Angelic Ranks Across Religions

This is about the different ranks amongst different religions. We hope you enjoy!

Christianity:

The most famous ranking in Western culture comes from Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his 5th century work, The Celestial Hierarchy. He divided angels into 9 “choirs” organized into 3 “triads.”

The First Triad (Comtemplators of God):

Seraphim: The “Burning Ones” They have 6 wings & surround the throne of God, perpetually chanting the Trisagion (“Holy, Holy, Holy”).

Cherubim: Known as the “Plenitude of Knowledge.” In Scripture, they’re guardians of sacred space (like Eden or the Ark of the Covenant).

Thrones: Also called Ophanim (Wheels). They represent divine justice & the “chariot” of God.

The Second Triad (Cosmic Governors):

Dominions (Dominations): They regulate the duties of lower angels & represent the authority of God over the universe.

Virtues: Known as the “Brillant” or “Shining Ones.” They’re associated with miracles & bestowing grace & valor.

Powers: These are “warrior” angels who protect the world from demonic interference & maintain the laws of nature.

The Third Triad (Messengers to Humanity):

Principalities: The “Chief Messengers.” Though common tradition lists many, only Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael are officially recognized in most Catholic & Orthodox canons.

Angels: The lowest rank, most concerned with the affairs of individual humans (including Guardian Angels).

Judaism: The Maimonidean Hierarchy

In Judaism, the ranking of angels is primarily used to explain the different levels of “closeness” to the Divine Essence. The most widely cited list is from Maimonides (the Rambam) in his Mishneh Torah.

Chayot Ha-Kodesh: “Holy Living Creatures.” The highest possible rank.

Ophanim: “Wheels.” Associated with Ezekiel’s vision of the Chariot.

Erelim: “The Valiant Ones.” Linked to the concept of peace.

Chashmalim: “The Glowing/Amber Ones.”

Seraphim: “The Burning Ones.”

Malachim: “Messengers.” The general term for angels.

Elohim: “Godly Beings.” Referring to their divine reflection.

Bene Elohim: “Sons of God.”

Cherubim: Guardians & attendants

Ishim: “Person-like Beings.” They’re the closest to the human intellect.

Islam:

Islam doesn’t use a numbered “1 to 9” hierarchy in the same way Christianity does. Instead, angels (Mala’ika) are categorized by their by their functions.

The Four Archangels:

Jibril (Gabriel): The Angel of Revelation

Israfil (Raphael): The Angel of the Trumpet. This signals the Day of Judgment.

Mikail (Michael): The Angel of Mercy & Providence (weather & sustenance).

Azrael (Malak al-Mawt): The Angel of Death.

The Bearers of the Throne (Hamalat al-Arsh): 8 massive angels who carry the Throne of Allah.

The Cherubim (Al-Karubiyyun): Angels who are perpetually lost in the praises of God, unaware of anything else.

The Recording Angels (Kiraman Katibin): Every human has 2 (Raquib & Atib) who record good & bad deeds.

Munkar & Nakir: The interrogators of the soul in the grave.

Maalik & Ridwan: The guardians of Hell & Paradise, respectively.

Zoroastrianism: The Amesha Spentas:

In Zoroastrianism, the “angels” are emanations of the supreme God, Ahura Mazda. They’re known as the Amesha Spentas (Holy Immortals).

Vohu Manah: Good Mind/Purpose

Asha Vahishta: Best Righteousness/Truth

Khshathra Vairya: Desirable Dominion/Power

Spenta Armaiti: Holy Devotion/Piety

Haurvatat: Wholeness/Health

Ameretat: Immortality

Below these entities are the Yazatas. These are entities/beings “worthy of worship,” like Mithra.

Buddhism: The 26 Heavenly Realms

In Buddhist cosmology, “angels” are called Devas. Rather than a hierarchy, they’re ranked by the level of the Heaven they inhabit.

The 6 Sensual Heavens: Devas here still experience desire (like the Four Great Kings who guard the world).

The 16 Fine-Maternal Heavens (Arupa-loka): Beings of pure consciousness with no physical form at all, existing in states like “Infinite Space” or “Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.”

Hinduism: Celestial Classes

Hinduism features a vast array of celestial beings. While not always called “angels,” they function as intermediaries between the Trimurti (which we’ve covered in another post. Check it out!): Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva, & humanity.

Devas: The benevolent “shining ones” who govern natural forces (Indra, Agni, Vagu).

Gandharvas: Celestial musicians & messsengers.

Apsaras: Celestial dancers & spirits of the clouds & waters.

Yakshas: Nature spirits & guardians of the earth’s treasures.

Vidyadharas: “Knowledge holders” or magical beings of the air.

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#16FineMaternialHeavens #26HeavenlyRealms #3Triads #4GreatKings #5thCentury #6SensualHeavens #9Choirs #AhuraMazda #AlKarubiyyun #Ameretat #AmeshaSpentas #Angels #Apsaras #ArchangelGabriel #ArchangelMichael #Archangels #ArkOfTheCovenant #ArupaLoka #AshaVahishta #Atib #Azrael #BeneElohim #Brahma #Buddhism #Canons #Catholic #Chashmalim #ChayoteHaKodesh #Cherubim #Christianity #DayOfJudgment #Devas #Dominations #Dominions #Eden #Elohim #Erelim #Ezekiel #Gandharvas #GuardianAngel #HamalatAlArsh #Haurvatat #Hell #Hinduism #HolyImmortals #Indra #Islam #Israfil #Jibril #Judaism #KhshathraVairya #KiramanKatibin #MaimonideanHierarchy #MalaIka #Malachim #MalakAlMawt #MalikRidwan #Mikail #MishnahTorah #Mithra #MunkarNakir #Ophanim #Orthodox #Paradise #Powers #Pricipalities #PseudoDionysiusTheAreopagite #Rambam #Raphael #Raquib #Seraphim #SpentaArmaiti #TheCelestialHierarchy #ThroneOfAllah #ThroneOfGod #Thrones #Trimurti #Trisagion #Vagu #Vidyadharas #Virtures #Vishnu #VohuManah #Yakshas #Yazatas #Zoroastrianism

Shepherds, you who go
up through the sheepfolds to the hill,
if by chance you see
him I love most,
tell him I am sick, I suffer, and I die.

The Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 2

If by chance you see

This means: If by my good luck you so reach his presence that he sees and hears you.

It is noteworthy that even though God has knowledge and understanding of all, and even sees the very thoughts of the soul, as Moses asserts (Dt. 31:21), it is said when he provides a remedy for us in our needs that he sees them, and when he answers our prayers that he hears them.

Not all needs and petitions reach the point at which God, in hearing, grants them. They must wait until in his eyes they arrive at the suitable time, season, and number, and then it is said that he sees and hears them.

This is evident in Exodus. After the 400 years in which the children of Israel had been afflicted by their slavery in Egypt, God declared to Moses: I have seen the affliction of my people and have come down to free them [Ex. 3:7-8], even though he had always seen it.

And St. Gabriel, too, told Zechariah not to fear, because God had heard his prayer and given him the son for whom he had prayed those many years, even though God had always heard that prayer [Lk. 1:13].

Every soul should know that even though God does not answer its prayer immediately, he will not on that account fail to answer it at the opportune time if it does not become discouraged and give up its prayer. He is, as David remarks, a helper in opportune times and tribulations [Ps. 9:9].

Saint John of the Cross

The Spiritual Canticle, Stanza 2, no. 4

John of the Cross, St. 1991, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Revised Edition, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K and Rodriguez, O with revisions and introductions by Kavanaugh, K, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: Photographer and blogger Road Trip With Raj captured this photo of model Linus Wang in Beijing in 2018. Image credit: @roadtripwithraj / Unsplash

https://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/08/12/juan-ifbychance/

#apparition #archangelGabriel #Exodus #God #listening #Moses #patience #perseverance #prayer #StJohnOfTheCross #Zechariah

Today is the Feast of the #Annunciation.

This 1270s illustration was inserted into a #14thCentury #psalter now owned by #StJohnsCollege at #CambridgeUniversity - where red is the college colour; hence the name of the #blazer. Note the magnificent red & gold wings of the #ArchangelGabriel in this wonderful depiction!

https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/library/special_collections/manuscripts/medieval_manuscripts/medman/A/K26/K26f11r.htm
https://www.ladymargaretboatclub.org/history

#13thCentury #medieval #manuscript #illumination #MedievalArt #medievodons #RedMen #LMBC @medievodons

St. John of the Cross explains the need to persevere in prayer, citing the Archangel Gabriel’s message to St. Zechariah, “because God had heard his prayer;” then John emphasizes: “God had always heard that prayer.”

Read John's encouragement here!
🙏🏽 https://carmelitequotes.blog

#StJohnOfTheCross #prayer #perseverance #ArchangelGabriel #StZechariah #hearing #answers #AlexanderIvanov #watercolor #ItalianPencil

Today's photo shows a fresco of the Archangel Gabriel - you can find it in the Church of St Saviour in Chora, Istanbul.

#ArchangelGabriel #fresco #ByzantineArt
#istanbul #StSaviourInChora
#gabriel

How did you meet the first deity that approached you? If you approached your first deity, how did it go? I want to hear your stories!!!

Archangel Gabriel was always around, but I don’t remember when he started popping up. He came around with Archangel Michael, both telling me it was for my protection. During this time is when I had the most paranormal experiences.

Lilith, however, was different.

I wanted to work with Artemis. She’d come from time to time with messages like a few other deities did, but she never seemed to want to work with me so I ended up giving up on looking for a deity and focused on studying.

I started reading up on draconic witchcraft and soon after, read a bit about Lilith within some of those books. Small signs started popping up and I had a feeling it was her, but back then, I did not trust my intuition. After the subtle signs and my increasing confusion, I said outright; “listen,
I’m a fucking idiot and am blind. If you’re Lilith and you’re trying to tell me you’re here, you’re going to have to be bluntly obvious.

The following week, I got hit with her name several times and even…. Literally… got hit in the face with one. I didn’t mean that obvious, but it worked and when I finally figured it out, we talked and I have been working with her since as my Matron.

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#witch #witches #witchcraft #deities #deity #pagan #wicca #demonolatry #demonology #demons #angels #archangel #lilith #archangelgabriel #artemis #draconic #draconicwitchcraft