A beautiful angel of the highest rank. Cathedral of the Archangel Michael and other disembodied Heavenly Powers, archangels: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Yehudiel, Barahiel and Jeremiah

25.09.2019

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” the Bible begins with these words. Under the sky, according to one of the interpretations, is understood not our earthly sky, but the highest Heaven - this is the world of incorporeal beings, which we call the Heavenly Forces or angels, which have their own harmonious hierarchy.

Today we publish an excerpt from the famous Archpriest Konstantin Parkhomenko, who in an accessible form gave an exhaustive interpretation of all existing angelic ranks and noted their relationship, based on the writings of St. Dionysius.

The difference in interpretations

The Bible speaks of eight ranks of Angels, these are: Archangels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Forces. Where does such a variety of inhabitants of heaven come from? ..

The teachers of the Church thought about this. Origen(III century) suggested that the difference between the Angels in ranks 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. but Orthodox Church rejected this interpretation.

All Angels have the same "temperature" of love for God and jealousy for God.

Saint Augustine(IV century) wrote: “That there are Thrones, Dominations, Principalities and Powers in the heavenly abodes, I unshakably believe, 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 deepest and most thoughtful work on this subject belongs to the theologian of the 5th century Saint 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.

Dionysius divides all the angels into three triads. In each triad there are three ranks (in total, he gets nine ranks).

1. First triad, closest to God, are Cherubim, Seraphim and Thrones.

2. Second triad: Domination, Force, Power.

3. Finally, third triad: Beginnings, Archangels, Angels.

Saint Dionysius says that the rank of the Angel depends on the position in the heavenly hierarchy, that is, on the 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 harmonious doctrine appears, striving 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 classification of angelic ranks in St. Dionysius is not a scientific work - it is rather mystical reflections, material for theological reflections. Angelology Dionysius the Areopagite, for example, cannot be used in the study of biblical angelology, since it comes from other theological settings.

Moreover, it is impossible angelology somehow match with the natural science research of our world, these are completely different dimensions.

However, for the student of theology, the system of St. Dionysius is indispensable, and here is why:

In his work, the Byzantine thinker shows that the closer the Angelic rank is to God, the more he becomes a participant in the blessed Light and grace of God.

Who is from which triad?

Each of triad of angels, writes St. Dionysius, has its own common purpose. The first is purification, the second is enlightenment, and the third is perfection.

First triad, the first three highest ranks - Cherubim, seraphim And Thrones- are in the process of being cleansed of any

impurity 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. Nobody... except Mary from Nazareth - 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.”

Second triad - Dominions, Forces, Powers- is constantly enlightened by the light of God's wisdom, and in this there is also no limit for her, 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 infinite and perfect wisdom of God.

Finally, the matter last triad - Beginnings, Archangels, Angels- there is improvement. 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.

Interpretation of angelic names

Dionysius the Areopagite emphasizes the fundamental difference in the nature 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 functionally, as serving the will of God, turned to the world.

Saint Dionysius determined not only the general ministry of the triads of Angels, but also the specific ministry of each of the nine ranks. To find out what kind of service they carry, the very name of the rank will help us:

1. Yes, name Seraphim worn by the highest angels is translated in Hebrew as "flaming",

2. name Cherub means "an abundance of knowledge or an outpouring of wisdom"(Saint Dionysius).

3. Finally, the name of the third rank of the first triad is Thrones designates the Angels withdrawn from everything earthly, and shows us the desire of these Angels "to cleave unmovingly and firmly to the Lord."

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

dominance 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 they proclaim the great and glorious mysteries of God. They are the bearers of the revelation of God.

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

Opinion Dionysius the Areopagite should not be taken for granted. 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.

Great John of Damascus, who himself greatly appreciated the work of Dionysius, summed up the opinion of the Orthodox Church on this issue as follows:

“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.

Everything in the world is subject to strict laws and hierarchy. Without order, cities would not have arisen, civilization would not have developed. But the hierarchy can be traced not only in the material plane of being, but also in the spiritual or otherwise - the angelic world.

The angels who help God in his affairs and become the conductors of His will were no exception. The structure of the angelic hierarchy is clearly divided into three spheres, each of which has its own ranks of angels.

Each religion has its own angels, archangels and other heavenly powers, but, of course, they are called differently.

Angels of Christianity

Modern Angelology began to take shape on early stages development of Christianity. The theologians of that time took seriously the issue of creating schemes for the hierarchies of these beings. Moreover, each scheme is divided into several levels, which later became known as choirs.

Of course, Christian theologians did not invent all this out of their heads. They used the Old and New Testaments as a source of information. This is confirmed by the fact that in Judaism (from which many traditions followed to Christianity) there are no such angelic ranks as the archangel or "bosses".

Since all these schemes were created at about the same time, they often overlap with each other. At the same time, it often happened that the hierarchies and choirs underwent a serious increase, or vice versa, the previously existing ranks were missing.

However, there were also examples of schemes with radically different provisions in history. Moreover, there were hierarchies of the reverse execution scheme (from lowest to highest).

An example is the hierarchy built and described by Athanasius the Great: he did not systematize all the information and simply listed all the available ranks.

Those who are now called cherubs are actually the image of the ancient Greek Cupid.

The first treatise that appeared, in which more or less thoroughly work was done on structuring the crowd of angels, was called "Ariopagitics". It was this Talmud that theologians used in their works as a source detailed description choirs.

This book belongs to the hand of Pseudo-Dionysius and in it the hierarchy of heavenly powers is shown in ascending order. Where more and more important angels were placed above the rest.

In the treatise "On the Heavenly Hierarchy" there are two options for the arrangement of the hierarchy of the heavenly forces. How it happened is explained in the work of a later time - Schilia to the "Areopagitics".

One more interesting scheme can be called Hildegard's vision of hierarchy, which is described in the work "Know the ways of light, that is, the Lord." In this scheme, there were nine choirs, which had their own symbolism:

The angels, along with the archangels, corresponded to the body and soul.
Seraphim and Cherubim referred to the love of God and knowledge.
The intermediate five symbolized human feelings (sight, touch, etc.).

Gradually, some of the schemes atrophied, while others were reborn. Wrong, according to theologians, ideas about hierarchy were discarded. Ultimately, the Areopagite scheme became canonical. It had three spheres in each three groups.

The heavenly hierarchy in Orthodoxy differs little from that in Catholicism.

Spheres of angelic ranks and ranks of angels (descending)

First sphere:

seraphim;
cherubs;
thrones.

Second sphere:

domination;
strength;
authorities.

Third sphere:

angels;
archangels;
start.

Of course, the above scheme has been refined and signed more than once. New interpretations of hierarchies often emerged.

Ranks of the First Sphere

All 9 ranks of angels in Orthodoxy have not departed much from the Catholic canon:

Seraphim (From the Hebrew Saraf - flaming)	Described in the Bible only once: Appears as an angel with three pairs of wings. The upper pair covers the head (in a number of sources it is stated that the seraphim has a bird's head, but such a bright radiance emanates from it that it cannot be seen), the middle pair is flying, the lower one covers the legs. Seraphim worship God and embody his will on Earth. The highest angelic rank.
Cherubim (translated as “like a young man”)	Like the seraphim, it has the closest relationship to God. However, it is one step below the seraphim.
Throne	As it would not sound rude, but is used by the Almighty as a stool. God sits on them and conducts his Judgment.

Second Sphere

Third Sphere

The above table fully answers the question of how much in Christian religion angelic orders. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the hierarchy of paradise.

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.

In the article:

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.

They are purified, illuminated and perfected by the divine Sources, endowed with them in a secondary way through the first order of angels. Virtues - Responsible for the maintenance of the physical universe. Their main duty is to control the movements celestial bodies to ensure the conservation of space. They have great strength and seem to be the "workhorses" of the angels.

Powers - Some sources list powers as bearers of conscience and keepers of history. They sometimes serve as warrior angels, fiercely devoted to God. Some hold that no Authority ever fell from grace, but another theory maintains that Satan was the chief of the powers before his fall. They work diligently to control the distribution of power among humanity, hence their name.

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 third sphere - principalities, archangels, angels. Principles. We usually see these entities wearing a crown and carrying a scepter. Their duty is also to carry out the orders given to them by the Dominions and grant blessings to the material world. They control groups of people.

Archangels. We know the Archangels from the Bible, but we don't know as much as we might think. We usually associate these "chief" angels as the great heralds of good tidings, announcing the great and most glorious. According to Dionysius the Areopagite, their main service is to reveal the prophecies, knowledge and understanding of the will of God, which they receive from the higher orders of angels and announce to the lower order, and through them to people. Gregory says that archangels "strengthen people in holy faith, illuminate their minds with the light of the knowledge of the holy Gospel, and reveal the mysteries of godly faith."

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. Let's 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.

Archangels manage the affairs of the messengers of different kingdoms. Their presence on earth usually signals big changes. They are perhaps the most confusing Angelic Orders because we often use their rank for other angelic beings. In addition, they are among the few angelic beings mentioned specifically by name in the New Testament. Gabriel, although not specifically called the Archangel of Scripture, is generally considered as such in Christian thought.

Angels are Messengers who communicate with various life forms in the physical worlds. This Order includes the guardian angels of humanity and as such, are the most accessible angels to humans. They are more correctly called angels by humans than higher-ranking humans because their Order is more directly connected to humans.

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.

We see them as spiritual beings who exist to fulfill the tasks given to them by God. In Muslim tradition, each person is assigned two angels at birth. One angel records the good deeds of a person, and the second records the bad deeds.

In the Psalms we explore the concept of "guardian angels". For He will put His angels on him to hold you in all your ways. Abstract: Since time immemorial, the concept of angels has fascinated mankind. Angels appear in religious, mythological, and other literature in all cultures. They are always depicted with wings. We have been doing spiritual research on various aspects of angels through ESP or the sixth sense. Through our findings, using the methodology of spiritual research, this article demystifies the topic of angels and offers a new perspective on them.

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.

No part of this website may be reproduced in any form. No drawing based on subtle knowledge, picture or text can be copied or copied without expression. written permission from the editor of the Spiritual Science Research Foundation.

According to the methodology of spiritual research, we studied various aspects of angels. This article answers many frequently asked questions about angels and provides insight into the world of angels. We have also provided some of various forms angels, as seen through subtle vision or the sixth sense.

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 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.

Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. They are beings from the lower part of the subtle realm of Heaven. They are the lowest in the hierarchy of positive subtle beings. Their main purpose is to act as messengers for the lower level gods in the lower subtle region of Heaven. The deities speak the language of light, while we humans speak the language of sound. Therefore, angels act as step-down transformers carrying messages from the gods to more low level to worthy beings in a language they can understand. This is primarily due to the fact that they think in their minds.

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.

By worthy beings we mean people on Earth and subtle bodies in the region of the Void that have some background of spiritual practice or merit. The messages are usually about how to solve a particular mundane problem. About 5% of the time, the angels themselves also give worldly advice. Because their duty is primarily on Earth, most of them are Earthbound. When they are not delivering messages, they lead a life of enjoyment in the lower subtle region of Heaven.

What are the different types of angels?

There are only about 30 varieties of angels. We have shown some of the most popular and their respective ones in the table below. The reason for the variety of angels is that each of them works at a different frequency. This allows them to transmit messages to a variety of human personalities that best match their frequencies.

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.

Salashti spiritual level refers to the spiritual level achieved through spiritual practice for the sake of society, while Vyashti spiritual practice refers to the spiritual level achieved through individual spiritual practice. In the current times, spiritual progress in the name of society has a 70% value, and individual spiritual practice has a 30% value.

Note. Any drawing based on subtle knowledge can be affected by ghosts. We have placed a protective frame around all the drawings based on the subtle knowledge of the angels to protect from any influence of negative energies while the seeker with sixth sense perceives and transcribes the drawing based on the subtle knowledge for us.

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.

Angels traditionally have wings. The 30% of angels that have wings have the lowest order of angels. They communicate with people about fulfilling very low worldly desires. The higher angels do not have wings. The following is an excerpt from an interview with Ms. Yoya Valle when she created drawings based on the subtle knowledge of angels.

Quite often, negative energies represent angels and mislead people and create illusory forms of angels with wings. Thus, quite often ghosts try to mislead people with psychic powers. Because many psychics rule society, negative energies mislead psychics, who in turn inadvertently mislead the people they lead. It is for this reason that in 90% of the cases when the average psychic sees an angel, he is usually a ghost.

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. Theologian wondered 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?

Prayers are answered by our departed ancestors or ghosts. However, in their eternal quest to gain control over people, to use them or to satisfy their cravings, ghosts or ancestors use prayer to deceive themselves with a person, satisfying his small desire. However, in the process of fulfilling their desire, they absorb a person with their black energy. This allows them to gain control over a person and cause him disaster. Refer to the article on the topic: "Why do my departed loved ones and my other ancestors want to hurt me?".

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.

Angels, due to their low spiritual level, cannot fight lower level ghosts and therefore cannot protect us. They cannot answer our prayers to help us grow spiritually. Therefore, they are not worthy of worship.

Their only function is to deliver messages to the lower level gods in the subtle region of Heaven in order to merit people or subtle bodies in the lower region. Since they cannot guide us spiritually and protect us from negative energies, they are not worthy of worship. They take on the form of angels to mislead psychics, who in turn inadvertently mislead society.

Angels are the lowest in the positive subtle hierarchy in the universe.
Invariably ghosts exploit humanity's fascination with angels.

The first hierarchy includes seraphim, cherubim, and thrones.

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.

This group of angels is one of the highest and is responsible for the material form of all creations in space and on earth. This heavenly scene is closest to the Divine Presence. Seraphim, cherubim and thrones are considered spirits of power in the third heaven. This highest group is responsible for the material creations of the earthly and supernatural = the builder of God. They evoke enthusiasm in everyone and stand for energy and a blazing "passion".

Seraphim, as the closest connection with God, with their songs, keep this event in balance. They are pure beings of light and thought and are supposed to make people "healthy" and thus produce all beauty. They are a brilliant maker of miracles. They are attributed to the very essence of creation. Seraphim have 6 wings: with 2 they cover their faces, 2 legs and 2 they fly. They are often depicted wearing red or red-orange robes with fiery swords or a light flash.

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.

Angels are invisible, immortal, but just as invisible and immortal as the human soul. That is, as far as God allows them this prosperity. In Orthodoxy, angels are associated with two elements - fire and air. By fire they purify sinners, bring divine wrath, retribution. And they are like the wind, because they are carried over the earth with great speed in order to accomplish the highest will as quickly as possible.

Angelic ranks are an important part of the heavenly kingdom, because without them there will be no order, no discipline. It is with their help that it becomes clear how the hierarchy of divine beings works. It was from them that humanity received an understanding of how their own society should work.

The heavenly hierarchy consists of three faces. Each face has three ranks. The highest face consists of seraphim, cherubim and thrones; middle - from dominions, forces and authorities; lower - from the beginnings, archangels and angels.

The highest face of the angels are the seraphim. Their name means fiery, fiery. Directly and continuously standing before Him Who is love, Who lives in unapproachable light, and Whose throne is a fiery flame, the seraphim burn with the highest love for God, and this fire of love ignites others. The prophet Isaiah tells us about the seraphim in the 6th chapter: “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 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 one another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.

The second rank of the senior face is made up of cherubim, whose name means understanding or knowledge. For this reason, they are called multi-eyed. Contemplating the glory of God and possessing the highest knowledge and wisdom, they pour out the wisdom of God to others. In the Holy Scriptures in many places it is said about cherubim, for example: "And God drove out Adam and placed in the east near the garden of Eden a cherub and a flaming sword turning to guard the way to the tree of life" (Gen. 3, 24). The cherubim are repeatedly mentioned in the book of the prophet Ezekiel: “And the cherubim could be seen the likeness of human hands under their wings. And I saw: here are four wheels beside the cherubs, one wheel beside each cherub, and the wheels in appearance - as if from a topaz stone ”(10, 8-9).

The third rank of the senior face is the thrones, called God-bearing not by being, but by service, on which God gracefully and incomprehensibly rests. Through this face, God reveals His majesty and justice.

Let us now turn to the middle face of the heavenly hierarchy. Its senior rank is made up of dominations that rule over the lower angels. Volunteerly and joyfully serving God, they communicate to those living on earth the power of prudent self-control and wise self-organization; they teach to control feelings, to subdue boundless lusts and passions, to enslave the flesh to the spirit, to dominate the will and overcome temptations.

Dominions in the middle face are followed by powers through which God works signs and wonders for the glory of God, to help and strengthen those who labor and are burdened. The apostle Peter proclaims to us about this rank, saying that angels, and authorities, and powers submitted to Christ ascended into heaven.

To the lower rank of the middle face belong the authorities that have great power over the devil, defeat him, protect a person from his temptations and strengthen him in the exploits of piety. Some holy fathers believe that the guardian angel of the Apostle Peter, who brought him out of prison, belonged to this order of angels.

In the lower face of the heavenly hierarchy are: in the first rank of the beginning, which rule over the younger angels, appoint posts, distribute ministries between them, govern kingdoms and human societies.

The penultimate rank consists of archangels, evangelizers and heralds of the mysteries of God, and communicate the will of God to people.

The last rank is simply called angels, the closest incorporeal spirits to people. It is they who are predominantly sent into the world as our guardian angels. This is what we know about the ranks and faces of the heavenly hierarchy.

Great Seven.

A little more openly to us is St. Scripture and St. The legend of the seven highest archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Yehudiel and Barahiel.

The first two archangels stand at a special height and are also called archangels of the power of the Lord. They are above all angelic faces and, as it were, lead all heavenly incorporeal forces.

The name Michael in Hebrew means "Who is like God?" or “Who is equal to God?”. "IL" is an abbreviation of the ancient Hebrew word "Elohim", which in Russian means God.

Michael was the second in the heavenly hierarchy after Satanail, who was also called Lucifer or Dennitsa, i.e. son of the dawn. When the latter, in his pride, rebelled against God, the Lord, in His Divine supervision, left the angels who remained faithful to Him to fight with him, led by the Archangel Michael.

Apparently, the struggle was very difficult, for they (the forces of light), according to the Revelation of John the Theologian, “overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and did not love their souls even to death” (Rev. 12, 11). This passage of Revelation makes us understand that the mystery of redemption through the blood of the Lamb, ordained in the plans of God, has already begun to operate symbolically in the heavenly world and contributed to the victory of the angels who testified of it in heaven. As for the struggle “even to the death,” here one should see the intensity of this struggle to the last limit, a struggle that could end, as it were, in the spiritual death of a part of the heavenly armies.

What else can be said about Archangel Michael? Prophet Daniel calls him the guardian angel of the Jewish people. And after the hard-headed Jewish people brought a curse upon themselves, betraying their Savior and Redeemer to death, and thereby lost their chosenness, the archangel Michael, according to universal Christian belief, became the heavenly patron and champion of the Church of Christ. Therefore, many Holy Fathers, not without reason, believe that the Archangel Michael, together with the Archangel Gabriel, were precisely those angels who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women and announced the resurrection of Christ. And in a number of other New Testament appearances of angels, it is permissible to see this supreme duality. We will speak about the special phenomena of the Archangel Gabriel below.

In a day Doomsday, of course, none other than the archangel Michael will foresee the heavenly host coming with Christ. Therefore, on the icons, this archangel is always depicted in a militant form with a spear or sword in his hands. Sometimes the top of the spear is crowned with a white banner on which a cross is inscribed. The white banner means the unchanging purity and unwavering loyalty of the archangel to the King of Heaven, and the cross indicates that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and victory over it is achieved only with the help of the Cross of Christ.

The second place in the entire heavenly hierarchy is occupied by the archangel Gabriel. This name denotes the power of God. Since the name of the heavenly inhabitants always marks the essence of his ministry, this archangel is especially a herald and a servant of the omnipotence of God. It was he who announced to Zechariah how by the power of God from him, a barren old man, the greatest of those born by women, John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, would be born. He also announced to the Godfathers Joachim and Anna about the birth of the wonderful and blessed Virgin. He visited her and instructed her in the temple of Jerusalem, reinforcing her bodily strength with heavenly food. He brought Her a branch of paradise on the day of the Annunciation with the wonderful news that it was She who was chosen by God to receive God the Word into Her bowels. Archangel Gabriel appears repeatedly to righteous Joseph, giving him necessary advice. According to some Fathers, it was he who was the angel who strengthened the Lord at night in Gethsemane during the prayer for the cup. And, as mentioned above, he and the Archangel Michael together participated in the gospel of the resurrection and ascension of Christ the Savior. Finally, the same archangel Gabriel appeared to the Theotokos to announce to Her the day of Her earthly dormition.

In church hymns, the archangel Gabriel is called the "servant of miracles", as the herald of the great miracles of God. Therefore, iconographically, he is sometimes depicted with a branch of paradise in right hand, and sometimes he holds a lighted lantern in it, while in the left he holds a jasper mirror. The lantern means that the fates of God are hidden for a time, and the mirror means that they are reflected through Gabriel, as in a mirror.

From the Word of God we know the names and deeds of five more archangels.

The third of them is called Raphael, which means the healing of God. He is a healer of ailments and a helper in sorrows. The archangel Raphael is described in the book of Tobit. It tells how this archangel, under the guise of a man, accompanied the righteous Tobiah, freed his bride from the evil spirit, restored the sight of his aged father, and, having given Tobiah useful instructions, disappeared. Therefore, this archangel is depicted with a medical vessel in his hand, as they later began to write Panteleimon the Healer. He should be invoked by all those who suffer mentally and physically, reinforcing prayer with deeds of mercy and love.

The name of the fourth archangel is Uriel, which means the light or fire of God. He is depicted with a sword raised up and held in his right hand at his chest, and with a flame in his left hand, turned down. As an angel of light, Uriel primarily enlightens the minds of people with the revelation of truths in general, and God-revealed ones in particular. As an angel of Divine fire, he inflames the hearts of those who call him with love for God and destroys everything impure, earthly and sinful from them. Therefore, he is considered the patron of those who are zealous for the spread of the true faith of Christ, i.e. missionaries, as well as people who have devoted themselves to pure science. He is the true source of many great scientific discoveries. Those discoveries, about which those who made them themselves say that they often came to them suddenly, as if by inspiration from above. It is good for writers and poets to pray to Archangel Uriel for inspiration if they want to be writers and poets by the grace of God. But one should not ask the archangel for the revelation of the secrets of nature that exceed our reason and our human needs, as well as the foreshadowing of future events.

Let's hear how Uriel answered Ezra, a pious man, but not too inquisitive. Ezra wished to learn from the angel the secret of God's fate in the world, and why does evil triumph in the world? The archangel agreed to answer, but demanded that Ezra first fulfill one of his three wishes: either weigh the flame of fire, or indicate the beginning of the wind, or return the past day. When Ezra pointed out that he was not in a position to do this, the divinely wise archangel answered him this way:

“If I asked you how many dwellings are in the heart of the sea, or how many springs are at the very foundation of the abyss, or what are the limits of paradise, perhaps you would tell me: I have not descended into the abyss, and into hell as well, and into heaven never ascended. Now I only asked you about the fire, the wind, and the day you lived through, i.e. about that without which you cannot be - and to this you did not answer me. And the angel said to Ezra: “You and what is yours and with you from youth cannot know; how could your mind contain the path of the Most High, and in this already corrupted age understand the corruption that is obvious in my eyes? (3 Esdras 4:7-11).

This wise instruction of the archangel would do well to remember the scientists of this age and not to forget that it behooves people of knowledge to be, first of all, servants of the light of truth.

The fifth archangel is called Salafiel, which means the prayer book of God. He is mentioned in the same book of Ezra. He is depicted in a prayer position, with his hands clasped to his chest, and with his eyes downcast. For those who have difficulty in prayer, it is good for them to ask Archangel Salafiel to teach them how to do prayer. And how many of us can boast that they can pray attentively, undistractedly and, if not fervently, then at least warmly? And how few people know that there is a heavenly teacher of prayer, and do not call on the help of the archangel Salafiel.

The name of the sixth archangel is Yehudiel, which means the glory or praise of God. He has a golden crown in his right hand, and a whip of three ropes in his left. His duty, with a host of angels subordinate to him, is to guard, instruct and protect in the name of the Holy Trinity and the power of the Cross of Christ people who work for the glory of God in various responsible branches of human service, to reward good deeds and punish evil ones. To this great celestial being, prayerful eyes should be directed to kings, military leaders and city governors, judges, householders, etc.

Finally, the last of the sacred septenary of the highest angels, the last in order, and not in dignity, is Barahiel, the angel of God's blessings, as his name means and expresses the form in which he is presented on holy icons. He is depicted with many pink flowers in the bowels of his clothes. Since the blessings of God are different, the ministry of this archangel is very diverse. He is the supreme leader of the guardian angels, as through him are sent the blessings of family well-being, the well-being of the air and the abundance of the fruits of the earth, success in purchases and in general in all worldly affairs, i.e. everything that helps people and their guardian angels.

In the same book of Ezra, the name of the archangel Jeremiel is also mentioned, which means the height of God, but the Church believes that this is the second name of the archangel Uriel.

(Fragment from the text of Archbishop Seraphim of Chicago).

From the point of view of faith, the existence of angels is a certain and undeniable truth. The Christian should not have any doubts about the existence of both angels and demons. Nevertheless, not everyone knows that in Orthodoxy there is a strict angelic hierarchy.

In the article:

General information about the heavenly hierarchy

In Orthodox dogma, two hierarchies are distinguished: heavenly (invisible) and earthly (visible). If we take into account Holy Bible, in it we find a clear indication of the creation of heaven and earth. Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of the Cappadocia Church, argues that by "heaven" one should understand nothing but the invisible divine world of incorporeal beings - angels. At the same time, “earth” means the material, earthly world of substances, the Earth.

Therefore, it turns out that the angelic world was created by the Creator before the material world began to exist. We can find direct indications of this question in one of the instructive books Old Testament- in the book of Job. It draws particular attention to the following words:

What are its foundations lowered into, who laid its cornerstone, when the stars of the morning let out a cry, all God's sons rejoiced?

Thus, the cornerstone refers to the Earth, and the Sons of God are angelic beings who carry out the will of God.

Classification of Dionysius the Areopagite

Dionysius the Areopagite "On the Heavenly Hierarchy"

The doctrine of the Christian creed of John of Damascus about the heavenly hierarchy was fully formulated and preserved in the orthodox church. The Sacred Parallels contain the structure of the heavenly angelic orders. The immeasurable number of angels and their exact hierarchical order is confirmed by the Holy Letter, the Church Fathers and theologians. The classification and structure of the heavenly hierarchy is best described by Dionysius the Areopagite in his famous work On the Heavenly Hierarchy.

He bases his theory on the philosophy of Neoplatonism, in which the concept of hierarchy plays a fundamental role. According to the science of the greatest representatives of Neoplatonism - Plotinus and Proclus, everything is subject to a strict hierarchical order. Then the more perfect things precede the less perfect ones and perform the function of support, protection and control in relation to them. Dionysius borrows this theory to structure the angelic world.

At the top of the cosmic structure, he sees God. All other creatures are placed at different levels, taking into account their greater or lesser distance from God. They are like rays of light that are attracted to God, as to the ultimate goal of all perfection. In this process of returning to unity, the hierarchical ranks play a fundamental role. God does not directly affect each nature, but acts on it through various ranks.

It is on this concept that Dionysius builds his theological and spiritual platform. According to it, the lower ones are guided, purified, illuminated and realized by higher images. The greater their participation in the divine nature, the closer they are to it. Consequently, the angelic ranks are capable of playing the role of mediators between God and people. Thus, fixing general principles regulation of the hierarchical structure of the cosmos, the author offers his own classification of angels. He divided them into three large hierarchies, each containing three ranks or choirs.

1. The highest or first heavenly hierarchy

Seraphim on a fragment of a fresco by Theophanes of Crete, 16th century, Athos

The first level, or the degree of hierarchy, belongs to the highest angelic ranks - this. Seraphim in Hebrew means "like fire." These are divine supernatural beings that have six wings. They cover their faces, arms and legs with their wings, flying before the Creator. The prophet Isaiah saw seraphim hover over the Ark of the Covenant and sing an angelic song.

Cherubim just like the seraphim, they are divine beings and are close to the Creator. They belong to the second angelic rank. In the Bible, they are depicted with fiery swords. So, for example, a cherub with a fiery sword guards the entrance to the Garden of Eden. The prophet and psalmist David in the seventeenth psalm describes cherubim as a vehicle for the Creator. In the Book of Kings, the epithet "He who sits on the cherubs" is very often used. The Book of Exodus also speaks of cast golden cherubs. They were depicted on the Ark of the Covenant facing each other.

They follow the cherubs thrones. These are heavenly Intelligences that reveal Divine truth and serve God's justice. Then God-bearing thrones stand before Him Who sits on the exalted throne. On them, as on reasonable thrones, God rests. Resting on them, God executes His righteous judgment. So basically the justice of God is administered through them. They listen to His will, glorify Him, and pour out the power of God on the thrones of earthly judges, so that kings and lords may judge righteously.

2. The middle or second degree of the angelic hierarchy

The Cathedral of the Archangel Michael of God and other incorporeal Heavenly Powers was established at the beginning of the 4th century at the Laodicean Council

The second degree of the dominance hierarchy is occupied by Dominions, Forces and Authorities. They protect cities, villages, secular and spiritual authorities, churches, monasteries. In this way they serve their Creator by doing His holy will. Dominions, forces and authorities are appointed by God not only to protect cities, bishops, churches, earthly rulers, but even entire countries, states.

domination gives earthly rulers wisdom in managing earthly affairs. He teaches to control feelings, to get rid of unnecessary desires and passions, to subordinate the flesh to the spirit. It also helps to dominate one's will and overcome any temptation.

Forces are filled with the Supreme fortress and carry out the Supreme will. They also create great miracles and send the grace of miracles to the saints of God. With their help, they can cure diseases, predict the future and help those who need it. Forces strengthen any Christian in times of sorrow and trouble.

Power has an influence on the dark forces, tames the devil's power. They also protect people from being sent temptations. The authorities do not allow dark forces harm someone to the extent that they would like to. Spirits also help workers in spiritual affairs and labors. The authorities protect them so that they do not lose the spiritual realm. They fight against temptations and temptations, help to repel the evil intentions and slander of enemies.

3. The third or lowest degree of the hierarchy of angels

archangel Michael

The third step is occupied by archangels and angels. They are referred to the lower angelic levels. Archangels are considered higher and more powerful than angels, nevertheless they belong to the third stage. There are nine in total. Among them, three archangels stand out - Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael rules over the heavenly angelic powers. Gabriel is considered the good herald, since it was he who brought the news of the birth of Jesus Christ. Raphael, in turn, is considered a healer. Popular piety sees in him a prototype of the Guardian Angel.

archangel Michael

The name "Michael" is translated "Who is like God." This is the archangel of God's justice, judgment, grace and mercy. He is considered one of the strongest heavenly spirits. and his army fight the fallen ones who have rebelled against the Holy Father. Michael is usually represented with a sword in his hands, with which he defeats a dragon. Sometimes there is an image with scales on which he measures the good and bad deeds of the deceased.

Archangel Michael accompanies souls during the transition from the body to heaven. The Church asks Michael for help against Satan - the enemy of God and people. In many churches, after Mass, those present read a prayer to Archangel Michael. He is the patron of the dying, fencers, jewelers, surveyors, radiologists, engravers, grinders. Cemetery chapels are often named after him.

Archangel Gabriel

The name "Gabriel" literally translates from Hebrew as the Lord of God. Sometimes there are options Lord from God, God's Ruler. One of the seven archangels, Left hand Lord." Gabriel is considered God's messenger and messenger. Its appearance announces important events for all mankind that change the course of history. It was to Gabriel that the Lord entrusted the sacred mission to bring the good news of immaculate conception the future mother of the Savior, about the salvation of the human race. The name is inextricably linked with the family of the Virgin and the fact of the Annunciation. That's why the day after that big holiday, which Christians of the Eastern Rite honor on April 7, a prayer meeting (cathedral) takes place in his honor.

The first mention of Gabriel is in the book of the prophet Daniel. Gabriel explained to him the meaning of visions, announced the future of the Jewish people. The archangel appeared in the desert before the prophet Moses, where he taught him to read and write. Announcing the birth of the world and the emergence of the first man, he inspired the prophets to write the book of Existence. Gabriel informed the righteous Joachim and Anna about the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary from them. Appearing in the temple before the elder Zechariah, he predicted the miraculous conception and birth of John the Baptist - God's Forerunner.

According to some Church Fathers, Gabriel relentlessly guarded Holy Family. Moreover, from the very moment of the message to the maiden Mary about her sacred mission. It was he who was the chosen messenger of the Lord to Saint Joseph the Betrothed. He assured him in a dream of the sinlessness of the Virgin Mary. From Gabriel, Joseph received a warning about the bloody plans of Herod and an order to save the Infant with the Mother of God by escaping to Egypt. Archangel Gabriel was next to the Son of God in all the most significant moments of His life. Fully justifying the meaning of his name "God's fortress", he was next to the Lord during His prayer. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he inspired and strengthened Him before future sufferings. From the lips of the archangel Gabriel, the women received the news of the Resurrection of Jesus.

In many church books, Archangel Gabriel is called a "servant of miracles." His repeated appearances before mankind in Old Testament and New Testament times emphasize the diligent fulfillment of God's Will. He informs the human race of higher knowledge, announces major events in the history of Christianity. The Orthodox Church urges not to forget about the ministry of Archangel Gabriel before the Lord, his concern for Christians. Therefore, he invites us to diligently pray to him on the days dedicated to his memory: April 8, July 26 and November 21. On April 8, the first Council of Archangel Gabriel (later the Annunciation) was held. July 26 - probably in honor of the construction of the Cathedral of St. Gabriel in Constantinople. November 21 is remembered during the celebration of the Cathedral of Archangel Michael.

Archangel Raphael

Raphael appeared in the Book of Tobit, he is "one of the seven angels who always stand before the Creator and have access to the Lord's glory." In this book, he appears in human form and takes the common name of Azariah. In addition, he offers his company and guardianship to the young Tobit, who travels from Nineveh to Ragi in Media. The archangel saves him from many dangers, drives out the demon Asmodeus and heals the blind father of Tobit. Raphael also frees Sarah, the future wife of Tobit, from the unclean spirit. The name Raphael means "God heals", "God's healing".

Since they began to use the names of the seven Archangels from the Jewish Apocrypha too hastily, the synods in Laodicea (361) and Rome (492 and 745) forbade them to be called that. They only allowed to use the names of Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, because they occur in the Holy Letter. Already in the 7th century There was a church in Venice named after Raphael. In the same century, the Spanish city of Cordoba declared him its patron.

The saint shows the goodness of Providence. He is honored as the patron saint of apothecaries, the sick, doctors, emigrants, pilgrims, travelers, fugitives, travelers and sailors. In iconography it is represented as young man in typical angel clothing. Its attributes are a cross, a pilgrim's staff, sometimes fish and dishes.

Angels

In addition to the archangels, angels are distinguished in the Christian doctrine. The word "angel" in Greek means "messenger". They are good spirits who do the will of their Creator. At the same time, some of them protect people from evil, and therefore they are also called guardian angels. are given by the Lord to man in the feast of the Sacrament of Baptism.

The exact number of spirits is not known - the Lord alone knows the exact number. We only know that there are a lot of them - "thousands of thousands". Such countless numbers do not need physical space for them at all. After all, they are incorporeal spirits that do not have physical dimensions. That is, their nature does not belong to our three-dimensional world.

Therefore, all of the above angelic orders, or the heavenly hierarchy, play an important role in the Christian life. They remind us of the Kingdom of Heaven and the invisible spiritual world. This world no one can comprehend with his mind.

Hierarchy of demons

The identification of demons with rebellious angels is constantly observed in the New Testament. According to the Church Translation, the rebellious spirits were guilty of the sin of pride, desiring to be equal to the Father and independent of Him. They usurped God's rights and hindered the plan of salvation and the very order of the world. The state of separation of rebellious spirits from the Lord through their rejection of God's dominion is final.

Because their choice is irrevocable, irrevocable. This is because they are pure spirits and do not need much thought for their decisions. Their decision and choice is intuitive, instantaneous and irrevocable. The irreversibility of the choice, not the lack of God's mercy, is the reason why their sin cannot be forgiven. For them there is no repentance after the fall, just as there is no repentance for people after death.

It is impossible to change the devil, unless God would destroy him and create a new bright spirit. But this is also impossible, because God does not repent of his decisions and does not abandon his creation.. Since there is a hierarchy among angels, there is hierarchy and demons. The New Testament recalls Satan, the “prince of demons,” who fought with his demons against Michael and his troops.

However, among good spirits, hierarchy is based on mutual service in love. While among the evil spirits, the hierarchical structure rests on their mutual malice and natural strength. Therefore, demons of higher power lead lower from themselves, keeping them in fear and obedience. Neither the Holy Letter nor the Giving indicate the exact number of rebellious spirits. However, there are isolated allusions to a very large number of rebellious spirits that were drawn by Satan when he rebelled against God.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. His tail carried a third of the stars from the sky and threw them to the ground.

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.

In the article:

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

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

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

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

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.