Heavenly hierarchy of angels in orthodox Christianity. The names of archangels and angels, their meaning in Christian culture

Summary: Angels have inspired humanity since ancient times. They appear in religious, mythological and other literature in all cultures. They are always depicted with wings. Many people pray to angels. We conducted a study based on Spiritual Science on the various aspects of angels through Extra Sensory Perception (ESP), i.e. . Using the findings, this article demystifies the topic of angels and offers a new perspective on them.

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Using a research methodology based on Spiritual Science, we studied various aspects of angels. This article answers many frequently asked questions about angels and the article itself provides insight into the world of angels. We have also provided images based on an intimate knowledge of some of the different types of angels.

2. WhatThisangels?

Angels have existed since the beginning of Creation. They are creatures from the lower part of Heaven ( Svarga). They are the lowest in the hierarchy of positive subtle beings. Their main purpose is to act as messengers for the lower Deities in the lower subtle region of Heaven. Deities communicate in the language of light, and we humans speak in the language of sound. Therefore, angels are messengers - they carry messages from lower Deities to worthy beings in a language that they understand. The first way this happens is that angels insert thoughts into minds. By worthy beings, we mean people on Earth and subtle bodies in Purgatory who have certain merits or have performed spiritual practice. The messages are usually about how to solve a specific worldly problem. Approximately 5% of angels provide worldly counsel themselves. Since their role is primarily on Earth, they spend most of their time in the Earth's field. When they are not conveying messages, they live experiencing joy in the lower subtle region of Heaven.

3. What are the differentviews angels?

There are about 30 types of angels. The following table shows some of the most famous species and their .

Some types of angels and their spiritual level

The reason there are many types of angels is that each one operates on a different frequency. This allows them to convey messages to different personalities of people, depending on which type of angels best matches the frequencies of certain people.

3.1 Kakoth spiritual level of angels?

Samashti spiritual level can be achieved through spiritual practice for the benefit of society, and vyashti spiritual level can be achieved through personal spiritual practice. Nowadays, spiritual development for the sake of society has 70% importance, while personal spiritual practice has 30% importance.

Most angels are between 29-34%. For humans, the minimum spiritual level to reach Heaven ( Svarga) after death is 50% ( Samashti) or 60% ( Vyashti). Despite their relatively low spiritual level, angels are located in the lower subtle region of Heaven. Just as on Earth, along with people, other species of animals and plants live on a lower spiritual level, so in Heaven, along with the subtle bodies of people with a higher spiritual level and lower Deities, angels live.

3.2 Drawings based on thinthknowIand toOROa clear description of someviews of angels

Below are pictures of angels based on spiritual knowledge drawn by Ms. Yoya Vale, a seeker at the Spiritual Science Based Research Foundation (SSRF). She is able to see the spiritual world in the same way that we see physical reality. Images based on subtle knowledge have been verified.

Note: Ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) can influence any image based on subtle knowledge. We have placed a protective frame around each subtle image of angels, to protect them from any influence of negative energies, while the seeker with a sixth sense, for us, perceives and deciphers the subtle image.

3.3 HowThisthat angelsdon't have a wingev?

Angels are traditionally depicted with wings. However, a spiritual study conducted by SSRF revealed that only 30% of angels have wings. 70% of angels do not have wings. 30% of angels who have wings belong to the lower order of angels. They communicate with people at the level of fulfilling simple worldly desires. Higher angels do not have wings.

Video: The above images of angels based on subtle knowledge were drawn by a seeker who is doing spiritual practice under the guidance of SSRF. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Ms. Yoya Vale while painting delicate images of angels.

Yoya has a hearing and speech impairment, so the video has subtitles. (The latest version of Adobe Flash Player is required to view this video. Click here to download the latest version.)

3.4 The influence of ghosts onImagesbased thinlythknowI

Quite often negative energies appear as angels and mislead people and create illusory forms of angels with wings. Thus, quite often ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) try to mislead people who have psychic abilities. Since many psychics give advice to people, they are misled by negative energies so that they unintentionally mislead the people they guide. Thus, 90% of the time when the average medium/psychic sees an angel, it is usually a ghost. Therefore, it is very important for a person with a preliminary sixth sense to check the subtle image with a spiritual guide who is at least 70% at the spiritual level.

3.5 WhatThisguardian angels?

Guardian angels do not exist. Some ancestors who have great family attachment communicate with family members to help with worldly affairs. These deceased ancestors may be mistaken for guardian angels. Ancestors of a spiritual level between 20-30% can only help in terms of obtaining worldly pleasures. Only ancestors above the spiritual level of 50% can help in spiritual progress.

3.6 Are angels menamior womenami?

Angels can be male or female. Only subtle entities and subtle bodies are above the subtle region of Heaven, that is, in Mahalokas and higher, due to a higher spiritual level of 60% ( Samashti) or 70% ( Vyashti) do not identify with a particular gender.

3.7 What is the composition of angels according to Tonkambasicmcomponentam?

The percentages of the three subtle basic components in the angels are given in the table on the right side.

4. Other frequently asked questions about angels

4.1 Can we see angels?

Like angels, subtle beings, they are not visible to the ordinary human eye. They don't appear to us. They can only be seen through a developed and activated sixth sense or extrasensory perception (ESP). They communicate with us by inserting thoughts into our minds.

4.2 How many angels are there?

There are countless angels.

4.3 How close are angels to God?

Considering the relatively low spiritual level of angels (i.e. 29-34%), they are very far from God. (A being/person must be around 100% spiritual level to be close to God.)

4.4 Ethere isdo you haveangels of strengthAanswer our prayers, and fulfillitoureworldlyedesiresI?

No, angels do not have the ability to answer prayers, i.e. they cannot help themselves, nor do anything for people. At best, they can guide people regarding worldly affairs by placing thoughts in their minds. This happens in about 5% of cases.

4.5 When we pray to an angelam, if they don't answer, thenwherewho answers prayerss?

Our deceased ancestors, or ghosts, answer prayers. They use prayer and satisfy a person's little desires to win them over. This way they gain control over it and can satisfy their desires. However, in the process of fulfilling his wish, they will consume the person in their black energy. This gives them the opportunity to gain control over a person and cause him spiritual disturbance.

4.6 Zare they protecting usAangels from negative energies?

Angels, due to their low spiritual level, cannot fight even low-level ghosts and, therefore, cannot protect us.

4.7 Are angels really worthy of worship?

Since they cannot answer our prayers for spiritual growth, they are not worthy of worship.

5. In the end

• Angels are the lowest in the positive subtle hierarchy of the Universe. Their role is only to convey messages from lower Deities from the subtle region of Heaven to worthy people or subtle bodies in Purgatory.

• Since they cannot guide us spiritually, nor protect us from negative energies, they are not worthy of worship.
• Ghosts (demons, devils and negative energies, etc.) constantly exploit humanity's fascination with angels. By taking the form of angels, they mislead psychics, who consequently mislead society.

After falling away from God, Dennitsa began to be called Satan (which means “adversary”) and the devil (which means “slanderer”), and the fallen angels - demons or demons.

Only evil operates in fallen spirits. You need to remember this. There are no good brownies, trolls, or drummers (essentially demons). There are fallen spirits whose power is dangerous to underestimate.

Demons cannot do anything to the Creator - He is inaccessible to any of His creations (and fallen angels too). The demons turned all their anger, all their hatred towards man, knowing how much God loves people. The devil, taking the form of a serpent, deceived our first parents Adam and Eve, because of him they violated the commandment of God. By this he deprived them of immortality and Divine grace.

Since then, having gained the opportunity to influence the thoughts, feelings and actions of people, the devil and his demons have sought to plunge people deeper and deeper into the abyss of sin in which they themselves find themselves.

Whether we like it or not, from the moment we are born we are involved in a war between good and evil, between God and demons for our souls. This war began even before the creation of the world and will continue until the Last Judgment.

In Heaven, the war is over with the complete defeat of evil, but the battlefield has been transferred from Heaven to the heart of man. In the battle against evil, bright angels help all people a lot.

Bright angels

Bright angels serve God, protect us from demons and help us do good. There are very, very many of them: they surround the Throne of God with thousands of thousands.

The angelic world is vast, but not all angels are the same. Some are closer to God, others are further away, and they have different qualities - degrees of perfection.

All angels in the heavenly hierarchy, according to the nature of their service, are divided into several faces (“categories”). The first face consists of disembodied spirits who are closest to God: Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. The second, middle face is Power, Dominance and Strength. The third, closer to us, are Angels, Archangels and Principalities.

So, the angels are divided into three faces, and in each face there are three ranks.

According to their ranks, angels are endowed with different gifts of the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of wisdom and reason, the Spirit of advice and strength, the Spirit of the Fear of God.

Seraphim

Of all the Heavenly ranks, the Seraphim are the closest to God. For Seraphim, God is Love. The name "Seraphim" means "fiery", "fiery". Fiery Divine Love brings the Seraphim into sacred awe. They cover their faces with two wings, their legs with two wings, and with the help of two they fly. This is how they are depicted on frescoes and icons.

Cherubim

For the Cherubim, God is Wisdom. Cherubim contemplate the Divine mind with trepidation, explore it and, as it were, cover its secrets with their wings, keep them, protect them, and revere them. Due to the incessant contemplation of the Divine

The Cherubim themselves know everything perfectly and promise knowledge to people.

Thrones

For Thrones, God is the King of Glory. The Thrones not only feel and sing the greatness of God, but they themselves are filled with this greatness and allow others to feel it. There are moments when a person with some special strength feels the greatness of God: the flash of lightning, marvelous views of nature, worship in a magnificent temple... Feelings of the greatness of God appear in us not without the influence of the Thrones.

Dominations

For Dominions, God is the Provider. The Dominions marvel at how God, so great, embraces everyone and everything with His care - preserves and protects every blade of grass, every midge, the smallest grain of sand. Dominions teach us to take care of our souls, to dominate passions and sinful habits.

Powers

For the Powers, God is a Miracle Worker. They are given the power to see such miracles that our minds cannot even imagine. They can delve into the very depths of these miracles, and the highest goal of all miracles is revealed to them.

Authorities

Authorities are witnesses of God's omnipotence. They are imbued with Divine power, like red-hot iron is imbued with fire, and they themselves become its bearers. The power with which they are vested is unbearable for the devil and puts his hordes to flight. When the demon of despondency attacks, it is advised to pray to the Authorities so that they will drive away this demon with their power.

Beginnings

God entrusted them with authority over the elements of nature (water, fire, wind). Thunder, lightning, storm - all this is controlled by the Origins. These angels also rule over entire nations. They work for their people before the Lord, and instill in kings and rulers thoughts and intentions related to the good of the people.

Archangels

Archangels are Heavenly teachers. They teach people how to arrange their lives in accordance with the will of God. The Archangels know what awaits a person on this or that life path, therefore they deviate from one path, and, on the contrary, direct a person to another. They strengthen the holy faith in people, enlightening their minds with the light of the Holy Gospel.

Angels

Angels continue the work of the Archangels - they teach us to recognize the will of God. They guide us so that we do not stray from the right path in life, and protect us from the machinations of demons. Angels are so close to people that they literally surround us - they look at us from everywhere, they watch our every step. In the words of St. John Chrysostom, “the whole air is filled with angels.”

At baptism, God gives every person a Guardian Angel, who invisibly protects a person throughout his earthly life from troubles and misfortunes, warns against sins, protects him in the terrible hour of death, and does not leave him even after death.

All Angels of God are also called the Heavenly Forces or the Heavenly Host. The Leader of the Heavenly Host is Archangel Michael, he belongs to the seven main spirits closest to God.

The seven most important spirits are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Salaphiel, Uriel, Jehudiel and Barachiel. They are called Archangels, but are classified as Seraphim.

The continuation of the “heavenly hierarchy” is the “church hierarchy”, in which the three angelic faces correspond to three degrees of priesthood.

Angel (ancient Greek ἄγγελος, angelos - “messenger, messenger”) in Abrahamic - a spiritual, intelligent, sexless and ethereal being, expressing the will of some higher powers or God and possessing superhuman and supernatural capabilities. The Bible calls Angels ministering Heb. 1:14. They are often depicted as people with snow-white wings on their backs.

The Greek word aγγελος angelos is a direct translation of the Hebrew. מלאך‎ mal'akhʁh with the same meaning, from the archaic root לאכ, "to send", attested in Ugaritic; The Arabic word ملاك‎ malak is borrowed directly from Hebrew.

Angels in Christianity

According to Christian teaching, all angels are ministering angels. They were created by God before the creation of the material world, over which they have significant power. There are significantly more of them than all people. The purpose of angels is to glorify God, to embody his glory, to direct and embody grace for the glory of God (therefore they are a great help to those who are being saved), their destiny is to glorify God and fulfill His instructions and will.

Angels, just like people, have a mind and their mind is much more perfect than a human one. Angels are eternal. Most often, angels are depicted as beardless youths, in light deaconal (ministry) vestments (surplice, orarion, bridles), with wings behind their backs (speed) and with a halo above their heads. However, in visions, angels appeared to people as six-winged (when Angels are not similar to humans in appearance, then their wings are like flowing streams of grace) and in the form of wheels dotted with eyes, and in the form of creatures with four faces on their heads, and as fiery swords rotating, or even in the form of fancy animals (sphinxes, chimeras, pegasi, griffins, unicorns, etc.). In scripture they are sometimes called birds of the air.

In the angelic world, God established a strict hierarchy of 9 angelic ranks: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, Angels. The leader of the entire angelic army, Dennitsa, the most powerful, talented, beautiful and close to God, was so proud of his highest position among the other angels that he refused to recognize man as a being equal in abilities to God (meaning man’s ability to create and see the essence of things), then is above him, he himself wanted to become above God, and because of which he was overthrown.

Moreover, he managed to seduce many angels from different ranks. And at that moment, Archangel Michael called on those who hesitated to remain faithful to God, led an army of bright angels, and struck down Dennitsa (who began to be called the devil, Satan, the evil one, etc., and other fallen angels - demons, devils, etc.).

And there was a war in Heaven, as a result of which the evil spirits were cast into the “underworld of the earth,” that is, into hell, where they organized themselves into the kingdom of Beelzebub, with the same angelic hierarchy. The fallen are not completely deprived of their former power and, by God’s permission, can instill sinful thoughts and desires in people, guide them and cause them pain. But good angels also help people, of whom there are more than demons (the Apocalypse says that the serpent (Lucifer) carried away a third of the stars (angels)).

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An angel (ancient Greek ἄγγελος, angelos - “messenger, messenger”) in Abrahamic religions is a spiritual, intelligent, sexless and ethereal being, expressing the will of some higher powers or God and possessing superhuman and supernatural capabilities. The Bible calls Angels ministering spirits (Heb. 1:14). They are often depicted as people with snow-white wings on their backs. The Greek word aγγελος angelos is a direct translation of the Hebrew. מלאך‎...

The basis for the creation of church teaching 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 6th century edition. The nine angelic ranks are divided into three triads, each of which has some peculiarity.

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

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

Third triad – beginnings, archangels and angels themselves - characterized by close proximity to humans.

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

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

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

seraphim - first

cherubim - second

thrones - third

domination - fourth

strength - fifth

authorities - sixth

beginning - seventh

archangels - eighth

angels - ninth.

Jewish hierarchical structures differ from Christian ones because 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" the ten angelic ranks are given in a different order:1. seraphim led by Shemuel or Yehoel; 2. Ofanim led by Raphael and Ophaniel; 3. cherubim, led by Kerubiel; 4. Shinanim, over whom Tzedekiel and Gabriel were placed; 5. tarshishim, whose leaders are Tarshish and Sabriel; 6. Ishim with Zephaniel at their 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 - three angels named by name in the biblical books; the fourth is usually added to them Uriel, found in the non-canonical 3 Book of Ezra. There is a common belief 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 Book of Enoch, but there are too many discrepancies. We will limit ourselves to listing the “magnificent seven” accepted in the Orthodox tradition: these are Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, Jeremiel, headed by the eighth, Michael.

The Jewish tradition also assigns an extremely high position to the archangel Metatron, who in earthly life was the patriarch Enoch, but in heaven 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 psalms of praise.

In Hebrew tradition, the endless singing of the seraphim is known as"trisagion" – Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh (“Holy, Holy, Holy Lord of the Heavenly Forces, the whole earth is full of his radiance”), considered a song of creation and celebration. Being the closest creatures to God, seraphim are also considered “fiery”, since they are enveloped in the flame of eternal love.

According to the medieval mystic Jan van Ruijsbroeck, the three orders of seraphim, cherubim 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.

Saint 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 to mention seraphim in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), when he recounts his vision of fiery angels above the Throne of the Lord: "Each one had six wings: two covered the face, two covered the feet, and two were used for flight."

Another reference to seraphim can be found in the book of Numbers (21:6), where a reference is made to “fiery serpents.” According to the Second Book of Enoch (apocrypha), seraphim have six wings, four heads and faces.

Lucifer left the rank of seraphim. In fact, the Fallen Prince was considered an angel who outshone all others until he fell from God's Grace.

Seraphim – In Jewish 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. The Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two he 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 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 the Holy Scriptures, are in greater and more direct relation to the others

closeness to God... as for the name of the Seraphim, it clearly shows their incessant and everlasting desire for the Divine, their ardor and speed, their ardent, constant, unrelenting and unwavering swiftness, as well as their ability to truly elevate the lower ones to what is above, to excite and ignite them to the same heat: it also means the ability to scorch and burn. thereby cleansing them - always open. their unquenchable, constantly identical, light-forming and enlightening power. driving away and destroying all obscurity.

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 closest rank 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 dedicated to the first of the heavenly Hierarchies, since it has the highest rank, especially since the first Epiphanies and consecrations initially refer to it, as the closest to God, and the burning Thrones and the outpouring of wisdom are called

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

completely free from all earthly attachments and, constantly rising above the earthly, peacefully strive for the heavenly, with all their might

motionless and firmly attached to the truly Highest being,

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

4. Dominations

Holy dominions are endowed with sufficient power to rise above and free themselves from earthly desires and aspirations.Their duty is to distribute the responsibilities of the angels.

According to Pseudo-Dionysius, “the significant name of the holy Dominions... means a certain unservile and free from any low attachment to the earthly exaltation to the heavenly, not in any way shaken by any violent attraction to something dissimilar to them, but a dominion constant in its freedom, standing above of any humiliating slavery, alien to all humiliation, removed from all inequality to itself, constantly striving for true Dominion and, as much as possible, holyly transforming into perfect likeness to Him both itself and everything subordinate to it, not clinging to anything that exists by chance, but always completely turning to the truly existent and constantly participating in the sovereign likeness of God.”

5. Powers

The forces known as "brilliant or radiant" are 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 to fight Goliath.

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

They are allowed to interfere with everything that concerns the physical laws on earth, but they are also responsible for enforcing those 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, if possible imparted to them, reflected in all their God-like actions in order to remove from themselves everything that could reduce and weaken the Divine insights bestowed upon them, strongly striving for the imitation of God, not remaining idle from laziness, but steadily looking at the highest and all-strengthening Power and, as far as possible, becoming Her image according to its own strength, completely turned to Her as the source of Power and descending God-like to the lower powers to impart power to them.”

6. Authorities

Authorities 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, 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 said, “the name of the holy Powers signifies an order equal to the Divine Dominions and Powers, harmonious and capable of receiving Divine insights, and a structure of premium spiritual dominion, which does not autocratically use the granted sovereign powers for evil, but freely and decently to the Divine as itself ascending , so holyly leading others to Him and, as far as possible, becoming like the Source and Giver of all power and depicting Him... in the completely true use of His sovereign power.”

7. Beginnings

The principles are legions of angels protecting religion.They constitute the seventh choir in the Dionysian hierarchy, immediately preceding the archangels. The beginnings give strength to the peoples of the Earth to find and survive their destiny.

They are also believed to be the guardians of the peoples of the world. The choice of this term, like the term “authority,” to designate the orders of the angels of God is somewhat questionable, since c. The book of Ephesians refers to the “principalities and powers” ​​as “the spirits of wickedness in high places” against which Christians must fight (“Ephesians” 6:12).

Among those considered “chief” in this order are Nisroc, an Assyrian deity who is considered in occult scriptures to be the chief prince of the demon of hell, and Anael, one of the seven angels of creation.

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

Beginnings, neither Powers, nor the present, nor the 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 Principalities means the God-like ability to command and control in accordance with the sacred order befitting the commanding Powers, both to turn completely to the Beginningless Beginning, and to others, as is characteristic of the Principality, to guide Him, to imprint in oneself, as far as possible, the image of the inaccurate Beginning, etc. finally, the ability to express His supreme superiority in the well-being of the commanding Powers..., The heralding order of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels alternately commands over the human Hierarchies, so that the ascension and turning to God, communication and unity with Him, which from God graciously extends to all Hierarchies, begins through communication and flows out in the most sacred orderly order.”

8. Archangels

Archangels - The word is of Greek origin and is translated as “chief angels”, “senior angels”.The term “Archangels” appears for the first time in Greek-language Jewish literature of pre-Christian times (Greek translation of the “Book of Enoch” 20, 7) as a rendering of expressions like (“grand prince”) in the application to Michael of the Old Testament texts (Dan. 12, 1); then this term is perceived by the New Testament authors (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4, 16) and later Christian literature. According to the Christian celestial hierarchy, they rank directly above the angels. Religious tradition has seven archangels. The main one here is Michael the Archangel (Greek “supreme military leader”) - 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 of the birth of Jesus Christ. As a messenger of the hidden secrets of the world, he is depicted with a flowering branch, with a mirror (reflection is also a way of knowledge), and sometimes with a candle inside a lamp - the same symbol of a hidden sacrament.

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

Four other archangels are mentioned less frequently.

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

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

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

Barachiel - the role of dispenser of heavenly blessings was assigned to ordinary workers, primarily farmers. He is depicted with pink flowers.

The Old Testament legend also speaks of 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 sevenfold structures of being, both divine and earthly.

9. Angels

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

Good and evil angels, messengers of God or the devil, converge in a decisive battle described in the book of Revelation. Angels can be ordinary people, prophets, inspiring good deeds, supernatural bearers of all kinds of messages or mentors, and even impersonal forces, like the winds, cloud pillars or fire that guided 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 genderless invisible spirits, immortal from the day of their creation. There are many angels, which follows from the Old Testament description of God - “Lord of hosts.” They form a hierarchy of angels and archangels of the entire heavenly army. The early church clearly distinguished nine types, or "orders," of angels.

Angels served as intermediaries between God and his people. The Old Testament says that no one could see God and live, so direct communication between the Almighty and man is often depicted 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. At times, the biblical angels appear just like mortals until their true nature is revealed, like the angels who came to Lot before the horrific destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Nameless spirits. Other angels are also mentioned in Scripture, such as a spirit with a fiery sword who blocked Adam's path back to Eden; cherub and seraphim, depicted in the form of thunderclouds and lightning, which recalls the belief of the ancient Jews in the god of thunderstorms; 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 throne, high and lifted up, and the train 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 in the pages of the Bible. Thus, a choir of angels announced the birth of Christ. Archangel Michael commanded a large heavenly army 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 Mary the news of the birth of Jesus. Most angels refused to name themselves, reflecting the popular belief that revealing the name of a spirit diminishes its power.

Definition

In everyday language, an Angel usually means any spiritual, intelligent, asexual, and sometimes ethereal being, expressing the will of some higher powers or God and possessing superhuman and supernatural capabilities.

In the TaNakh (Bible)

In the Torah (Pentateuch)

The most famous mention of Angels in the Pentateuch is the visit of three Angels to Abraham (Gen.). The sages say that one of them was to announce the birth of Isaac to Abraham, the second was to bring out Lot's family, and the third was to destroy Sodom.

Another significant place is where Jacob fights the angel of Genesis at night.

There is also a well-known place in the Torah where God, with the help of an angel, stops Abraham at the moment when he was ready to make a sacrifice:

In the Torah, when Angels appear in tangible form, their description is absent and a human form is implied. The inhabitants of Sodom apparently even confuse them with people when they demand Lot to hand them over.

There are few descriptions of the appearance of Angels in ethereal form. The most important of them is the book of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel). In his book, Angels are not “messengers”, but “beings from the Celestial Spheres.” Characteristic of them is the presence of wings and a large number of eyes. Some of their types are also listed there: Kruvim, Srafim, Ofanim, Hayot.

Nevi'im (Prophets)

The Christian Tradition considers this an allegory, believing that the “sons of God” in the Bible mean not only Angels, but also righteous people, thus, the meaning of this verse is that righteous people began to marry immoral people, succumbed to their influence, and they themselves became morally depressed. From the point of view of church theology, the sons of God are the descendants of Seth, and the daughters of men are the descendants of Cain.

During the Talmudic period, not only the common people, but also scientists believed in the existence of angels. But there is no mention of them in the Mishnah, because the scientists of that time belittled the importance of angels and their role in human life. In later aggadic texts of the Talmud, especially midrash, angels are mentioned several times. They are divided into many good and evil, higher and lower. Like the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, the Haggadah regards Gabriel, Michael, Rephael and Uriel as archangels and calls them angels of service (malachei ha-sharet). The Midrash gives great importance in the hierarchy of angels to Metatron. The responsibilities of the angels are differentiated, some are in charge of prayers, others are in charge of hail, rain, anger, pregnancy and birth, hell, etc. The Haggadah further develops the idea of ​​angels - guardians of nations and individual kings. Starting from the 3rd century. n. e. the word appears in the sources pamalya(literally 'retinue'), denoting a whole group of angels performing heavenly court.

The Haggadah gives varying opinions on whether angels should be considered superior beings compared to mere mortals. According to some statements, the righteous are higher than the angels, and according to others, both occupy the same position in the hierarchy of existence. Some teachers of the law expressed the opinion that every person is capable of becoming equal to an angel; others attributed this ability only to those professing Judaism. However, the latter can achieve this equality only after death. In aggadic eschatology, the prevailing view is that at the “end of days” the righteous will be elevated to a higher level than the angels. The angelological concepts developed in the Haggadah were also included in the liturgy. However, there was an opposite tendency among Jewish religious authorities, which sought to completely exclude mention of angels from the liturgy. In the Middle Ages, one of the most strident opponents of the veneration of angels was Maimonides.

Essenes

The angelological doctrine found widest distribution among the Essenes. The Qumran manuscripts testify to a coherent angelological system, according to which the “prince of light” and other heavenly princes were supposed to fight on the side of the “sons of light” on the “last day.” In this struggle for power between the forces of good and evil, a certain dualism can be recognized. The Pharisees had little interest in angelology. Being opponents of all mysticism, the Sadducees, however, hardly completely denied the very existence of angels.

In Kabbalah

In Kabbalah, angels number from 100 thousand to 49 million. True, when we talk about a large number of angels, we mean either nameless inhabitants of some Kabbalistic worlds, or, on the contrary, one name obtained by rearranging the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Kabbalah distinguishes several categories of angels: angels of service and destruction, angels of mercy and punishment, and even male and female angels (Zohar). The power of angels, according to Kabbalists, is based on the emanation of divine light manifested in them. In every human being, in their opinion, there live a good and an evil angel, and every step of a person is accompanied by good and evil spirits. A huge army of angels of destruction (malachei habala), in contrast to the good environment of God, constitutes the family of the Evil One, the devil - the personification of the reverse, “left” side of divine existence.

"Dark Angels"

The angels of the "Dark Side" are nevertheless also considered angels. For example, Samael is the Angel of Death (Malakh ha-Mavet). Of the evil angels (angels of destruction - malachi habala), he plays a special role. He is identified with the terrible giants and demons that exist in oral legends, in the literature of the ancient Near East and medieval Europe ("devil", "Satan").

In the Talmud, the angel of death is identical to Satan (Samael) and the yetzer ha-ra (evil thought). In folklore, the angel of death is often depicted allegorically: he has many eyes, he is a zealous reaper or an old man with a sword dripping with poison, etc. But most often the angel of death appears in the form of a fugitive and vagabond, a beggar, a traveling merchant or an Arab. nomad. In Jewish angelology, the motif of fallen angels is also found. Its origins go back to the biblical story of the sons of God (bnei elohim), who, seduced by the beauty of the daughters of men, descended to earth. There they came to know the virgins of the earth, and from this connection a generation of giants was born.

However, the biblical tradition does not contain the element of moral conviction characteristic of later legends about fallen angels. This element first appears in the above-mentioned book of Enoch. Here the giants, descendants of the fallen angels, began to mercilessly exterminate people and teach them the use of weapons and other inventions that contribute to the spread of immorality and villainy. The archangels, having heeded the complaints of the people, turned to God, and they were ordered to punish the fallen angels. The legend of fallen angels, seduced by mortal women and doing evil on earth, is repeated in one variation or another in apocryphal and talmudic literature and in an even more colorful form in midrash.

In philosophy

Philo of Alexandria (1st century AD) identified the angels mentioned in the Bible with the demons of Greek philosophy. For Saadia Gaon (10th century), angels were corporeal beings, albeit of a more perfect substance than man. According to Abraham Ibn Ezra (12th century), angels are identical to the immaterial or simplest forms of ideal existence postulated by Neoplatonic ontology. In general, in the Middle Ages, the Aristotelian concept prevailed in Jewish philosophy, the most prominent representative of which was Maimonides. Its adherents viewed angels as “separate intelligences” (shalim nifradim), existing separately from human flesh. However, Maimonides believed that the term angel denotes not only a separate mind, but also all natural and physical forces.

In Christianity

In Christianity, angels are called ministering spirits and are depicted as people with snow-white wings on their backs.

Angels today

In modern Judaism, such as Reform and Conservative Judaism, there is a tendency to view traditional descriptions of angels as poetic symbols. References to angels have been almost entirely removed from Reform liturgy and from the liturgy of some groups of Conservative Judaists.

The attitude towards angels among most Orthodox Jews is ambivalent: although their existence is not completely denied, there is a tendency to demythologize ideas about angels and to interpret them as symbols. However, the degree of belief in angels varies among different orthodox groups. Belief in angels, in full accordance with traditional ideas about them, is preserved only among