The orders of angels; Angels: Day 011

The orders of angels

St. John of Damascus summarizes the teaching of Dionysius the Areopagite, who wrote a treatise in very difficult neo-Platonic language on the angelic pow– ers. Here we have the traditional names of the orders of angels, as gathered from the brief  mentions of heavenly powers in different places in Scripture.

Dionysius the Areopagite—that  most holy, sacred, and gifted theolo- gian—says that all theology (meaning Holy Scripture) has nine different names for the heavenly beings. That divine teacher of the sacred divides these nine kinds into three groups of three each:

1. The first group is made up of those who are in God’s presence, and are said to be with him directly and immediately:

• the Seraphim, with their six wings;
• the many-eyed Cherubim;
• and those who sit in the holiest Thrones.

2. The second group contains

• the Dominions,
• the Powers,
• and the Authorities.

3. The third and last group contains

• the Rulers,
• the Archangels,
• and the Angels.

–St. John of Damascus, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, 2.3

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

The angels themselves are ranked because God establishes an order for all creation. What is my place right now in God’s ordered plan? How would I find my place? What should I be doing to live that vocation?

CLOSING PRAYER

Father, you have established  a perfect society for the sake of love. Help us gain perfection by living the life of your Church, with the angels and saints.

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