Nine angelic ranks in Orthodoxy. Orders of angels. Prayer to the Guardian Angel, Canon to the Guardian Angel

Having created people in His image and likeness, the Lord brought into their lives many elements inherent in the Kingdom of Heaven. One of them is the hierarchy inherent in both human society and the world of angels ─ incorporeal forces surrounding the Throne of God. The position of each of them depends on the significance of the mission they perform. How many angelic ranks are in the Christian religion, and what are the features of each of them, will be discussed in our article.

Messenger of God

Before starting a conversation about the angelic ranks and tracing the differences between them, we should dwell on who the angels are and what their role is in the existing world order. This word itself, which came to us from the Greek language, is translated as “messenger” or “messenger”.

In all Abrahamic religions, that is, those that recognize the union concluded by Patriarch Abraham with God, and this is Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the angel is presented as an incorporeal being, but at the same time possessing reason, will and consciously choosing the path of serving God. In the visual arts, a tradition has developed to give angels the appearance of anthropomorphic (human-looking) creatures endowed with wings.

Angels and Demons

According to the Holy Scriptures, angels were created by God even before the arrangement of the visible world by Him, and carried only a good beginning. But later some of them, filled with pride, fell away from their Creator and were cast down from Heaven for this. Those who, remembering their true destiny, remained faithful to the Lord (they are usually called “bright angels” in contrast to demons ─ “angels of darkness”), became His faithful servants. In each of these opposing groups, there is a certain hierarchy of angelic ranks.

Teachings of an unknown theologian

The correspondence of incorporeal forces to one or another rung of the hierarchical ladder leading to the Throne of God was the subject of study by many prominent theologians of the past centuries. In Christianity, angelic ranks are usually distributed in accordance with the classification, the author of which is an unknown theologian who lived at the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries and went down in history under the name of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. He received such an unusual name due to the fact that for a long time his works were erroneously attributed to the Greek philosopher and thinker of the 1st century, Dionysius the Areopagite, who, according to legend, was a disciple of the Apostle Paul.

From the system proposed by Pseudo-Dionysius, based on the texts of the Holy Scriptures, it follows that the whole world of light spirits is divided into three groups, or triads, each of which, in turn, consists of three specific types of disembodied servants of God. The angelic ranks are distributed by the author in a strict hierarchy, illustrating the meaning of each of them.

His work, on which many prominent theologians of subsequent centuries relied, was called the Treatise on the Heavenly Hierarchy, and the system proposed in it became known as the Nine Orders of the Angels. On the basis of the system proposed in it, today the entire hierarchy of angelic ranks in Orthodoxy, as well as most Western areas of Christianity, is being built. For almost one and a half millennia, it has remained dominant.

Higher ranks of incorporeal forces

According to this teaching, the highest level of the nine ranks of angels is occupied by spirits called seraphim, cherubim and thrones. Seraphim are considered the closest of them to God. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah likens them to fiery figures, which explains the origin of this word, translated from Hebrew as “fiery”.

Behind the seraphim, who make up the highest angelic rank, are the cherubim. They are the main intercessors of the human race before God and prayer books for the salvation of the souls of the departed. That is why they bear the name, translated from the Hebrew language as "intercessor." Sacred tradition tells of them as the keepers of the Heavenly Book of Knowledge, who have such extensive information about everything in the world that the human mind is not able to accommodate them. Their most important property is the ability to help people on the path of gaining knowledge and vision of God.

Heavenly support of earthly rulers

And, finally, one more angelic rank included in the highest triad - thrones. The name of the group of these disembodied spirits comes from the fact that it was they who were granted the grace of God to support the earthly rulers and help them to create a right judgment over their peoples. In addition, the peculiarity of the thrones is that the Creator was pleased to lay in them the knowledge of the paths along which human society is destined to move and develop.

It is generally accepted that the thrones never interfere in human conflicts, but at the same time they are next to us, helping to gain spiritual insight and be filled with love for God. All representatives of the first higher triad are able to enter into direct communication with a person.

Bearers of wisdom and creators of good undertakings

The middle triad is opened by the angelic rank ─ domination. This, according to the classification of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, is the fourth rank of angels. They embody the freedom that underlies the life of the entire visible world and is proof of their boundless and sincere love for the Creator. Dominations, like thrones, are in constant interaction with earthly rulers, giving them wisdom and directing thoughts only to good undertakings.

In addition, these servants of God help people overcome the outbursts of passion that overwhelm them and fight the temptations of the flesh, not allowing it to prevail over the spirit. Dominions got their name due to the fact that they are entrusted with the control of all other angels, whose position on the hierarchical ladder is lower.

Doers of the will of the Creator

The next step of the middle triad is occupied by forces. From the treatise of Pseudo-Dionysius it is known that this category is made up of angels, gifted with an indestructible divine fortress and capable of fulfilling the will of their Creator in the blink of an eye. It is they who are the conductors of the grace of God, given to people through their prayers and petitions.

All the miracles that the Lord reveals to his children take place with their direct participation. Being conductors of divine energy, the forces bring pious Christians deliverance from ailments and the fulfillment of their innermost desires. They also help the chosen sons of God see the future. An important feature of the forces is the ability to strengthen the spirit of a person, give him courage and ease grief. Thanks to the angels standing on this ─ the fifth hierarchical level, people cope with their life problems and overcome adversity.

Dark forces fighters

Complete the middle triad of power. They are entrusted with an unusually important mission - to keep the keys to the dungeon in which the devil is imprisoned, and to put obstacles in the way of his innumerable army. They protect the human race from demonic obsessions and help fight the temptations sent by the enemy of the human race.

Without stopping the fight against the fallen angels, who are the embodiment of evil, the authorities at the same time protect pious people, affirming them in virtue and filling their hearts with love for God. They are entrusted with the duty to drive away evil thoughts from them, strengthen them in good intentions, and those who have succeeded in serving God, to forward after death to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Patrons of peoples and kingdoms

At the lowest level of the hierarchical ladder of angelic ranks are the last three categories of incorporeal spirits, the oldest of which are the beginnings. They are an invincible legion of defenders of the faith. The beginnings got their name because of the mission entrusted to them to lead the remaining two categories of angels and direct their labors to fulfill the will of God.

In addition, the beginnings have another important purpose ─ to manage the construction of hierarchies among people. It is believed that none other than the beginnings invisibly anoint earthly monarchs to the kingdom and bless the rulers of other ranks. In this regard, it is generally believed that the Lord sends an angel of this category to each nation, called to protect it from troubles and upheavals. The basis for such a judgment may be the words of the Old Testament prophet Daniel about the angels of the Jewish and Persian kingdoms, who ensure that the rulers anointed by them are jealous not of personal wealth, but of increasing the glory of God.

World of Angels and Archangels

And finally, the representatives of the last two groups are closest to people ─ these are archangels and angels. The word archangel in Greek means "great messenger". In most cases, it is through his prophecies that people learn the will of the Creator. An example is the good news brought by the archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Archangels, on the other hand, sometimes become the watchful guardians of the Lord. Suffice it to recall in this connection the Archangel Michael, who blocked the entrance to Eden with a fiery sword.

The lowest ranks of the heavenly hierarchy are angels. They can also be called the closest incorporeal spirits to people, helping in everyday life. The Holy Church teaches that at baptism, the Lord sends each person a special guardian angel who protects him for the rest of his life from spiritual falls, and if they occur, directs him to the path of repentance, regardless of the severity of the sins committed.

Depending on how rich the spiritual world of a person is, how firm his faith in God is and what his purpose in life is, he may be under the care of not one angel, but several, or even have direct communication with the archangels. It is important to remember that the enemy of the human race does not cease to tempt people and turn them away from serving the Creator, therefore angels and archangels until the end of time will be next to those in whose hearts the fire of faith burns and protect them from the attacks of dark forces.

The ranks of the forces of heaven and saints in Orthodoxy. heavenly hierarchy.

Since the creation of the world and man, there have always been creatures that interfere with people, and that help. Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim - perhaps there is not a single person on earth who has not heard about these incorporeal forces. Since ancient times, people have known about the existence of angels, they were revered, and continue to be revered in many religions, angels are revered by almost all peoples of the world. Angels are mentioned more than once in Holy Scripture, their actions are described in fulfilling the will of God, helping the righteous, as well as protecting people from troubles and misfortunes with their angelic cover. But, angels are mentioned not only in the main Christian book, the Holy Fathers also left information about them, to whom heavenly beings appeared more than once and conveyed to them the will of the Almighty, they did, because according to God's plan, he sends angels to notify, bring news, therefore they are called angels, that is, messengers.

The Lord endowed his disembodied messengers with many gifts and powerful power, with the help of which God's spiritual essences can influence the world of things and man, but only by the will of the Lord and his desire, fulfilling his will. With all their essence, the angels love their Creator and remain in tireless gratitude to him for the bliss in which they are, and this bliss cannot be compared with anything. There are a lot of angels, sometimes the mind of a person is lost in their countless number. In fact, everything is much simpler, because among the angels of heaven, there is its own harmony, order and hierarchy, which is described in the creation of the disciple of the Holy Apostle Paul - the passion-bearer and martyr Dionysius the Areopagite. According to the writings of St. Dionysius, the heavenly hierarchy has three degrees, each of which has three ranks, respectively, a total of nine spiritual entities:

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones - are distinguished by their closeness to the Most High God. dominance;
2. Forces and Powers - emphasize the basis of the universe and world domination;
3. The beginnings - the Archangels and Angels - are distinguished by their closeness to each person.

Our Lord Jesus Christ pours out his love on all his angels, starting from the highest faces, therefore the angelic ranks are in complete harmony and subordination of the lower ranks to the higher ones, according to the hierarchy.

Seraphim - this name means "Flaming, Fiery." They are always close to the Lord, of all the angels they are closest to the Heavenly Father. They burn with divine and great love for the Lord, transfer it to other faces, inflaming them. This is their main purpose, and their main task.

Cherubim - This name means "Chariot". The prophet Ezekiel saw them in the form of a lion, an eagle, an ox and a man. This means that the Cherubim combine intelligence, obedience, strength and speed, are God's chariot and stand before the throne of God. Cherubim know everything that the Lord gives to know his children, through them God sends wisdom and knowledge of it into the world.

Thrones are spiritual entities shining with the light of knowledge of God. God Himself rests on them not sensually, but spiritually, and executes His just judgment. Their purpose is to help the children of God, to be honest and act only in justice.

Dominions - rule over the subsequent ranks of angels. Their direct purpose is to protect from the fall, to tame obstinacy, to overcome the thirst for temptation and to piously control one's feelings.

Forces - created by the Lord in order to work miracles, to bestow gifts of clairvoyance, healing from ailments, and miracles to God's saints and righteous holy fathers. They help people endure hardships and hardships, bestow wisdom, fortitude and prudence.

Authorities- The True God is endowed with special power, they are able to tame the actions and power of Satan. Their direct purpose is to protect earthly inhabitants from the machinations of the devil, to protect the ascetics in their pious life, and to pacify the natural elements.

Beginnings- direct the lowest degree of angels, direct their deeds to fulfill the will of God. They govern the universe, the world and the peoples inhabiting the earth. Earthlings are taught to live not for their own benefit, but for the glory of God.

Archangels- were created to bring good news to the world of people, to reveal the sacrament of the Christian faith, and to convey the will of the Lord to people. They are the conductors - Revelations.

Angels- the main defenders of ordinary people, every person has, they guide him on the path of righteousness, protect him from evil spirits and evil spirits, keep him from falling and help the fallen to rise.

According to the Holy Scriptures, the Archangel Michael, the heavenly warrior and commander-in-chief of the angelic host, is placed above all angelic ranks. Led by the Archangel Michael, the Divine Angels cast down the proud angel and all those who followed Satan into the underworld. The great warrior of the forces of heaven, Archangel Michael, took part in many heavenly battles and defended the people of Israel in troubles and hardships.

In addition to the incorporeal forces, there is a distribution of all saints into ranks of holiness, which are understood by different categories, namely:

1. Holy Old Testament - Holy Fathers and Prophets
2. Saints of the New Testament - Apostles, Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlighteners, Hierarchs, Great Martyrs and Martyrs, Confessors and Passion-Bearers, Saints, Holy Fools, Blessed Ones, Unmercenaries.

So who are these New Testament saints?

True God - created his spiritual essences reasonable and strong, and distributed them according to the type of service. According to merit, way of life and degree of holiness - distributed Old Testament and New Testament Saints.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The middle hierarchy is: Dominions, Powers and Powers.

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

The lower hierarchy includes: Principles, Archangels and Angels.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Archangels

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

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

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

Four names appear in non-canonical books:

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

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

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

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

In addition, pious tradition speaks of two more Archangels:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the article:

General information about the heavenly hierarchy

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

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

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

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

Classification of Dionysius the Areopagite

Dionysius the Areopagite "On the Heavenly Hierarchy"

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

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

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

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

1. The highest or first heavenly hierarchy

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

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

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

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

2. The middle or second degree of the angelic hierarchy

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

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

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

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

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

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

archangel Michael

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

archangel Michael

archangel Michael

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

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

Archangel Gabriel

Archangel Gabriel

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

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

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

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

Archangel Raphael

Archangel Raphael

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

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

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

Angels

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

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

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

Hierarchy of demons

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

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

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

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

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

The Greek word "angel", like the Hebrew "malak" and the Muslim "malaika", means the same thing - "messenger". Heavenly spirits, messengers of the gods, these peculiar threads of life that connect people with their creators, are known to many peoples. The Vikings called them Valkyries, the Greeks called Ores. In Persia, there were fravashes, and sometimes they were confused with peris and guris, sexless effeminate creatures. The Romans knew them as geniuses, and the Indians called the higher celestial spirits asuras, and the lower ones - apsaras. Angels are present in Zoroastrianism, in Buddhism, in Taoism. They are known to the Assyrian and Mesopotamian sages. Belief in angels permeates the Manichaean tales. Shamanic practice also involves getting to know winged messenger creatures.

Angels is a common name for very different beings, divided into three triads or nine angelic ranks. The first and highest among them are thrones, seraphim and cherubim. Thrones are so named because they are closer than others to the throne of the Lord, they are the highest forces of self-giving and self-sacrifice. The modern researcher Sophie Burnham writes about them in her “Book of Angels” as follows: “At the Throne of God, angels are devoid of form, present there as pure primary energy, huge, swift fireballs, like supernovae, whirling, rotating, rushing in black space.

Having created man in his own image and likeness, God taught us a system of subordination, which is similar to how the Kingdom of God is arranged. Archangel Michael - Commander-in-Chief of the heavenly host. Accordingly, there are ranks of Angels. Without a clear subordination, it is difficult to restore order in any structure, and therefore the nine angelic ranks were arranged by the Lord precisely for the high effectiveness of managing the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is important to understand that God, endowed with possibilities without limits, is sometimes forced to digress from one issue in order to attend to another. After all, the existing world is so fragile as to withstand the direct intervention of the Creator. God needs help. And nine angelic ranks exist directly for this. The Cherubim and Seraphim are subordinate to the Almighty, who cooperate with the Thrones, they control the Dominions and Forces, to which the Authorities are subordinate, those who control the Beginnings and Archangels, in whose submission are the Angels. The nine ranks are subdivided into three triads. Thus, the first triad is those who are in close proximity to God; the second highlights the divine foundation of the universe and dominion over the world; the third is those who are close to people, to humanity.

They are called wheels or thrones, and cannot even be depicted symbolically, but the mystics who have contemplated them and heard their deafening silence know what they have seen, and therefore are suppressed by this power. However, sometimes the thrones were depicted as fiery wheels with wings. Their entire body seemed to consist of many eyes that could cover everything with their gaze. Perhaps they are the only ones among the angels who do not even remotely resemble a person.

The fiery spirits of the seraphim in their six-winged body embody the great cosmic principle of universal love: their very name, translated from the Chaldean, means Love. Their appearance is described in some detail in the biblical Book of the prophet Isaiah: “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.

And they called to each other, and said: holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory!”

Only due to a deep-rooted misunderstanding, cherubim are sometimes considered to be lower angels and are depicted as children with wings. Cherubim, belonging to the highest triad of heavenly creatures, symbolize Wisdom and infinite Powers, they are the guardians of heaven.

The Book of Genesis also testifies to this, where it is described how the Lord expelled the sinning Adam from paradise: “And he expelled Adam, and placed in the east near the garden of Eden a cherub and a flaming sword turning to guard the way to the tree of life.” And the cherubim seen by the prophet Ezekiel are not at all like rosy-cheeked babies: “Cherubim and palm trees were made: a palm tree between two cherubim, and each cherubim has two faces.

On the one hand, a human face is turned to the palm tree, and on the other hand, the face of a lion is turned to the palm tree. Such formidable angels guarded the ark with the tablets of the covenant - the Divine rules of human life.

On the shoulders of these mighty spirits rested the very throne of the Lord, which they easily carried from one place to another: "And the (God) of the cherubim sat down and flew, and flew on the wings of the wind."

Cherubim more than thrones and seraphim, resemble people: "And the cherubim could see the likeness of human hands under their wings."

Eduard Schure writes about the appointment of the higher celestial spirits in the book "Divine Evolution": entities, are above Space and Time, like God himself, they manifest God in Time and Space.

Below is the second trinity of angels - power, strength and dominion. Byzantine theologian, 5th c. Dionysius the Areopagite considered dominations to be the first among them, the fourth in the heavenly hierarchy of spiritual forces. If the forces of the first hierarchy spread divine light, wisdom and inspiration, then the second - streamlined and balanced. The highest angels ruled the Universe, the middle ones - the planets, including our Earth. If the seraphim, cherubim and thrones sowed the ideas of love, wisdom and will in interstellar spaces, then dominions, forces and powers harmonized the forms of everything that exists and its movement. They shortened the path from the general idea to its specific implementation. About them, who submitted to the power of Christ, it is said in the New Testament “First Epistle of the Apostle Peter”: “... Christ, in order to lead us to God, once suffered for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, was put to death according to the flesh, but revived by the spirit, which, having ascended heaven, is near God, and to whom angels and authorities and powers have submitted. But even among these angels there appeared opponents of God, about whom the Epistle to the Ephesians says: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil; because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spirits of wickedness in high places.”

Closest to people are the beginnings, the archangels and the angels themselves, who are in charge of the idea of ​​individuality, divine fire and the very life of people. And then he writes: “The Beginnings, or the Spirits of the beginning, have already conceived the Archangels… After all, the Beginnings are the most powerful magicians among the Elohim. They can give life and individuality to their Thought Forms by sheer force of will… Thanks to the breath of the Beginnings, the Archangels rise and become life.” This is how the archangels appeared, many of whom we know by name: this is the heavenly commander Michael; Gabriel, who appeared to the Virgin Mary with the good news that her son Jesus would be born; the healing angel Raphael, as well as Uriel, Yehudiel, Jeremiel, Salafiel, Barahiel and many, many others.

Jan van Ruysbroek in his book “Seven Steps on the Ladder” said: “The higher ranks of the angels (cherubim, seraphim and thrones) do not participate in our fight against vices and stay with us only when, above all discord, we unite with God in the world, contemplation and eternal love. Indeed, how can they, who control galaxies and systems of stars, see the troubles of each of us, one in a mass of millions? Only angels, who, according to popular belief, are with every person behind the right shoulder, are always aware of our joys and sorrows. They know everything about us and in difficult times rush to help. Why do they do it? The answer lies in the ninetieth psalm of David, which sings: “For he will command his angels about you - to guard you in all your ways; they will carry you in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” The great Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote about the same thing: “I believe we are free within certain limits, but an invisible hand or guide angel, like a hidden propeller, moves us.”

They take care of us during their lifetime, and in a mournful hour an angel descends to us to become our guide to the World of Death. And the winged muse flies to the poets at the hour of inspiration. And perhaps Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best: “In the midst of violent crises, in the midst of unbearable trials, in the midst of strivings that exclude sympathy, the angel appears.”