Cyber Cauldron

The term “angel” is found in the bible and in the Qur’an and is used to identify a messenger of god but today it is regarded as a “spiritual beings” found in many other religious and traditions today as a guardian or protector.

Predominantly associated with the One God of Christian, Hebrew and Islamic faiths angels fall in to one of two groups the “unfallen” angels and the fallen angels.

The fallen angels lead by Satan often name Lucifer [1], the Latin name (literally “Light-Bearer” or “Light-Bringer”) for the morning star (the planet Venus in its morning appearances), in these stories in the war of heaven where a number of angels rebelled against “God” and where defeated and cast out of heaven.

The Unfallen, where loyal and battled on the side of god. The unfallen angels are divided into 9 choirs of angels, which are called spheres. The 9 spheres are then broken in to 3 groups of 3.

First Sphere (according to Old Testament sources) contains

• Seraphim
• Cherubim
• Thrones/Ophanim (Gr. thronoi) (also New Testament sources)

Second Sphere (according to New Testament sources) contains

• Dominions
• Virtues
• Powers

Third Sphere

• Principalities
• Archangels -
• Angels -

The First sphere Angels are the guardians of gods thrown and contain the Seraphiel and Metatron, the Seraphiel is said to have the head of an eagle and omits such a bright light that no other angel can look upon him while as we all know that the Metatron played by Alan Rickman, in Dogma is the voice of god.

The second Sphere Angels are the caretakers of the heavens and control the motion of the starts and planets.

The third Sphere angels are messengers and soldiers of god and the closes to the mortal realm and the one that humans come most in contact with.

During the Middle Ages, many schemes were proposed, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius (Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as Pseudo-Denys, was a Christian theologian and philosopher of the late 5th to early 6th century,), others suggesting completely different classifications (some authors limited the number of Choirs to seven). Several other hierarchies were proposed, some in nearly inverted order. Some of those schemes are here presented:

Clement of Rome in Apostolic Constitutions (1st century):

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Aeons, 4. Hosts, 5. Powers, 6. Authorities, 7. Principalities, 8. Thrones, 9. Archangels, 10. Angels, 11. Dominions.

St. Ambrose in Apologia Prophet David, 5 (4th century):

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Dominations, 4. Thrones, 5. Principalities, 6. Potentates (or Powers), 7. Virtues, 8. Angels, 9. Archangels.

St. Jerome (4th century):

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Powers, 4. Dominions (Dominations), 5. Thrones, 6. Archangels, 7. Angels.

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in De Coelesti Hierarchia (ca. 5th century):

First sphere: 1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Thrones;

Second sphere: 4. Authorities, 5. Lordships, 6. Powers;

Third sphere: 7. Principalities, 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

St. Gregory the Great in Homilia (6th century)

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Thrones, 4. Dominations, 5. Principalities, 6. Powers, 7. Virtues, 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

St. Isidore of Seville in Etymologiae (7th century):

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Powers, 4. Principalities, 5. Virtues, 6. Dominations, 7. Thrones, 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

John of Damascus in De Fide Orthodoxa (8th century):

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Thrones, 4. Dominions, 5. Powers, 6. Authorities (Virtues), 7. Rulers (Principalities), 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

Blessed Hildegard of Bingen in Scivias (1098–1179):

1. Seraphim, Cherubim;

2. Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers and Virtues;

3. Archangels and Angels.

St. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica (1225–1274):

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;

2. Dominations, Virtues, and Powers;

3. Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.

Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy (1308–1321)

1. Seraphim, 2. Cherubim, 3. Thrones, 4. Dominations, 5. Virtues, 6. Powers, 7. Principalities, 8. Archangels, 9. Angels.

[1] Lucifer , the Latin name (literally “Light-Bearer” or “Light-Bringer”) was the half brother of the goddess Diana in Aradia, Gospel of the Witches, by Charles G. Leland, [1899], a copy of Aradia can be found at sacred-texts.com

In the Cyber Cauldron shop you will find a beautiful collection of Angels and Cherubs figurines and trinket boxes made the perfect addition to any home as well as making the perfect gift.
we also stockDoreen Virtue the leading expert on Angels and Guardian Angels books and CD’s as well as other leading writers on the subject of angels (books on the angelic relm) in other sections of the shop including angel inspired jewellery in our mystical charms section as well as Carved Gemstone Angels in our gemstone and crystal section
The Cyber Cauldron shop hope to provide you with to quality Angel inspired items that are suitable for gifts and presents for those you care about.

Related articles

• Why the archangels have men’s names (newtheologicalmovement.blogspot.com)
• Angelic Words to connect with Archangel Zadkiel (angelicwords.wordpress.com)
• Angel Guide (theaceofswords.wordpress.com)
• Connecting With the Archangels (holisticwords.wordpress.com)

Originally posted 2010-10-17 13:04:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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