Angelic Hierarchy/Ranks

[SAVINGRACE]

What are the angelic ranks? Cherubim, archangels, guardian angels etc.

We have 7 Archangels. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, and Jerahmeel. I’m guessing these angels are the ones you don’t want to mess with.

What is the Official Catholic position on Satan? Is he a fallen Archangel or normal garden variety angel?

Also, Jews did/do not believe that Satan is a sentient being. Jesus being Jewish would have been taught the same. When he rebuked Peter, he was referring to his ‘evil’ thought pattern of doubt.

When/why did christians start teaching that Satan is a sentient being?

 

[Loving_disciple]

Satan was an archangel.

 

[glendab]

Hello Savinggrace.

There are Nine Choirs of Angels divided into three hierarchies: the first is composed of Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones, the second is Dominations, Virtues and Powers, the third hierarchy is made up of Principalities, Archangels and Angels. Your Guardian angel is that of the rank of Angel in the third hierarchy.

Hope that helps. I don’t have time this morning to answer the rest of your questions but will try later on. They are good questions and of a topic I know a few things about. I have to go.

Glenda

 

[Iron_Donkey]

As a note, though St. Michael is referred to as “the Archangel,” opinions differ as to what exactly that means. From newadvent.org’s encyclopedia:

Regarding his rank in the celestial hierarchy opinions vary; St. Basil (Hom. de angelis) and other Greek Fathers, also Salmeron, Bellarmine, etc., place St. Michael over all the angels; they say he is called “archangel” because he is the prince of the other angels; others (cf. P. Bonaventura, op. cit.) believe that he is the prince of the seraphim, the first of the nine angelic orders. But, according to St. Thomas (Summa Ia.113.3) he is the prince of the last and lowest choir, the angels. The Roman Liturgy seems to follow the Greek Fathers; it calls him “Princeps militiae coelestis quem honorificant angelorum cives”. The hymn of the Mozarabic Breviary places St. Michael even above the Twenty-four Elders. The Greek Liturgy styles him Archistrategos, “highest general” (cf. Menaea, 8 Nov. and 6 Sept.).

It is also commonly supposed that Lucifer was a Seraphim, but I’m not sure how certain that is.

Some general information that has links to more specific information: newadvent.org/cathen/01476d.htm.

 

[asia53]

Actually, the names of the other “Archangels” are:

Uriel, Jehudiel, Selatiel, Barachiel.

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t recognize these four archangels. The books mentioning them aren’t infallable. For instance: Uriel is in the Book of Enoch.

 

[glendab]

Hello Asia.

Actually, the names of the other “Archangels” are:

Uriel, Jehudiel, Selatiel, Barachiel.

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t recognize these four archangels. The books mentioning them aren’t infallable. For instance: Uriel is in the Book of Enoch.

To add to what you said, it is true that the Church doesn’t recognize these angel names at all and I read a caution in another book I’ve forgotten the name of about using other names for angels as invocations to them as one might actually without knowing find oneself invoking the name of something or someone you may not want to invoke. This was read way back when everything angels was the vogue and it was a wise counsel if you ask me, but I tend towards conservative in most matters. If the Church cautions against something I usually give a distance. While the other names mentioned I don’t recall there being a caution against, the name Uriel I’m sure was in particular singled out as inauthentic and not okay to use or invoke in prayer. I sincerely wish I could remember the particular source but it did stay with me.

Glenda

 

[glendab]

Hello Savinggrace.

I’m back from being out and can now write more. Satan or the devil has always been a real character not a figment of imagination or non-sentient as you say in both Judaic and Christian history so there is no point in time when the teaching on him changed. Jesus, Who is God wasn’t instructed per se in who the devil was. He created them all. They fell from grace and became irrevocably marred by their choice to rebel, thus they are all still fallen angels and will remain that way through eternity. The devil is real and can be sensed if need be. There are those who have the ability to sense them. St. Pio of Pietrelcina was one who saw them and could expel them. They have real bodies and if you could see them, you’d be frightened half to death. It is better that you don’t.

I’d like to address the idea you mentioned that there seems a point in time “when/why did Christians start teaching that satan,” was real. It is a modern error to attribute all things demonic to psychology and for those who are afflicted as mentally ill. There are those who attribute all of the instances of Jesus casting out demons and healing those afflicted by them to archaic ideas and lack of medical knowledge. They attribute demonic possession to epilepsy and seizures and mental illness and want to cast all our demons into the Medieval past and thusly banish them from the Modernist world forever! How very bold of them to cast them out in such a way, but the wisest thing I can say is the best lie the devil ever told (and the one the Modernists tend to repeat to all) is that he isn’t real. You asked when did we started teaching that he was real as if you assumed the Modernist theory of evil is correct and accepted so it must be true that the teaching of the Church changed. This isn’t so. Well, now I’ve said enough. So there ya have it. The devil is a sentient being and you should take precautions.

Glenda

 

[zab]

Recommended reading: Angels and Devils by Joan Carroll Cruz

 

[CB_Catholic]

Angels and Demons by Dr. Peter Kreeft is an excellent source of information.

 

[Muzhik]

Actually, the names of the other “Archangels” are:

Uriel, Jehudiel, Selatiel, Barachiel.

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t recognize these four archangels. The books mentioning them aren’t infallable. For instance: Uriel is in the Book of Enoch.

In the Book of Enoch, Uriel is presented as a “knowledge-giver”. Problem is, a lot of the knowledge he gives is in what can be called “magical spells”. For this reason, you’ll hear his name invoked in a lot of Wiccan spells.

 

[Big_Feet]

Actually, the names of the other “Archangels” are:

Uriel, Jehudiel, Selatiel, Barachiel.

The Roman Catholic Church doesn’t recognize these four archangels. The books mentioning them aren’t infallable. For instance: Uriel is in the Book of Enoch.

My understanding is that some consider Moroni as one of the greatest of Archangels.

 

[MorEphrem]

There are Nine Choirs of Angels divided into three hierarchies: the first is composed of Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones, the second is Dominations, Virtues and Powers, the third hierarchy is made up of Principalities, Archangels and Angels. Your Guardian angel is that of the rank of Angel in the third hierarchy.

This is the angelic hierarchy of Pseudo-Dionysius. There have been various other hierarchies suggested, and I don’t think that his would be considered “infallible” (nonetheless, most Apostolic Christians, inclusive of myself, use this hierarchy).

 

[Muzhik]

This is the angelic hierarchy of Pseudo-Dionysius. There have been various other hierarchies suggested, and I don’t think that his would be considered “infallible” (nonetheless, most Apostolic Christians, inclusive of myself, use this hierarchy).

For some reason, this hierarchy appeals to my inner sense of symmetry. I also like the belief that not only people, but every governmental order (cities, states, nations, etc.) has a guardian angel.

 

[Blind_Didymus]

In regards to Satan, the Prologue of Ochrid mentions the fall of Sataniel (spelling?). I’ve also heard talk of how Sataniel was an archangel among well informed Copts. The Holy Bible speaks of Satan as having been the cherub who covered the throne of God, the chief of all the angels in heaven.
But when Satan sought to be greater than God, the Archangel Michael said, Who is like God? (This is where his name comes from as the very name Michael is a question meaning “Who is like God?”) The Revelation of St. John the Divine mentions the war in heaven where Michael cast out Satan who fell as lightning.

In regards to the other archangels, the 1611 King James Bible actually mentions 5 of the 7 Archangels. Along with Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (mentioned in Tobit/Tobias), as already mentioned, it names Uriel in 1st (3rd) Esdras.
There is another archangel mentioned whose name (for reasons unknown to me) had its meaning translated. Can’t recall the verse sorry but seem to remember it has something to do with fire and it’s in the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha.

The Coptic Church names 7 Archangels in the Liturgy of St Basil (which is the one ordinarily used). The Eastern Orthodox Church also name 7 Archangels however the names are slightly different. I have statues from The Philippines of the 7 Archangels with the names commonly given to them in the West inscribed on the base/footing of each. (Yes I’m okay with statues. God told Moses to make statues of cherubs. Any argument against Christians using statues as part of worship ultimately must lead to iconoclastic conclusions.)

In short, I’ve found that the different names appear to have arisen from a number of causes but two are most common:
a) the name was translated and then when taken to a different area the foreign word was assumed to be the name.
b) local variations in pronunciation have gradually changed names which were once pronounced in similar ways to now appear to be rather different.

Considering that even the names of the 12 Apostles are pronounced completely differently in different languages, one need not be too concerned about how one pronounces the names of the 7 Archangels. Even the word “God” is different is different languages but nobody doubts that God understands what people are saying in different languages. So do the angels.

It is the height of arrogance to think that angels are unable to speak any language except one’s own chosen holy tongue (whatever that might be).

 

[DevotedChild]

They have real bodies and if you could see them, you’d be frightened half to death. It is better that you don’t.

I will have to disagree with you there. I, too, am an discerner of spirits, a gift of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism, which St. Padre Pio also had. However, they do not always show themselves to us physically. They have no physical body nor body at all. They are pure spiritual beings, like a soul without a body. When we see them and they have a shape or form of a body it is because it is what the mind makes up, with their influence, to try and comprehend the uncomprehendable. It is trying to relate what we do not understand into something we do understand. Our human minds and bodies limit our understanding of everything, especially the divine and the limitations won’t be removed until after we are dead, if at all.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Thank you all for your informative answers and reading suggestions.

 

[otjm]

7 angels - sounds like a country western song by Willie…