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Angels

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[[Image:Synaxis of the Holy Angels.JPG|right|frame|[[Synaxis]] of the Holy Angels]]
The word '''angel''' means "messenger" and this word expresses the nature of angelic service to the human race. Angels are also referred to as "bodiless Powers of Heaven". Angels are organized into several orders, or Angelic Choirs. The most influential of these classifications was that put forward by pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (not to be confused with [[Dionysius the Areopagite]], who was baptized by Saint [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] and lived in the first century, and from whom pseudo-Dionysius took his name) in the fourth or fifth century in his book ''The Celestial Hierarchy''.
In this work, the author interpolated several ambiguous passages from the [[New Testament]], specifically [[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] 6:12 and [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]] 1:16, to construct a schema of three Hierarchies, Spheres or Triads of angels, with each Hierarchy containing three Orders or Choirs. In descending order of power, these were:
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