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Concept
Angels in Christianity
Summary
In Christianity, angels are the messengers of God.
As Augustine of Hippo remarks, the angels were experiencing something new as the creation of God unfolded. Augustine also considers that the 'good' angels seek at all times, to direct us towards the true source of happiness, God; that they encourage us in worship of God.
De Coelesti Hierarchia
According to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite's De Coelesti Hierarchia (On the Celestial Hierarchy), there are three levels ("sphere") of angels, inside each of which there are three orders.
Various works of Christian theology have devised hierarchies of angelic beings. The most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was put forward around the turn of the 6th century CE by Pseudo-Dionysius in his work De Coelesti Hierarchia. He claimed to be an important figure who was converted by Paul the Apostle, and the Pseudo-Dionysius enjoyed greater influence than it would have if he had used his actual name, until Erasmus publicised doubts about the age of the work in the early 16th century.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) paragraph 328, "the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls 'angels' is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition." The same catechism states: "The whole life of the church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of the angels [...] From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession." It also states, "Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are His angels [...] They belong to Him because they were created through and for Him".
Seraph
Tradition places seraphim in a rank in Christian angelology, based on Isaiah's usage of the word.
Cherub
In the Book of Ezekiel, and in some Christian icons, the cherub is depicted as having two pairs of wings, and four faces: that of a lion (representative of all wild animals), an ox (domestic animals), a human (humanity), and an eagle (birds).
Official source
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