scourge that drives away enemies.
Barahiel was assigned the role of a distributor of the highest blessings to ordinary workers, primarily farmers. He is depicted with pink flowers.
The Old Testament tradition also speaks of the seven heavenly archangels. Their ancient Iranian parallel - the seven good spirits of Amesha Spenta ("immortal saints") finds a correspondence with the mythology of the Vedas. This points to the Indo-European origins of the doctrine of the seven archangels, which in turn correlates with the most ancient ideas of people about the septenary structures of being, both divine and earthly.

9. Angels

Both the Greek and Hebrew words for "angel" mean "messenger". Angels often performed this role in the texts of the Bible, but its authors often give this term another meaning. Angels are the incorporeal helpers of God. They appear as humans with wings and a halo of light around their heads. They are commonly mentioned in Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious texts. Angels have the appearance of a man, “only with wings and dressed in white clothes: God created them from stone”; angels and seraphim are women, cherubim are men or children)<Иваницкий, 1890>.
Good and evil angels, messengers of God or the devil, converge in the decisive battle described in the book of Revelation. Angels can be ordinary people, prophets, inspirers to good deeds, supernatural bearers of all kinds of messages or guides, and even impersonal forces, like winds, cloud pillars or fire, that led the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. Plague and pestilence are called evil angels. St. Paul calls his illness "the messenger of Satan." Many other phenomena, such as inspiration, sudden impulses, providences, are also attributed to angels.
Invisible and immortal. According to the teachings of the church, angels are sexless invisible spirits, immortal from the day of their creation. There are many angels, which follows from the Old Testament description of God - "the Lord of hosts." They form a hierarchy of angels and archangels of the entire host of heaven. The early church clearly divided nine types, or "ranks," of angels.
Angels served as mediators between God and his people. The Old Testament says that no one could see God and stay alive, so direct communication between the Almighty and a person is often portrayed as communication with an angel. It was the angel who prevented Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Moses saw an angel in a burning bush, although the voice of God was heard. An angel led the Israelites during their exodus from Egypt. From time to time, biblical angels look just like mortals until their true nature is revealed, like the angels who came to Lot before the horrific destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Unnamed spirits. Other angels are mentioned in Scripture, such as a spirit with a fiery sword that blocked Adam's path back to Eden; cherub and seraphim, depicted as thunderclouds and lightning, which recalls the faith of the ancient Jews in the god of thunder; the messenger of God, who miraculously rescued Peter from prison, in addition, the angels who appeared to Isaiah in his vision of the heavenly court: “I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne, and the edges of His robe filled the whole temple. Seraphim stood around Him; each of them has six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
Hosts of angels appear several times on the pages of the Bible. Thus, a choir of angels announced the birth of Christ. Archangel Michael commanded numerous heavenly hosts in the battle against the forces of evil. The only angels in the Old and New Testaments who have their own names are Michael and Gabriel, who brought the news of the birth of Jesus to Mary. Most of the angels refused to identify themselves, reflecting the common belief that revealing a spirit's name would diminish its power.