What is the hierarchy of angels in Christianity? Hierarchy of angels Ranks of heavenly powers.

While collecting material for this book, I discovered several systems of the angelic hierarchy. All these systems, which may confuse you at first, were born in the human imagination. Often they are so conservative and so attached to a particular religious system that their original purpose is lost. But can we ignore these works? Someone spent a lot of time creating them. We do not know what the aspirations and intentions of these people were. But should we actually rewrite old works anew, replacing old terms with “correct” ones from the point of view of modern philosophy?

I thought about these questions for a long time and finally decided to stick to what I already have, but expand my knowledge in the field of magic. In my research I suffered a number of defeats. For example, I cannot believe that God created a huge number of angels whose sole task is to “praise the heavenly host.” It's like creating your own support group. Is God really that selfish? Of course not, because selfishness is a purely human trait. Perhaps the angels' actual task is to fill a vessel with positive energy from which all levels of existence can draw.

I was also perplexed by the fact that the angels (male, in this case) were so amazed by the beauty of the daughters of men that they neglected their duties and indulged in debauchery, dooming themselves to eternal damnation and becoming fallen angels.

This is a wonderful plot for a novel, but it is not suitable for the smooth functioning of the Universe, in which the element of chaos is people, not angels. Just because some men are unable to control their lust does not mean that every other male species in the universe has the same problems. *

You probably think that all this does not help us understand the hierarchy of angels. But perhaps you are wrong. Understanding our own failures helps us realize that there may be problems in these systems too. This is good. We can work with this and get closer to the more important material. First of all, we must get rid of the feeling that we are not good enough to communicate with the angels.

Remember in Chapter 2 I wrote that angels are here to help us fulfill our purpose? In each chapter of this book, I encourage you to enter the hierarchy of the angelic worlds and try to show you that by interacting with the angels, you can improve your life and find harmony.

The most popular hierarchical system in the West is taken from a book written by Dionysius the Areopagite in the 6th century. For centuries, these angelic ranks performed certain duties and directed flows of energy subject only to them. Some religions teach that many mortals, having gone through all earthly incarnations, become members of one of the Nine Orders of Angels. The nine orders of angels are divided into three groups, or triads:

Angels of the first triad

Seraphim Cherubim. Thrones

Angels of the second triad

Dominance of the Power of Power

Angels of the third triad

Beginnings Archangels Angels

Angels of the first triad

The first triad of angels is responsible for the Universe and the manifestations of the divine in it, acting on the highest astral level. Some consider them angels of pure contemplation, but to me contemplation means "sit back and think about things." Perhaps this means that they express their energy through pure thought. I like this idea better. These angels have the deepest knowledge about the deity, its internal activities and manifestations. The angels of the first triad are seraphim, cherubim and thrones.

Seraphim

Seraphim are closest to the deity, they protect, guard and glorify him and are considered angels of pure love, light and fire. They provide calm, protect the deity from the penetration of negative energy and help create and carry positive energy through all orders of angels and into the physical worlds. They surround the deity in order to ensure its continuous existence and give this energy to us to preserve our lives. Presumably, above these angels there are four chiefs, corresponding to the four winds of the Earth, each of which beats the air with six wings. The ruler of the seraphim is considered to be Joel, Metatron or Michael. Other angels named in this order are Seraphiel, Uriel, Kemuel and Nathanael. As you study and work with the Nine Orders of Angels, you will see that several angels are assigned to different orders, moving up and down the heavenly “stairs” depending on the need for them in the Universe. This especially applies to the four archangels (Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel).

Seraphim (beings of pure light) shine so brightly that a mortal could die of fright upon seeing a seraphim in all its brilliance. Only the Lord, the Mother of God and Michael are capable of fully interacting with these beings. Some say their faces are like lightning and their clothes are as dazzling as arctic ice. They never stop moving and acting.

People who practice magic can access seraphim because we are great at praying and summoning power. True, a friend once said to me: “Would you like to rise to the level of those little old ladies sitting in the back rows of the church discussing their garden beds? They have more magic than many boastful adepts.” I have no doubt about it.

The word "seraphim" means "ardor." In other words, these angels work with overwhelming divine love and compassion. You can’t just approach a seraphim on the astral level and say, “How are you?” Mortals meet with them only by invitation. I don't mean to say that seraphim don't interact with people at all. You can contact them and demand their help in magical actions, but you are unlikely to ever see them. If your guardian angel is a Seraphim, you may be drawn into some kind of change in the world or human consciousness at a time when you need their inspiration, divine love and power to complete your mission.

In other mythology, phoenixes were angels of the highest order, along with seraphim and cherubim. They became the elements of the sun and became associated with certain planets. They had twelve wings and were depicted as birds with bright red plumage.

Communicate magically with the seraphim when you want to create energy to solve problems on a human or planetary scale. They listen to group rituals. To summon the seraphim, light a white candle for the deity and a bright red one for the seraphim.

Cherubim

Cherubim are the guardians of light and stars. They also create and channel positive energy from the deity and their form is perfect. They are supposed to shine brighter than all other angels. These creatures are Assyrian or Akkadian in origin, and their name means “promoting reconciliation.” They are powerful spirits of knowledge and boundless love. Interestingly, in human consciousness they exist as half-humans and half-animals. Ancient statues that were placed in front of temples to protect the holy land depict them with human faces and the bodies of bulls or lions. Initially, they were not angels at all, but over time they made their way into the heavenly hierarchy. Maybe this is an ancient race that now functions not on the physical, but on the astral level? Mortals view cherubs as a hybrid of "beauty and the beast." Cherubim watch over all galaxies, collecting and distributing energy where it is needed, and also guard the temples of any religion, from architectural masterpieces to squalid huts.

Cherubim can also serve as personal guards, fighting with flaming swords when necessary. Sometimes cherubs are depicted in a more fearsome form with four faces and four wings, this must be their mystical representation, associating cherubs with the four winds. They are both sacred animals and chariots of the deity. Their names are Ophaniel, Rikbiel, Cherubiel, Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel and Zophiel. It is difficult to imagine why in art these strong angels turned into dwarfs with childish faces. I prefer to stick to the idea of creatures with lion faces and human bodies. Of course, you can imagine them differently.

In magic, when you seek protection, wisdom and knowledge, turn to the cherubs. Many Egyptian deities, especially Sekhmet, Baet and Anubis, may have been cherubs.

Some archaeologists believe that the famous Sphinx (a giant sculpture with the head of a man and the body of a lion) may not belong to the Egyptian culture, but to the culture of an as yet undiscovered Civilization that existed before the Egyptian one. To summon cherubs, light a white candle for the deity and a blue candle for the cherub.

Thrones

Thrones are assigned to planets, so most of the planetary angels that are mentioned in this book belong to the category of thrones. They create, conduct and collect incoming and outgoing positive energy. The Thrones are called "many-eyed" and are something of a divine private eye as well as a teacher of obedience. The name "thrones" comes from the idea that all the power of the deity rests on their strong shoulders. Justice and the administration of justice are very important to them. They can highlight injustice with their fire and send healing energy to any victim. Once again, the question is who is leading whom. The Prince of Thrones must be Orithiel, Zadkiel or Zaphkiel. Other names are given - Razzil and Jophiel. The Thrones are very interested in the affairs of mortals, although they may channel energy through your guardian angel rather than interact directly with you.

In magick, invoke thrones to help facilitate relationships with groups of people or between two individuals. Contact the thrones if you are in search of stability, as well as for any problems related to planets or planetary energies. To invoke thrones, light a white candle for the deity and a green one for the thrones.

Angels of the second triad

The angels of the second triad (dominance, strength, power) rule over certain planets and those angels who carry out the tasks assigned to them. They themselves obey the angels of the first triad. Angels of the second triad deal with the cosmos and the relationships within it. Some theologians argue that the angels of the second triad are not at all concerned about mortals and are too busy “cosmically”; mi" problems; but I do not believe that their communication system is so bad that prayers and bursts of human energy are lost. I also don’t believe in their arrogance and arrogance towards people.

Dominations

The Dominions act as divine leaders whose efforts are aimed at uniting the material and spiritual without losing control. They carry symbols of power such as the scepter and orb. The prince of this rank is considered to be Khashmal or Zadkiel. Interestingly, Dominion is also the name of the oldest angel. Other angels who are also called princes of dominions are Muriel and Zakariel.

In magic, all questions of leadership fall under the control of dominions. They embody the law of cause and effect and precision in work. Dominations give a person the gift of a “born leader” and make sure that his subordinates are healthy and happy. They disapprove of corrupt governments, politicians, church and political leaders who put personal interests above public interests. If you want to achieve divine wisdom, turn to the dominions. They are excellent mediators and arbitrators. If you are starting an important project or something has stalled in your current affairs, turn to the dominions. To invoke the dominions, light a white candle for the deity and a pink candle for the dominions.

Powers

Forces track human history. The angels of birth and death belong to this genus. They organize world religions and send divine energy to support their positive aspects. Their main task is to regulate chaos. Some theologians believe that the powers were created before the other angelic orders. They are seen as divine warriors who act not through fear and hatred, but through all-encompassing love. The powers are angels of warning; they will warn you if anyone is going to harm you. This warning can come in many ways: as a feeling, a dream, or a snippet of conversation. This means that you must learn to listen to what the angels are telling you. They work through a person's sixth sense, forcing us to listen to them. There is still a dispute about who heads this rank. According to some sources, this is Ertosi, according to others, Sammail and Kamail. Gabriel and Verchiel also belong to this rank of angels.

In magic they are considered warrior angels and you should turn to them when you are in trouble. The forces can find out any secret plans, the implementation of which will harm anyone. These angels will protect your Home, property, children or any group of people who call upon them for protection. To invoke powers, light a white candle for the deity and a yellow one for the powers.

Authorities

The main work of the authorities is to move spiritual energy to the level of the earth and collective human consciousness. Known as "miracle angels", they are courteous and courageous. In the planetary system of the Egyptians and alchemists, the head of the authorities was Pi-Re. Among the ruling princes of this degree are Michael, Raphael, Barviel, Haniel, Gamaliel, Tarshish, Peliel, Sabriel, Uzziel.
Authorities are especially supportive of those who try to achieve more than others expect of them. They love enterprising and successful positive people who try to enlighten and educate others and lead them to achieve harmony.

Authorities are the spirits of movement, work and direction of elemental natural energies that cause damage to our planet. The earth, air, weather and planetary disasters associated with the elements are under the protection of the authorities. These are the angels of nature. When you work with elemental magic, it is the authorities who listen to you and help you. When you are in trouble or working for healing, contact the authorities. When you are sick or afraid, call on the authorities. To call the authorities, light a white candle for the deity and an orange one for the authorities.

Angels of the third triad

The angels of the third triad have very complex connections with human affairs; they are considered the angels of the Earth. They are constantly intertwined with our lives and eagerly listen to what is happening to people. The third triad includes the beginnings, the archangels and those who are simply called angels.

Beginnings

Principalities are the guardians of large structures such as continents, countries, cities and large human organizations (such as the UN). They contribute to global reforms. You'll find them in boardrooms and brokerage houses, even in swimming pools—anywhere people gather in groups to study, make decisions, or just have fun. They also create and transmit positive energies from the physical to the divine and back again. Patrons of religion and politics, they watch over the leaders of humanity to help them make just decisions. The main ruling angels of this degree are Rekuil, Anael, Kerviel and Nisroc. According to Egyptian beliefs, the ruler among them is Surot.

With the help of magic, you can call these angels in cases of discrimination, destruction of animals or (God forbid!) genocide, violation of laws by those who control anything - from a country to a company, or in the event that you do not have enough strength to make the necessary decisions regarding large groups of people. The highest priority to begin with is human rights and economic reform. To invoke the beginnings, light a white candle for the deity and a red one for the beginnings.

Archangels

This is a rather strange group. They are often classified as one of the other triads or another rank. They love communication with mortals, although they cannot always afford it. These are the “special forces” of the angelic worlds, accustomed to dealing with different levels of society - from rulers to newborns. They also create and transmit energy in both directions. Chapter 2 and other sections of this book discuss the use of archangels in magic.
To summon the archangels, refer to chapter 4.

Angels

Angels are creatures assigned to a specific person. They are often called guardian angels. They relate to matters of human and physical manifestation and transmit energies from us to the divine and from the divine to us. Our guardian angels are assigned to us for the duration of all earthly incarnations. They are our best friends and our closest companions, accompanying us from the moment of our birth and helping us in the transition through death. They protect us in trouble, help us adapt to the world and carry out the divine plan laid within us, calling on other forces of the Nine Orders of Angels when we need them. However, much of above they will do only at our request. Therefore, we must learn to talk about our needs and concerns. We will return to guardian angels in Chapter 7, which will focus solely on them.
Our guardian angels are always in contact with all the angels of the Nine Orders. They send messages instantly, and if we ask them for help, they will convey our request to the deity and other angels. Once again, I must remind you that you are never alone. Although angels often act instantly, especially if your problem involves other people, sometimes their action may slow down or go differently than you expected. When turning to the angels for help, make sure that your thoughts are pure and ask them to tell you the most acceptable solution for everyone or a good attitude towards you. But do not think that the angel himself will solve all your problems. It will only open up new possibilities and paths for you that you could not discover on your own.
Guardian angels can come from any of the Nine ranks of angels. Each angel has its own function. None of them are better or more important than the others. To summon your guardian angel, light a candle of your favorite color. Place a white candle nearby for the deity.

The ebb and flow of energy to a mortal or from a mortal to a deity is the main task of angels. If this flow stops, all of us, including the angels, will cease to exist. All laws, cosmic and human, are governed by angels. They can change anyone's destiny at any time. But an angel will never become an accomplice of evil. They seek justice with strength and love, but without cruelty. Stories about “merciless angels” scare only fools.

We can magically interact with any angel from the Nine Orders of Angels. For example, if you want to heal the planet, you must find a special rank responsible for this. All angels are attuned to the orders of the Holy Mother and Holy Father. Those who open their hearts to the feminine deity can make major changes in our society. Our Lady is almost certainly the queen of angels, and if you need her, all you have to do is call upon her.

When interacting with angels, our only weak point is doubt and fear. By doubting the power of angels to help us, we break our connection with them. Unbelief or fear puts a barrier between us and the angels.

Spell for the nine ranks

Blazing Seraphim, I call upon you.
Draw a circle, bring me love.
Mighty cherub, guard my gates,
Take away sadness and hatred from me.
Thrones, stand strong, make me resolute,
Help me to stay steady on land and sea.
I call upon the dominions, whose power is unquestionable,
That I be honest in everything I do.
Forces create circles of protection,
Help me, weather and storm.
Miraculous powers hover nearby,
They give me the energy of the elements.
The beginnings bring global changes,
Blessing the world and every newborn.
Glorious archangels show me the way,
Leading to peace and harmony every day.
Guardian angel, powerful deity,
Bless me with your guiding light.

Appeal to the nine orders of angels

The fact that you chose this book and are thinking about how to do magic with angels makes you a special person. You are probably one in a thousand. Only a few have the courage to practice magic with angels, because it means you have to live honestly, which is not always easy to do. Some believe that angels do not correspond to their religious beliefs. I have come to the conclusion that angels correspond to everything at any time and in any place. They are not as picky as we are.

One delightful winter morning I ran errands to the local department store and grocery store. There I suddenly began to look at people - I mean, I began to really look at them. I realized that all the people around me were not alone, that their angels were with them. I realized with surprise that the earth level must be a very busy place. At that moment, the physical senses that I had trained for so long took a huge leap forward.

Looking at people, I “felt” what bothered them most. Some people looked around helplessly as if they were alone in the world, and I really wanted to tell them that they weren't. Others were busy thinking about their business, family, friends, etc. At first glance, I recognized those who were dishonest or those who felt empty in life, despite their expensive clothes and professional makeup. I felt like I had entered the twilight zone.

I walked and felt my angels next to me. They were big and I could feel them pulsating. I have no idea how I knew this - I just knew. People looked at me and smiled, and I smiled back. This is unusual because most people in my area are not always friendly to the people you meet. I understood that those who smiled widely felt the presence of angels, but could not realize what they were feeling. I felt huge. I felt great. I felt loved. I touched harmony.

As I walked to my car, the idea of addressing the Nine Orders of Angels came to my mind. This is your first introduction to all types of angels, let them know that you are ready to invite them into your life and work magic with them.

You will need one white candle to represent the Virgin Mary and one white candle to represent the Lord. You will also need candles to represent each level of the Nine Orders of Angels, so you will need eleven candles. If you want, you can use candles in the colors that I recommended earlier.

Make sure you will not be disturbed during this ritual. During your conversation with the angels, you should not be interrupted by telephone calls, television, guests or family members.

Go to the angel altar and light the candles or lamps. Take a deep breath while holding both white candles tightly in your hands. Whatever your religious beliefs, say a prayer or incantation stating exactly what you want to do. I am not giving a sample prayer here because it must come from your heart. Light both white candles while saying:

I light this candle for the Lord.
I light this candle for the Virgin Mary.

If you are familiar with magic, then it is time to draw a magic circle. Choose which way of creating a circle you like best. If you do not know how to draw a magic circle, refer to chapter b of this book; if you don't want to draw a circle, just imagine yourself surrounded by white light.

Place the candles in a row and start with your guardian angel candle. Say the following:

I light this guardian angel candle and invite my guardian angel into my life. I vow to practice magic with the angels and help my neighbors and the planet with all my power. So be it.

Relax and meditate on what you just said. Feel that your guardian angel is near you and affirm that you will listen to the messages being conveyed to you.

Light the archangel candle and say the following:

I light this archangel candle and invite this archangel into my life. I vow to practice magick with the archangels and help my neighbors and the planet with all my power. So be it.

As before, relax and think about the archangels and what they mean to you.

Move on to the other ranks, each time to one of them, lighting a candle, calling the angels, saying an oath. Meditate on every order.

When you have done all this, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Open yourself to universal harmony.

When you are finished, turn to the angels you called. The appeal can be big or small - it doesn't matter.

Say the message loudly and firmly.

Take a deep breath again and relax. Thank the angels for their response and help to you. If you. o draw a magic circle, open it.

You can join the Nine Orders of Angels at any time. Angels are always ready to help you.

Queen of Angels (story of Saint Kztrin Labour)

I am not a Catholic and never have been, but when I first read this story, my heart started beating faster and my body got goosebumps. I believe there is no better example to demonstrate the power and existence of the Queen of Angels, the entity we Wiccans know as the Mistress.

On July 18, 1830, nun Catherine Labourg woke up on the Rue du Bac in Paris and saw a shining angel who ordered her to quickly go to the chapel. When Catherine arrived there, she saw the queen of angels giving her the first message. In this first message she introduced herself to Catherine as the sacred mother of all children. She called herself the Queen of Angels.

After her first visit, Catherine devoted herself to deep solitude and prayer for many months. Every morning Catherine returned to the chapel in the hope of seeing the Queen of Angels again. And one fine morning the queen returned to the chapel, standing over the ball bathed in bright light, and dressed in sunlight. Rings sparkled on each of her fingers. When she opened her palms, brightly burning rays of fire burst out of them and ignited the ball. The angels emitted a flickering light as the queen spoke the following words:

The sphere you see represents planet Earth. The rays that escape from my hands symbolize the grace given to me to be passed on to those of our children who ask me for it.

Precious stones from which rays do not come out are favors that my children forgot to ask for. The light of angels symbolizes their power and presence on earth. Let me help you, my children. Seek the light of the angels.

Catherine's vision intensified. The rays from the queen's hands lit fire in all parts of the ball. The golden door to the Land of Summer wavered in an oval around the vision. The Queen of Angels said:

The Divine will commands that a medal be made depicting this heavenly vision and given to you. The medal will always be a sign of my protection and the presence of angels to guide you along the paths of divine unconditional love for you. All who wear this medal with faith will be showered with favors, blessings and empowered.

This medal was made and distributed to Catholics around the world. Legend says that those who wore the medal with faith and conviction witnessed many miracles and were under divine protection. It became known as the "Miraculous Medal". People all over the world continue to wear this medal of angelic power, a gift from Our Lady Queen herself.

After studying this story, I decided to visit a local Catholic store. I felt strange wandering among the trappings of a religion alien to me, but at the same time I was proud that my own faith was strong and could not be shaken by another belief system. I found the Miraculous Medal and the card that came with it.

At home, I placed them on my angel altar (see chapter 2) and cleansed, blessed, and energized the items. There is a prayer on the back of the card. I created my own spell to suit my personal spiritual needs:

Merciful Goddess, I reunite with you under the name of Our Lady, Queen of Angels, who brought this Miraculous Medal. Let this medal be for me a convincing sign of your maternal affection and a constant reminder of the oath I took to my religion. Bless me with your loving protection and protection of your Spouse. The most powerful Virgin, Mother and Foremother! Let me be with you every minute of my life so that, like you, I can live and act in a way that fulfills my vow. With this medal I will call upon angelic powers to help my fellow men and control my own life. So be it.

If you don't like using the Miraculous Medal, don't worry about it. It took me a little time to find a medal without a cross on the back. I don't want to use jewelry with a cross on it because the symbol represents an attack and has a hidden meaning for me. You are free to choose another piece of jewelry that is more convenient for you. A Jew can use the Star of David, a Wiccan can use a pentacle. The symbol must be important to you and you must believe that it will work for the purpose you identified in the dedication and prayer above.

Catholics have a prayer that they use in all difficulties. I'll put it here and then we'll rewrite it a little to fit alternative religious traditions. Since all gods are one god, and all goddesses are one goddess, I don’t think Our Lady will mind. Legend says that this prayer was first read by the angel Gabriel.
O Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with You. Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the fruit of Your womb. Holy Mary, Mother

Dear God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

If you follow an alternative religion, you could say it like this:
O Lady of grace, God is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Spouse and Son. Holy Goddess, Mother of the Earth, perform the sacrament for your children, now and in our time of need. So be it.

Queen of Angels and the Magic Circle

The Queen of Angels sends seraphim to collect human prayers and convey them to the deity. All the angels are deeply devoted to her and she has her own angelic retinue. Thus, when you draw a magic circle and invoke a Master or Mistress, you also invoke an angelic host who moves with them regardless of your belief system and regardless of whether you think about them or believe in them. If you acknowledge the presence of angelic beings when you draw your circle, you will see a difference. If you don't believe me, try it and find out for yourself.

Indeed, many of us feel the presence of angels in our lives especially keenly when things go wrong. I'll use myself as an example. I persistently pored over this angelic book, sometimes feeling tired and empty, but thinking that my life was in order, when suddenly professional discord overtook me in the midst of a difficult period. Feeling very unhappy and acutely aware that my whole life was going downhill, I went to my angelic altar and lit two white candles. I called my guardian angel and asked that this transition in my life be as painless as possible and that I find out what caused it without being blinded by human emotions and selfishness. .

I once read that mortals are conductors of spiritual energy into the material world, and angels are conductors of material energy into the spiritual world. Together we create a bridge between the material and spiritual world. I also understood that in order to continue my work, I had to get rid of negative emotions - doubts, anger, dissatisfaction with myself and self-examination, which were brewing in a terrible cauldron of endless reasoning.

The first thing I did was take a shower and visualize how the water cleanses both my physical body and my soul. Then I took a glass of cold water (any drink will do) and imagined that with each sip I was filling my body with angelic and universal energies. Then I took a deep breath, imagining the healing energy entering my body. I exhaled, throwing away all doubts, fears or thoughts of unhappiness.

I summoned the Lady with the help of Edgar Allan Poe's poem:

In the morning, at noon, at dusk
Lady, do you hear my hymn:
In joy and sorrow, in health and sickness,
Mother goddess, be with me.
When the bright hours fly by
And there's not a cloud in the sky
My soul, no matter how idle it may be,
Your mercy leads to you.
Now that the storms of fate
They covered my present and future with darkness,
Let my hope be in you
Will make my future shine.

Then I recited Gabriel’s prayer several times, turning it into a power-enhancing mantra:

O Lady, full of mercy, God is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Spouse and Son. Holy Goddess, Mother of the Earth, perform the sacrament for your children, now and in our hour of need. So be it.

The problem was resolved within 24 hours.

Other hierarchies

I mentioned earlier that there are several hierarchies of angels. Although I have chosen the Nine Angelic Orders to work with, I would not like to discard Jewish mysticism. The Kabbalah mentions ten sephiroth (singular number - sephira). Each represents its own world, which requires deep exploration through imaginary journeys, personal encounters with the divine, etc. Angels are present in each sephira. The names of the sephiroth are Foundation, Splendor, Eternity, Beauty, Power, Grace, Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding and Perfection (Crown). The diagram representing these forces is in the form of a tree. At the roots of this tree stands the guardian angel Sandalphon, who spreads through the tree and goes out into the Universe. Other angels on the tree are Safkiel, the angel of contemplation; Raphael, divine physician; Gabriel, who rules spiritual wisdom; Michael, commander-in-chief of the heavenly army. At the top is Metatron. We will discuss all of these angels in the book.

In general, the life of any person is determined by the subtle world, having a huge impact on it. In ancient times, everyone knew that it was the subtle world that determined the physical plane. At the moment, few people remember this and want to think in this direction. And this is a very important aspect of life, because there are beings who help us in life, and there are those who try to lead us astray and sometimes even destroy us.

Heavenly Angels

To see all 9 ranks of angels, you should pay attention to Botticini’s “Assumption”. There are three triads of angels on it. Before creating our world, visible and physical, God created heavenly, spiritual forces and called them angels. It was they who began to play a mediating role between the Creator and people. The translation of this word from Hebrew literally sounds like “messenger”, from Greek - “messenger”.

Angels are called ethereal beings who have free will and great power. According to information from the Old and New Testaments, in the Angelic Hierarchy there are certain angelic ranks, the so-called steps. Most Jewish and Christian theologians were engaged in creating a unified classification of these ranks. At the moment, the most widespread is the angelic hierarchy, which was created in the fifth century and called the “nine ranks of Angels.”

Nine ranks

From this system it follows that there are three triads. The first, or highest, included the Seraphim and Cherubim, as well as the Thrones. The middle triad includes the angelic orders of Dominion, Strength and Authority. And in the lowest caste of ranks are the Principalities, Archangels and Angels.

Seraphim

It is believed that it is the Seraphim who are closest to God who can be called those who occupy the highest angelic rank. It is written about them in the Bible that the prophet Isaiah witnessed their arrival. He compared them to fiery figures, so the translation of this word from Hebrew means “Flaming.”

Cherubim

It is this caste that follows the Seraphim in the angelic hierarchy. Their main purpose is to intercede for the human race and pray for souls before God. In addition, it is believed that they serve as a memory and are guards of the Heavenly Book of Knowledge. The knowledge of the Cherubim extends to everything that a created being can know. Translated from Hebrew, cherub means intercessor.

In their power are the mysteries of God and the depth of his wisdom. It is believed that this particular caste of angels is the most enlightened among all. It is their responsibility to open up in man the knowledge and vision of God. Seraphim and Cherubim, along with the third representatives of the first triad, interact with people.

Thrones

Their position is before the seated God. They are called God-bearing, but not in the literal sense of the word, but because of the goodness within them and because they faithfully serve the Son of God. In addition, evolutionary information is hidden in them. Basically, it is they who carry out God's justice and help earthly authorities judge their people fairly.

According to the medieval mystic Jan van Ruijsbroeck, representatives of the highest triad under no circumstances interfere in human conflicts. But at the same time, they are close to people in moments of insight, love for God and knowledge of the world. It is believed that they are capable of bringing the highest love into the hearts of people.

Dominations

The angelic ranks of the second triad begin with the Dominions. The fifth rank of angels, the Dominions, have free will, which ensures the daily functioning of the Universe. In addition, they control the angels who are lower in the hierarchy. Because they are completely free, their love for the Creator is impartial and sincere. It is they who give strength to earthly rulers and managers so that they act wisely and fairly when owning lands and governing people. In addition, they are able to teach how to control feelings, protecting them from unnecessary impulses of passion and lust, and enslaving the flesh to the spirit, so that it is possible to control one’s will and not succumb to temptations of various kinds.

Powers

This caste of angels is filled with Divine strength; they have the power to carry out the instant will of God, showing his strength and power. They are the ones who perform God’s miracles and are able to give a person grace with which he can see what is coming or heal earthly diseases.

They are able to strengthen a person’s patience, remove his sorrow, strengthen his spirit and give him courage so that he can cope with all life’s hardships and problems.

Authorities

It is the responsibility of the Authority to maintain the keys to the devil's cage and restrain his hierarchy. They are able to tame demons, repel attacks on the human race, and deliver from demonic temptation. Also, their responsibilities include affirming good people for their spiritual deeds and works, protecting them and preserving their right to the Kingdom of God. It is they who help drive away all evil thoughts, passions and lust, as well as ward off a person’s enemies and help defeat the devil within themselves. If we consider the personal level, then angels help a person during the battle of good and evil. And when a person dies, they accompany his soul and help him not to go astray.

Beginnings

These include entire legions of angels whose purpose is to protect religion. Their name is due to the fact that they guide the lower angelic ranks, it is they who help them to do actions pleasing to God. In addition, their mission is to rule the universe and protect everything that God has created. According to some reports, every nation and every ruler has its own angel, called upon to protect it from evil. The Prophet Daniel said that the Angels of the Persian and Judean kingdoms ensure that all rulers who are enthroned do not strive for enrichment and glory, but to spread and increase the glory of God, so that they benefit their people by serving their needs.

Archangels

The Archangel is the great evangelist. Its main mission is the discovery of prophecies, understanding and knowledge of the will of the Creator. They receive this knowledge from higher ranks in order to convey it to lower ranks, who will subsequently convey it to people. According to Saint Gregory Dvoeslov, the purpose of angels is to strengthen faith in man and discover its sacraments. The archangels, whose names can be found in the Bible, are the ones most known to man.

Angels

This is the lowest rank in the hierarchy of heaven and the closest creature to humans. They guide people on the path, help them in everyday life not to leave their path. Every believer has his own guardian angel. They support every virtuous person from falling, they try to raise everyone who has fallen spiritually, no matter how sinful he is. They are always ready to help a person, the main thing is that he himself desires this help.

It is believed that a person receives his Guardian Angel after the rite of Baptism. He is obliged to protect his subordinate from misfortunes, troubles and help him throughout his life. If a person is threatened by dark forces, he needs to pray to the Guardian Angel, and he will help fight them. It is believed that depending on a person’s mission on earth, he may be associated with not one, but several angels. Depending on how a person lives and how spiritually developed he is, not only lower ranks, but also Archangels, whose names most people know, can work with him. It is worth remembering that Satan will not stop and will always tempt people, so the Angels will always be with them in difficult times. Only by living according to the laws of God and developing spiritually can one learn all the mysteries of religion. This is, in principle, all the information that relates to the ranks of Heaven.

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

In the article:

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

The kingdom of God is like any organization. If these words seem blasphemous to you, then think about where people got their structure of society from? God made man in his own image and likeness, which means he handed down the hierarchy to us. Moreover, let us remember that he bears the title Archangel, that is, the commander-in-chief of the heavenly army. This alone can say that the ranks of angels really exist.

They are purified, illuminated and perfected by the divine Sources imparted to them in a secondary manner through the first order of angels. Virtues - Responsible for maintaining the physical universe. Their main responsibility is to control the movements of celestial bodies to ensure the conservation of space. They have great power and appear to be the "workhorses" of the angels.

Powers - Some sources list powers as bearers of conscience and guardians of history. They sometimes serve as warrior angels, fiercely devoted to God. Some believe that no Power has ever fallen from grace, but another theory states that Satan was the chief of the Powers before his fall. They work hard to control the distribution of power among humanity, hence their name.

Ancient icon Image of St. Michael the Archangel, leader of the heavenly army. Russia XIX century.

What are they created for? As in any organization, so in heaven, there must be a chain of command. Without it, disorder and anarchy will reign in the organization. And it was precisely for refusing to obey that he was expelled. And let us 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, the nine angelic ranks were created by God precisely in order to manage the heavenly kingdom as effectively as possible.

The third sphere is 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 provide 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 great heralds of good news, announcing the great and the most glorious. According to Dionysius the Areopagite, their main service is to reveal 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 the archangels “strengthen men in holy faith, illuminate their minds with the light of the knowledge of the holy Gospel, and reveal the mysteries of pious faith.”

The Creator, naturally, is endowed with limitless power and possibilities - how else would he create the whole world? But you should understand that even he sometimes needs to escape from one problem in order to take care of another. Moreover, the real world is too fragile to withstand the direct intervention of a deity. Let us not forget, which is the Voice of God. After all, if the Creator turns to a person directly, then he simply will not withstand the power of the true voice and will die. This is why God needs help. Excessive power imposes its own 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 of the Angelic orders because we often use their title for other angelic beings. They are also 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 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 people. They are more properly called angels by men than men of higher rank, because their Order is more directly connected with men.

Nine angelic ranks

Yes, this seemingly monolithic organization has its problems. On at least one occasion, a rift was brewing among the angels. But it happened because he was able to attract a few rebels to his side. From this we can conclude that the basis of the problems is not the reasonableness 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 perform tasks given to them by God. In Muslim tradition, two angels are assigned to each person at birth. One angel records a person's good deeds, and the second records a person's bad deeds.

In the Psalms we study the concept of “guardian angels.” For He will place His angels on it to keep you in all your ways. Abstract: Since time immemorial, the concept of angels has fascinated humanity. Angels appear in religious, mythological, and other literature in all cultures. They are always depicted with wings. We have been conducting spiritual research on various aspects of angels through extrasensory perception or sixth sense. Through our findings using spiritual research methodology, this article demystifies the topic of angels and offers new insights into them.

If we sum up all of the above, it turns out that there is no hierarchy in Heaven. Everything is like people. But should this be surprising? Not likely. Any organization is designed to eliminate, so to speak, the human factor. In our case - angelic. It doesn’t always work out, but how could it be otherwise? Even such a perfect being 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 Foundation for Research in Spiritual Sciences.

Using the method 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 the different forms of angels as seen through subtle vision or 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 get to the bottom of it - what are the ranks of angels 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 dominion. The third is those who are directly close to humanity. Let's look at each in more detail.

Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. These are beings from the lower part of the subtle region 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 lower level gods 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 movement. They are often confused with 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. They are the ones that guard the tree of life, which appeared after the expulsion of Adam and Eve. The first representatives of the great Mistrust, because before the Expulsion 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 the Mirrors of Wisdom. They reflect divine providence, and with their help, heavenly souls can predict the future.

By worthy beings, we mean humans on Earth and subtle bodies in the Void region who have some background of spiritual practice or merit. The messages are usually about how to solve a specific worldly problem. About 5% of the time the angels themselves also give worldly advice. Since their duty is primarily on Earth, most of them are Tethered. When they are not delivering messages, they lead lives devoted to pleasure 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 ones and their corresponding ones in the table below. The reason for the diversity of angels is that each one operates at a different frequency. This allows them to communicate messages to multiple human personalities that best match their frequencies.

The second triad includes powers, dominations and authorities. The forces are engaged in transferring a piece of divine power to mortals. They help in difficult times to take one’s head, so to speak, and not despair. Dominions - the middle rank in the angelic hierarchy, personify the craving for freedom and independence, convey to people the craving to remove themselves from inequality. Authorities are the rank that closes the second triad. Some texts, the Gospels, for example, say that 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 modern times, spiritual progress for the sake of society has 70% importance and individual spiritual practice has 30% importance.

Note. Any drawing based on subtle knowledge may depend on 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 a sixth sense perceives and transcribes the drawing based on the subtle knowledge for us.

The third triad completes the hierarchy ladder. It includes the principles, archangels and angels. The Principles are 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 control the angels themselves. As an example, Archangel Michael the Archangel, the chief of the angelic army. Angels are those who are most involved in people's lives. They bring messages from God, they fight in his name, they give him honor and glory.

Angels are traditionally depicted with wings. The 30% of angels who have wings are of the lowest order of angels. They communicate with people about fulfilling very low worldly desires. Higher angels do not have wings. The following is an excerpt from an interview with Ms. Yoya Valle as she created drawings based on an intimate 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 abilities. Since many psychics lead society, negative energies mislead psychics, who in turn unintentionally mislead the people they lead. It is for this reason that 90% of the time the average psychic sees an angel, it is usually a ghost.

These are all the angelic orders that exist in the Christian religion. In different interpretations there may be different numbers, from 9 to 11. But the most reliable is the one mentioned in the works of Dionysius by the Areopagite. They were written at the end of the 5th or early 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 himself difficult questions and tried to answer them as clearly as possible. He did it. The key to such success was the researcher’s spirituality and the most powerful power of thought. He read many texts just to satisfy his and our curiosity. We can say that the theologian simply summarized everything that had been written before him. And this is true, but partially. Even such a seemingly simple job required titanic efforts.

Angelic ranks in Orthodoxy

Between Orthodox and Catholic there is a difference in culture. She also touched upon the roles assigned to the angelic ranks. Yes, if you look in general, the differences will not be striking. Still, even if they are different confessions, they are of the same religion. How are the angelic ranks different in Orthodoxy?

Prayers are answered by our departed ancestors or ghosts. However, in their eternal quest to gain control over people in order to exploit them or satisfy their cravings, ghosts or ancestors use prayer to deceive themselves to the person by satisfying their little 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 them distress. Refer to the article on the topic: “Why do my departed loved ones and my other ancestors want to hurt me?”

All 9 angelic orders are depicted in “The Assumption” by Francesco Botticini.

Firstly, there are no triads in the Orthodox religion. There are degrees here. There are also three of them, and they are called - Higher, Middle, Lower. They differ from each other in their “distance” from the divine throne. This in no way means that God loves the Lower degree less than the Higher. Of course not. It’s just that if the first is in direct contact with people, doing the will of God, then mortals almost never see the second.

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 with spiritual growth. Therefore, they are not worthy of worship.

Their only function is to deliver messages for 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 the form of angels to mislead psychics, who in turn unintentionally 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 given honor as intercessors and guardians. In Catholicism this happens much less often. Although here, like Catholics, there are 9 angels, 9 ranks of angels. Both faiths used the same texts, and minor differences can be attributed to different interpretations. , for example, reflect wisdom rather than guardianship. They have the highest spiritual wisdom and can use it. For the good, of course, by telling his fellow men how best to carry out 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 the spirits of power in the third heaven. This highest group is responsible for the material creations of the earthly and supernatural = the builder God. They inspire enthusiasm in everyone and stand for energy and burning “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 creator of miracles. They are attributed to the very essence of creation. Seraphim have 6 wings: 2 cover their faces, 2 legs and 2 fly. They are often depicted wearing red or red-orange robes with flaming swords or light flare.

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 becoming personal guardians and intercessors. take custody of every mortal, instructing and helping him, pushing him along the path of God's Plan, the so-called Great Plan.

Angels are invisible and immortal, but just as invisible and immortal as the human soul. That is, to the extent that God grants them this prosperity. In Orthodoxy, angels are associated with two elements - fire and air. With fire they cleanse sinners, bring divine wrath and retribution. And they are like the wind, because they are transported across the earth with great speed in order to carry out 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 and discipline. It is with their help that it becomes clear how the hierarchy of divine essences works. It was from them that humanity gained 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 dominations, powers and powers; the lowest - from the beginnings, archangels and angels.

The highest angelic face is the seraphim. Their name means fiery, fiery. Directly and continuously standing before the One who is love, who lives in the unapproachable light, and whose throne is a flame of fire, 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 chapter 6: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the whole temple. 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 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 rank consists of the cherubim, whose name means understanding or knowledge. For this reason they are called many-readers. Contemplating the glory of God and possessing higher knowledge and wisdom, they pour out the wisdom of God to others. The Holy Scriptures speak about cherubim in many places, for example: “And God cast out Adam and placed a cherubim and a flaming sword that turned around in the garden of Eden in the east to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). The book of the prophet Ezekiel speaks about cherubim many times: “And the cherubim were seen to have the likeness of human hands under their wings. And I saw: behold, four wheels next to the cherubim, one wheel next to each cherub, and the wheels looked like they were made of topaz stone” (10: 8-9).

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

Let us now move on to the middle face of the heavenly hierarchy. Its senior rank consists of dominions that rule over the lower angels. By willingly and joyfully serving God, they impart to those living on earth the power of prudent self-control and wise self-organization; They teach to control the feelings, subdue disorderly lusts and passions, enslave the flesh to the spirit, dominate the will and defeat temptations.

The 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 announces to us about this rite, saying that the angels, the authorities, and the powers submitted to Christ who ascended into heaven.

The lowest rank of the middle rank includes the authorities who have great power over the devil, defeat him, protect a person from his temptations and strengthen him in deeds of piety. Some holy fathers believe that the guardian angel of the Apostle Peter, who led him out of prison, belonged to this rank of angels.

In the lowest rank of the heavenly hierarchy are: in the first rank the principles that rule over the younger angels, assign positions, distribute ministries among them, govern kingdoms and human societies.

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

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

Great Seven.

St. is a little more open to us. Scripture and St. The legend of the seven highest archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salafiel, Jehudiel and Barachiel.

The first two archangels stand at a special height and are also called the archangels of the power of the Lord. They are above all angelic faces and seem to lead all heavenly ethereal forces.

The name Michael from 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 second in the heavenly hierarchy after Satanael, who was also called Lucifer or Dennitsa, i.e. son of the dawn. When the latter, in his pride, rebelled against God, the Lord, according to His Divine discretion, allowed the angels who remained faithful to Him, led by the Archangel Michael, to fight him.

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 by 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, foreordained in the plans of God, had already begun to act representatively in the heavenly world and contributed to the victory of the angels who testified to it in heaven. As for the struggle “even to 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 part of the heavenly hosts.

What else can be said about Archangel Michael? The Prophet Daniel calls him the guardian angel of the Jewish people. And after the stiff-necked Jewish people brought a curse upon themselves, betraying their Savior and Redeemer to death, and thereby losing 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 Archangel Michael, together with Archangel Gabriel, were precisely the angels who appeared to the myrrh-bearing women and preached the good news of the resurrection of Christ. And in a number of other New Testament appearances of angels it is possible to see this supreme twoness. We will talk about the special phenomena of the Archangel Gabriel below.

On the day of the Last Judgment, of course, none other than the Archangel Michael will lead the heavenly army coming with Christ. Therefore, on icons this archangel is always depicted in a warlike 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 archangel’s unwavering purity and unshakable loyalty to the Heavenly King, and the cross indicates that the battle with the kingdom of darkness and victory over it can only be achieved with the help of the Cross of Christ.

The second place in the entire heavenly hierarchy is occupied by the Archangel Gabriel. This name signifies the power of God. Since among the heavenly inhabitants the name always signifies the essence of his ministry, this archangel is especially the herald and 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 of women, John the Baptist and Baptist of the Lord, would be born. He announced to the godfathers Joachim and Anna about the birth of the wonderful and blessed Virgin. He visited and instructed Her in the Jerusalem temple, strengthening 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 His bosom. Archangel Gabriel appears repeatedly to righteous Joseph, giving him the necessary advice. According to some Fathers, it was he who was the angel who strengthened the Lord at night in Gethsemane while praying for the cup. And, as stated above, he and Archangel Michael participated together in the gospel of the resurrection and ascension of Christ the Savior. Finally, the same Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Mother of God to announce to Her the day of Her earthly Dormition.

In church hymns, Archangel Gabriel is called “the minister of miracles,” as the harbinger of God’s great miracles. Therefore, iconographically he is sometimes depicted with a branch of paradise in his right hand, and sometimes he holds a lit lantern in it, while in his left he holds a jasper mirror. The lantern means that God’s destinies are hidden until 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 illnesses and a helper in sorrows. The Archangel Raphael is described in the book of Tobit. It tells how this archangel, disguised as a man, accompanied the righteous Tobiah, freed his bride from an evil spirit, restored sight to his elderly father and, having taught Tobiah useful instructions, disappeared. Therefore, this archangel is depicted with a medical vessel in his hand, as later they began to write Panteleimon the Healer. It is appropriate to call upon Him for all those who suffer mentally and physically, supporting prayer with deeds of mercy and love.

The name of the fourth archangel is Uriel, which means light or fire of God. He is depicted with a sword raised upward and held in his right hand near his chest, and with a flame in his left hand, facing downwards. As an angel of light, Uriel primarily enlightens the minds of people with the revelation of truths in general, and divinely revealed truths in particular. As an angel of Divine fire, he inflames the hearts of those who call upon him with love for God and destroys from them everything unclean, earthly and sinful. Therefore, he is considered the patron saint of those who are zealous for the spread of the true faith of Christ, i.e. missionaries, as well as people who devoted themselves to pure science. He is the true source of many great scientific discoveries. Those discoveries that 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 God's grace. But we 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 us listen to how Uriel answered Ezra, a pious man, but not overly inquisitive. Ezra wished to learn from the angel the secret of God's destinies for the world, and why evil apparently triumphs 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 unable to do this, the godly archangel answered him like this:

“If I had asked you how many dwellings are in the heart of the sea, or how many springs are in the very foundation of the abyss, or what are the limits of paradise, perhaps you would have told me: I did not go into the abyss, nor into hell, nor into heaven. never ascended. Now I asked you only about the fire, the wind and the day that you experienced, i.e. about what you cannot be without - and to this you did not answer me.” And the angel said to Ezra: “You cannot know what is yours and with you from your youth; How could your mind accommodate 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 not hurt 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 placed on his chest and his eyes downcast. For those who have poor prayer progress, 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 Archangel Salafiel for help.

The name of the sixth archangel is Jehudiel, which means the glory or praise of God. He has a golden crown in his right hand, and a scourge of three ropes in his left. His duty, with a host of angels subordinate to him, is to protect, instruct and protect in the name of the Holy Trinity and the power of the Cross of Christ people working for the glory of God in various responsible branches of human service, to reward good workers and punish evil ones. Kings, military leaders and mayors, judges, householders, etc. should direct their prayerful gaze to this great celestial being.

Finally, the last of the sacred seven of the highest angels, the last in order, and not in dignity, is Barachiel, the angel of God’s blessings, as his name means and expresses the appearance in which he appears on holy icons. He is depicted with many pink flowers in the depths of his clothing. Since the blessings of God are varied, the ministry of this archangel is very diverse. He is the supreme leader of the guardian angels, because through it the blessings of family well-being, the goodness of the air and the abundance of earthly fruits, success in purchases and in general in all everyday affairs are sent, i.e. everything that their guardian angels help people with.

The same book of Ezra also mentions the name of the archangel Jeremiel, 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).

People have known about the existence of angels since time immemorial: all peoples and many spiritual traditions believed in them. The Holy Scriptures repeatedly mention the action of angels, fulfilling the commands of God in the world and protecting righteous people with their protection. In addition to Scripture, the holy fathers also left a lot of information about angels: heavenly beings appeared to them more than once and conveyed God’s Will - after all, it is not for nothing that God sends them proclaim Their decrees, and that is why they are called angels, i.e. messengers.

God endowed the angels with rich gifts. They are gifted with strength and power, with the help of which they can act on the physical plane: influence the bodies of people and the world of things. However, angels never create according to their own will, but always only fulfill God's Will.

God's angels love their Creator with all their being and are in constant praise and singing of thanks to Him: they thank and glorify God for the bliss in which, by His mercy, they abide. The bliss in which angels reside cannot be compared with anything on earth: people experiencing human bliss in rare moments of their human happiness can only feel a vague reflection of angelic bliss.

Although there are countless angels, a strict order and subordination is established between them - the angelic hierarchy.

Angelic celestial hierarchy

The angelic hierarchy in Christianity includes nine faces, which include three ranks, and the Glory of God is poured out on the angels from the highest to the lowest:

1st rank of angels - seraphim, cherubim, thrones;
2nd rank of angels - dominion, strength, power;
3rd order of angels – principles, archangels, angels

The angelic ranks are subordinate to one another and are in perfect harmony. And although the ranks and faces of angels have their own names, they are all called by the common word angels.

Seraphim are closest to God, their name means “fire of divine love.” Seraphim are ignited by this divine love and communicate it to other faces - this is their task and purpose.

Cherubim: This name means “fullness of knowledge, abundance of wisdom.” Cherubim know absolutely everything that God makes known to created beings. Cherubim enlighten others: through them wisdom is sent to other beings for the knowledge of God.

Thrones These are the spirits on which God himself incomprehensibly sits and administers His righteous judgment. Thrones help earthly rulers, lords and judges administer justice.

Dominations they govern other ranks, teach them to master their feelings, subdue their passions, and subordinate the flesh to the spirit. Dominions have power over evil spirits.

Powers- spirits through which God works His miracles. God endowed these angels with His strength and omnipotence.

Authorities have power over the forces of evil, can repel the attacks of the evil one, ward off misfortunes from people and drive away evil thoughts.

Let's start God entrusted the management of the universe and the protection of all kingdoms, states, peoples, tribes and languages. Each country, each people and tribe has a specific angel assigned to it from the rank of principles for guidance, protection and admonition. The beginnings are a kind of guardian angels, but not for one person, but for a certain group.

Archangels- great evangelists. They utter prophecies, proclaim the Will of God to the lower angels, and through them to people. Archangels strengthen people's faith and enlighten the mind. The most famous of the archangels - Michael, Gabriel, Uriel (aka Jeremiel), Selafiel, Jehudiel and Barachiel - are actually archangels in rank, and the seraphim, and the highest of all seraphim, are closest to God. They are called Archangels because they are the leaders of all angelic forces. And the highest leader over all, all angels, God appointed the archangel (i.e., leader, senior warrior) MICHAEL.

Angels are closest to people. Each person has his own guardian angel - patron and protector, his closest spiritual mentor, the connection with whom must be maintained and strengthened.

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