Angles are purely spiritual creatures. They have no body. They are invisible. They are immortal. They are a personal being endowed with intelligence and will. They ceaselessly contemplate God face to face and they glorify him. They serve him and are his messengers in the accomplishment of his saving mission to all of us.
We know from Christian tradition and from the Holy Scriptures that there are different names given to groups of angels — nine “choirs” of angels in all. This hierarchy of angels is meant to help us to understand the qualities of God and how we might grow in the ways of holiness.
In the highest tier of angels are the seraphim, cherubim and thrones. They are described as ‘beholding God’. They perceive God in the richest way possible for a created being and are totally concerned with Him. They contemplate God in His highest perfection.
- Seraphim are the angels closest to God. They are on fire with the love of God. They are portrayed as red and ablaze, depicted as having six wings, but no faces, simply a sea or sing of flame around the Holy Trinity. It is the seraphim that cry out “Holy, holy, holy” as we read in Isaiah 6:3-8. It was a seraph who appeared to St Francis of Assisi when he received the stigmata.
- Cherubim – their name means “all-knowing one”. They constantly contemplate the wisdom and the love of God in His relationship with mankind. It is their carved figures that adorned the Ark of the Covenant. They are still considered protectors of Tabernacles and Eucharistic vessels.
- Thrones – they manifest the glory and authority of a king. They are especially concerned with divine judgments and ordinances. They are never depicted as flying.
The second tier include the dominions, the virtues and the powers. They do not possess the same kind of unified vision as the seraphim, cherubim and thrones. They see reality divided into the fundamental causes from which all things stem.
- Dominions – they are concerned with the government of the universe. They are, in particular, involved in the workings of divine power. They coordinate the ministries of all the angels who deal with creation.
- Virtues – St Peter mentions the virtues in his first epistle (3:22) as does St Paul in his Letter to the Colossians (1:16). They exercise innate, raw power over the physical universe. They ensure the well-being of the world.
- Powers – This choir is mentioned occasionally in the Old Testament, such as in the book of Daniel “Bless the Lord, all powers, sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever” (Daniel 3:39). This choir is thought to introduce man to the higher mysteries while repressing the attacks of the “hostile powers’ of Hell against the deepest laws of physical creation.
The third tier includes the principalities, archangels, and angels. These angels are concerned with Almighty God’s plan for salvation for mankind.
- Principalities are the leading choir of the last hierarchy of angels. They are often seen as being the guardians of nations or peoples. It seems fitting that this first choir in the “ring of salvation” should also look after the spiritual structure of the supernatural life of the Church.
- Archangels are the most known and loved in popular devotion. Among the archangels we find St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. It is traditionally believed, due to the statements of Raphael in the book of Tobit, that there are only seven archangels. Three of their names occur in Scripture, and so the Church uses these names in our worship — St. Michael, the prince of the heavenly host and the only one called “archangel” in the Scriptures; St. Gabriel, the messenger of the Incarnation; and St. Raphael, the angel of healing and of medicine. The seven archangels have been regarded from the very beginning as having a special place in God’s plan
- Angels – The ninth and final choir of angels is composed of those who are most involved with the doings of mankind. These angels are those who are sent out on missions from God and from whom the guardian angels are chosen. The angels who fill up this choir may be the lowest, but they are beloved because the Lord places them at our sides to watch over us and to care for us. They are the ministers of Christ’s love and our protectors. They defend us against harm and temptation. They warn us of impending evil and inspire us to remain faithful to God in prayer.