Nine Choirs of Angels

Steve Puluka spuluka at hotmail.com
Fri Apr 21 08:13:37 EDT 2000


From: Cindy Smith <cms at dragon.com>

Saint Thomas of Aquino describes the Seraphim and Cherubim as being
two of the nine choirs of angels described in the Bible.

                           ORDERS OF THE ANGELS

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

Cindy,

Thank you for bringing this clarity to the discussion on Angels.  I was 
mentally composing this same message as I was going through my in box this 
morning.  I might also point out that explanations belong in footnotes and 
translations to should try to capture some of the genre and feeling of the 
original story.

As one of those "Byzantines", who claims to be a theologion, that Carl 
refered to, I feel compelled to point out that this schema was originally 
set out by Psuedo-Dionysius.  Who my Patristics professor used to fondly 
refer to as doubting Denny.  His other comment to us was---If you pray you 
are a theologion, and if you are a theologion you had better pray---.  
Meaning that the public prayers of the Orthodox tradition explain our 
theology.  Aquinus expanded the explanations on each choir and had a better 
literary agent.

Steve Puluka
Adult Education Instructor
Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh
http://arrive.at/byzantinecatholic

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