Irenaeus, Siteadmin, Check users, oversight, Administrators
351,391
edits
Changes
→Hierarchy and Types
* Archangels
* Archangels
* Angels
* Angels
[[Image:Paradiso Canto 31.jpg|right|thumb|200px|God and the nine angelic choirs, as envisioned in Dore's illustrations to Dante's Paradiso]]
The different groups of these spirits are called choirs because it is said in the [[Bible]] that they are constantly praising God in song. The exact hierarchical order of the nine choirs was a matter of dispute among [[theologian]]s; the order above follows that used by [[Aquinas]], and by [[Dante]] in his ''[[Paradiso]]''. Other speculative orderings of the ranks of the angelic choirs agree with Aquinas and Dante only on the relative positions of the Seraphim and Cherubim at the top and the Archangels and Angels at the bottom. Dominions have been placed above Thrones or above Principalities, Powers above Virtues, and Principalities above Powers, or Powers above Dominions.
The different groups of these spirits are called choirs because it is said in the [[Bible]] that they are constantly praising God in song. The exact hierarchical order of the nine choirs was a matter of dispute among [[theologian]]s; the order above follows that used by [[Aquinas]], and by [[Dante]] in his ''[[Paradiso]]''. Other speculative orderings of the ranks of the angelic choirs agree with Aquinas and Dante only on the relative positions of the Seraphim and Cherubim at the top and the Archangels and Angels at the bottom. Dominions have been placed above Thrones or above Principalities, Powers above Virtues, and Principalities above Powers, or Powers above Dominions.