The Dionysius Hierarchy of Angels

Back in the sixth century Dionysius wrote his 'Celestial Hierarchy' and this was later adopted by the Catholic Church and has remained the main stay of thinking on angel hierarchy ever since, with only minor variations. Most contemporary writers on angels accept Dionysius' hierarchy almost exclusively.

Dionysius divided the angels into nine choirs, split into three orders or triads. Those nearest to God were the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Next came the Dominions, Virtues and Powers and finally those closest to human kind were the Principalities, Archangel and Angels

The purpose of the angelic realm, and any level of its hierarchy, is to transmit Divine Love, Light, Purity, and Wisdom to the levels below it, in this way spreading the light of God throughout all of creation. Because God’s vibratory frequency would overwhelm lower levels of creation in its purest form, the angelic hierarchy was created to filter that energy to successively lower levels.

In the Kabbalah each choir corresponds to a “sephirot” or “emanation” of God's consciousness within the Tree of Life. As we descend the Tree of Life from spirit to matter, we are also descending through the angelic hierarchy. The pattern that we follow is a zigzag pattern that has been called “lightning flash” by kabbalists and that describes the process of divine creation, from Alpha to Omega. The lowest sephirot, Malkhut Shekinah, encompasses the matter plane. This sephirot is associated with the initiates of the Brotherhood, called Ischim for perfect man, as well as with Sandalphon, who takes our prayers back to God.

First Triad

These angels are so vast in their manifestation that they’re beyond our human powers of perception:

Seraphim– “The burning ones” or “fiery spirits” are the closest to God, and therefore the first to transmit the warmth of Divine Light. They serve in God’s inner chamber, where they regulate the movement of the heavens through the power of sound, by constantly singing God’s praise. The Seraphim embody the pure creative force of God. 

Cherubim – “The strong ones” carry the throne, or chariot, of God. As guardians of the light from suns and moons, they hold up (or hold together) the physical universe. The Cherubim are all-knowing, and embody both the brilliant light of God’s love and the fullness of God’s knowledge. 

Thrones (or Wheels) – “The many-eyed ones” guard the entrance to God’s inner chamber, and embody the majesty and perpetual holiness of God. The thrones are the angels of the planets throughout the universe. 

Second Triad

As the high priests/priestesses of the heavenly court, these are the “governing” angels, who represent God’s sovereignty over creation. These angels are also generally beyond human perception:

Dominions (or Dominations)– These angels embody the limitless power of God over all creation. They maintain order in the universe by advising and regulating the duties of the lower angel groups, passing on the commands of God that they receive from the Seraphim and Cherubim. 

Virtues – “The brilliant ones” or “shining ones” embody the irresistible force of God. They oversee the movement of suns, moons and planets, and are linked to weather phenomena. 

Powers – These angels keep the universe in balance, embodying eternal justice. The Powers are the keepers of the Akashic records, overseeing birth, death, and rebirth. They are guardians and protectors of our souls.

Third Triad

These are the “messenger” (or “vehicle”) angels, who carry out God’s external actions:

Principalities – The ministers of wise government, whose energy is so great that they can’t be personified in human form, these angels act as guardians for cities, nations, rulers, and religions. 

Archangels – The archangels, along with the angels, are the members of the celestial hierarchy who have direct contact with human beings. Each archangel’s name reflects a specific aspect of God’s truth. 

Angels – Experienced by visionary mystics as distinct and yet one, embodying both unity and plurality, like rays of sunlight emanating from the one sun. 

Though not formally part of the angelic hierarchy, we can continue these levels down to humanity:

Ascended Masters – Their exemplary lives have allowed them to transcend life on Earth in order to serve as Master Spirit Guides for humanity.

Spirit Guides – Ancestors, deceased loved ones, or mentors who guided us in fulfilling our life’s purpose, may choose to stay with us throughout our lifetime, especially if our life purpose is similar to theirs. These guides must first undergo training in the spiritual realm in order to learn how to counsel and support us.

Devas – Devas are evolved elementals who oversee larger elements of Earth, such as oceans, rivers, forests, seasons, the atmosphere, sacred sites.

Elementals – Fairies, gnomes and elves act as angels for the natural world. Some oversee one of the elements – earth, air, fire, water – while others attend to plants and animals in the same way that guardian angels attend to us. They may also guide and protect those humans who involve themselves in environmental causes.

And finally, humanity.