Because Hindus believe that God manifests in different forms, Hinduism is classified as a monotheistic religion. During her appearance, the main task was to bring the gods closer to man.
The most famous gods in Hinduism
The supreme deities form a triad, which includes:
- Brahma- the creator god in Hinduism. He is depicted with four heads and dark yellow skin. By the way, initially he had five heads, but Shiva chopped off one because Brahma proclaimed himself the supreme deity. They represented him on a lotus, which indicates his birth from himself. Over time, he lost his strength. His wife was the goddess of eloquence Sarasvati, who was valued more than Brahma himself.
- Vishnu- one of the highest gods in Hinduism, who was responsible for the fate of people. He helped the Hindus, gave them love and care. Vishnu had several incarnations called avatars. Vishnu's wife is the goddess of prosperity and Lakshmi. She accompanied her husband in all his incarnations.
- Shiva- God in Hinduism, who was considered a destroyer and renovator. In general, different opposites were combined in it. For example, at one time he was the personification of male power, so the phallus was his symbol. He was also considered the god of time in Hinduism, as well as responsible for fertility. Shiva had a follower in almost all social strata. His wife is Parvati, who combined the opposite sides of her husband.
Another significant figure in the mythology of India is the goddess of death. Cali... She stood out for her cruel character. She was portrayed in a skirt formed from human hands, and she also had skull decorations. in Hinduism - Kama(hence the Kama Sutra (a laconic statement, later, collections of such statements). He was introduced as a young boy with a bow made of sugar cane and arrows from flowers. He moves on a parrot.
There are many beliefs in the world. living in different countries and on different continents believe in higher powers that can influence fate and worship them. Religions are global - spreading around the world, without knowing borders, as well as those that unite people of the same people or groups of people living in the same geographic region. So, for example, religion is one of the oldest religions on the planet. What is this Indian religion, what is the philosophy of Hinduism, the ultimate goal of spiritual practice - in all these issues we will try to understand further.
What is this religion
Hinduism is one of the religions that arose in the territory, conditionally called the Indian subcontinent, behind which countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and some nearby areas are hidden. The number of Hindus around the world is very large, and some scholars call Hinduism the third largest religions in the world, after Christianity and Islam, since about 1 billion are adherents of this religion. In the second half of the 20th century, the main ideas of Hinduism began to gain popularity and are now known in all corners of the world, many have probably heard about, and. 
In the modern world, Hindus live not only in neighboring countries, but also in most Asian countries, and there are also many of them in Europe, Canada, etc. A brief description of the religion can be as follows: Hinduism is a complex religion, since its adherents believe in 330 gods, there are many schools of Hinduism that interpret certain concepts in different ways. However, there are basic provisions, sacred texts containing philosophical reflections, poems, stories, spells, uniting all this wealth under one name. Hindus believe in the existence of the most important deity in the entire pantheon of deities - Brahma, which has no appearance and can take 3 forms: Brahma the Creator, and.
He is present in the Universe in every part of its reality and in the soul, which the Hindus call Atman, of every living being. is a divine being. The spiritual goal of every Hindu is to become one with Brahma. The process of achieving the goal implies a chain of human rebirths, each of which is the result of his karma, actions that a person performs during each. When an earthly person ends, his flesh dies, but not his soul. She continues her path to union with Brahma, reincarnating in another and improving her karma.
Origins and history of origin
Hinduism is considered to be one of the oldest religions in the world. Since ancient times, the peoples living near the Indus worshiped the mother deity, sacred trees, as evidenced by stone tablets found during excavations. It is known that in the II millennium BC. NS. the Aryan conquerors arrived in these places, in which the supremacy belonged. They worshiped gods who represented the powerful forces of nature. The priests of these tribes, called brahmanas, performed sacrificial rites and composed ritual hymns, which later became the basis of the Vedas. They worshiped such gods as Varuna, Indra,. 
Over time, the need for sacrifices was questioned and the idea of transmigration of human souls appeared, which was later confirmed by the law of karma. It was possible to stop the endless chain of rebirths by following the path, and not by making sacrifices, as was previously thought. By 500 BC NS. Hinduism has become a religion that combines many of the principles of Buddhism and Jainism. Believers began to profess ideas and refusal of alcoholic beverages, to avoid violence. Buddha was added to the pantheon of Hindu gods.
The heyday of Hinduism is considered to be the period from the VI-V century. BC NS. - a period of intense philosophical searches, when there were at least 6 philosophical schools offering an effective way to achieve the cherished goal. The splits and contradictions of Hindu schools and trends led to the development of folk Hinduism in the 7th – 8th centuries. The veneration of many gods was now recognized, of which Shiva, Vishnu and others were the main ones. Confirmation of this can be called the literary work "Ramayana", written in Hindi, which tells about ancient Indian rulers and wars, about how deities descend to earth, fight demons, help and treat people well.
In the process of conquering the lands of Indian peoples by Islamic warriors, Hinduism was gradually subjected to some violent, against the will of the people in the conquered territories, or everyday changes, in the process of assimilation of peoples, marriages, births. At the same time, part of Indian territory was colonized by the British, where Hinduism was influenced by Christianity. The cruel ritual of sati was not recognized here, when, after the death of a husband, his living wife had to be burned at the stake along with the body of the deceased, and they also despised weddings between children. Already in the VI-X century. in India, a bhakti movement actively developed, worshiping the god Vishnu and his incarnation in the mortal bodies of Krishna and Rama.
Types of Hinduism
There are many traditions and beliefs united by the common name "Hinduism". The recognized authority of the Vedas is fundamental, but there are also such religious movements that have their own traditions and cult scriptures. Thus, it is impossible to give an exact definition of the Indian religion, since it is a combination of beliefs and traditions.
Typology
It is customary to single out such main types of Hinduism, among which the main ones can be called:
- Popular beliefs. The oldest form of Hindu religion, when people worship deities and forms, which are endowed with divine power. Each locality or tribe had its own idols.
- Vedic Hinduism. It is based on the scriptures of the Veda, its collection of religious hymns called the Rig Veda.
- Vedantic Hinduism. Adherents of one of the philosophical schools of Hinduism Vedanta, recognizing the religious and philosophical treatises "Upanishads" - part of the "Vedas", which contain reflections on the nature of God.
- Religious and philosophical school. It is presented in - the basic text of this branch of Hinduism, which later influenced the adoption of many Indian rituals around the world.
- Dharmic Hinduism. It does not fully belong to any philosophical school, but contains certain moral principles that must be followed on a daily basis. Dharma is a set of rules and regulations.
- Bhakti Hinduism. It involves devotional worship and service to God, who can be present in various forms, living and nonliving substances or objects. This type of religion, sometimes called Vaishnavism or Vaishnuism, is characterized by monotheism and worship of the god Vishnu and his avatars, incarnations in a mortal being.
Directions
Since in Hinduism there is no clear religious concept and system of concepts, religion is a complex of traditions and beliefs, then, according to the research of scientists, we can say that the dominant directions are:
- Vaishnavism. The most popular religion of the Hindus. Followers worship the one god Vishnu, his appearances in various forms and images, and his incarnations in earthly beings Krishna and Rama. This religious teaching includes such basic and most famous concepts of Hinduism as karma, the cycle of souls, samsara, meditation. Has 4 theological traditions, sampradayas, each of which has its own founding teacher.
- Veneration of Shiva, personifying cosmic consciousness. It has about 6 philosophical schools with regional and temporal differences in their ideology. Shaivism is based on meditation, love for all living beings, etc.
- Smartism. The direction appeared as a result of the transformation of the brahmana tradition. The philosophical system is advaita-vedanta, created by the Indian thinker Shankara. The worship of 5 gods is characteristic, however, each believer can choose which divine being he wishes to worship or which form.
- Shaktism. Followers revere the Divine Mother Shakti, the consort or female creative power of Shiva, and her incarnations in such forms as Kali, Lakshmi, Durga, Saraswati. The direction is characterized by liberal views, believers consider themselves children of Shakti and try to follow her basic desire - to live in harmony and harmony with other people and the world around them.
What Hindus Believe: Fundamentals
The main beliefs of Hindus, despite all the differences in philosophical schools, traditions, and revered deities and their manifestations, can be called a number of concepts that have become distinctive for Hinduism among other religions of the world.
Reincarnation of souls (samsara)
Samsara is one of the central concepts in Hindu ideology. Conventionally, this can be called the wheel of rebirths, endless births and deaths of the earthly body and the movement of the soul to moksha, getting rid of the results of actions in a past life and its liberation. Samsara occurs in accordance with the law of karma, according to which all actions of a person, good and bad, determine his further destiny and the attainment of moksha or nirvana by the soul. The reason for finding the soul in the wheel of samsara is its ignorance and unawareness of the true, acceptance of oneself as one with the material body. This identification keeps the soul in kama, sense gratification, and makes it take on new bodies, reborn again and again. 
The law of retribution
Karma is the law of action and effect. According to him, each act of a person entails certain consequences and determines his future fate, suffering and that he will meet on his life path. The law of karma underlies the wheel of samsara and regulates the chain of rebirth. Following the law, every human act, good or bad, will have consequences in the future and makes a person think about his every deed, be responsible for his own. This applies to past and future lives, since the soul changes only its material shell. And the main thesis of the law of karma is consonant with the proverb: "You reap what you sow." 
Leaving the chain of rebirth
Moksha is the liberation of the soul from suffering, material existence and the exit from the circle of samsara, the chain of rebirth. This philosophical concept means a sublime, calm, concentrated state of a person, in which matter, karma and space are considered as a special force and that hides the true nature of the world and reveals the diversity of its manifestations. The way to attain moksha is self-awareness or "atama-jana", awareness of one's true inner peace and oneness with God, achieving pure towards God and complete freedom from material desires.
Did you know? Bathing in the sacred river Ganges in India is considered a sacred act that can wash away sins from the soul of a Hindu.
Varna and castes
Indian society is traditionally divided into estates, or varnas. There are 4 of them:
- The highest varna of the Hindu society. A social group exists in all states of India, it includes clergymen, teachers, scientists and officials. Since ancient times, priests and monks have also been ranked among it.
- Kshatriyas. The second most important social group after the Brahmins, which includes influential warriors, nobles and rulers. In ancient times, kshatriyas became leaders of troops, influential statesmen, landowners. Their duty was to protect the brahmanas, women, and sacred cows. Kshatriyas are characterized by such qualities as ambition, developed, skillful use of weapons, strength and endurance.
- Vaisyas. Representatives of this varna are farmers, traders and cattle breeders. Now they are entrepreneurs, they try to avoid manual labor, doing trade and management.
- Shudras. Representatives of this class are hired workers who perform the dirtiest and most difficult.
The social groups of the Hindu social order are called castes. The castes are characterized by: - endogamy, the ability to conclude only with members of the same social group, caste;
- hereditary fixation, belonging to a particular caste is inherited and cannot be changed;
- limited choice.
Dharma
This concept is customary to denote a set or set of rules and norms that must be adhered to in order to comply with the cosmic order. According to Hindu philosophy, a person living according to the rules of dharma can attain nirvana or moksha.
Hindu deities
There are many Hindu deities, their avatars and deified forms that are worshiped by Hindus. Among others, the following can be highlighted.
This is a divine triad that united in a single guise the 3 most important deities of Hinduism: Brahma the Guardian, Vishnu the Creator, Shiva the Destroyer. Trimurti represents the spiritual principle of Brahman or "the soul of the world", which is the basis of all things and phenomena. 
Lokapaly
Lokapals are the sovereign deities who protect the cardinal points, who are the pillars and protectors of the world. Each side of the world takes care of its own god, during the worship of which a special mantra is read. Each deity has its own weapon and animal, which it serves to move. In modern Hinduism, there are 8 lokapals, although earlier there were 4. Their names sound like this, moving from the north along the arrow of the compass: Kubera, Soma, Inda, Surya, Agni, Varuna, Vayu.
Pan-Indian
All currents of Hinduism recognize and worship such gods:
- Ayyappa is the son of Shiva and Vishna, who took on a female form. Symbolizes unity and harmony. The god Ayyappa is often depicted in the form of a young man with a precious stone on.
- Ganesha is a god symbolizing wisdom and well-being in Hinduism. It looks like a creature with a human body and an elephant's head with one tusk, can have from 2 to 32 arms.
- Durga is a warrior goddess, wife of Shiva. Strives to create balance and harmony, happiness and peace. It looks like a 10-arm riding a tiger or lion. Her fingers are intertwined in mudras, and in her hands she holds weapons for protecting the gods and attacking demons.
- Kali is the mother goddess who is a symbol of destruction. She destroys ignorance and frees people who want to know God, takes care of the world order. She is depicted as thin with long black, 4, 3 and blue skin. She can be naked or in the skin of a beast. In her hands she has a sword, the head of a demon, and with others she drives away fear and blesses to fulfill her desires.
- Lakshmi is the goddess of material well-being, abundance, success and good fortune. She also personifies beauty and grace. As the consort of Vishnu, she is in her incarnations married to Rama and Krishna. The goddess can be depicted with 2, 4 or 8, she is dressed in gold or red clothes. Elephants are often painted next to it.
Also among the common Indian deities can be attributed such as Kama, Parvati, Skanda, Hanuman. Vedic
The most famous deities of Vedic mythology are:
- Indra is the main god and ruler of the heavenly kingdom, the god of war, the thunderer and the serpent fighter;
- - god and light, healer;
- Agni is the lord of fire and home;
- Vayu - deity and wind;
- Varuna is the Lord God, the keeper of justice;
- Aditi is the goddess of motherhood;
- Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom, art, etc.
Avatars, or incarnations of the god Vishnu, are described in detail in the scriptures "Puranas". Their list is quite large and has been supplemented over time. The Avatars, whose mission was most significant in Hinduism and whose form Vishnu assumed, were as follows:
- Matsya is the embodiment of God in;
- Kurma - in the form of a turtle;
- Varaha is a boar;
- Narasimha - a man with a lion's head;
- Vamana - the dwarf king of Bali;
- Parasurama - the son of the brahmana Jamadagni, who made the brahmanas the chief;
- Rama is the king of Ayodhya, the ideal of a ruler and husband;
- Krishna - in some sources is called the supreme form of God and is not considered an avatar;
- Gautama Buddha - appeared in the form of a person who decided to reveal people who are vicious and not devoted to the faith, trying to dissuade them that the Vedas are sacred, and thus take away their power;
- Kalki is the upcoming avatar, which is predicted to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga era.
Sacred texts
Since ancient times, literary writings, which had the meaning of a shrine, had a poetic form and were passed from mouth to mouth, since it was easier to remember their content. The scriptures were written in Sanskrit. As a rule, they are divided into 2 such types: Shruti and Smriti.
Shruti
- The Rig Veda is the oldest known Vedic scripture;
- Samaveda;
- "Yajurveda";
- "Atharvaveda".
In turn, each book of scripture is divided into 4 parts:
- "Samhita" - mantras with sacred content, which form the basis of each "Veda";
- "Aranyaki";
- Upanishads.
This is the type of scriptures to which the epic poems of Hinduism "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata" belong. According to the research of scientists, the "Mahabharata" contains the essence of all "Vedas", transmitted in the form of philosophical instructions to Krishn to the warrior Arjduna, who was a prince, before the start of an important battle. The Ramayana tells the story of Rama and the captivity of his wife Sita. The themes of human existence and dharma are presented in the form of an allegorical narration with a philosophical meaning. The "Puranas" and separate scriptures containing separate instructions to the followers of Hinduism are also referred to Smriti. 
The main stages and goals of a person according to religion
According to ancient tradition, the life path and spiritual development of a person in Hinduism are divided into ashrams. Philosophical teaching says that the system of ashrams leads to the realization of the life goals of a person purusharthas, at every stage of life, which, like ashrams, 4. Important purusharthas are: artha, kama, dharma, moksha.
Ashrams
- Brahmacharya is the very first stage of a person, which lasts from birth to 24 years. It is also called "disciple life" because it involves a period of study under the supervision of a guru as a monk, practicing self-knowledge, abstinence, and living according to the principles of dharma.
- Grihastha is the period of family life when a Hindu has to start a family, give birth, take care of parents and engage in the service of saintly persons. It lasts from 25–49 years old. During this period, one must achieve goals such as artha and kama.
- Vanaprastha is a period from 50-74 years, when a person retires and prepares to retire from the material world. A person pays more attention to spiritual practices and visiting holy places.
- Sannyas - ashram between 75 and 100 years old. The time when a person leaves worldly affairs and devotes his self-knowledge and spiritual practices, at this time he is preparing for the departure to another world and the liberation of the soul from the material, the achievement of moksha.
Artha, kama, dharma, moksha
Purusharthas, which must attain for their mundane following moral principles, in Hinduism are formulated by philosophers and received the following names:
- Artha - to achieve wealth, to get well-being and to accumulate certain means, to acquire knowledge and skills, to take a high social position and gain power.
- Kama is the goal of sense gratification, passion, sexual desire and enjoyment. It stands below the mundane goal of material prosperity and economic development and is available not only to humans, but also to animals hungry for physical pleasure.
- Dharma is a set of measures and rules that determine moral principles, fulfillment of religious obligations and fulfillment of the laws of being.
Everything in the world is subject to strict laws and hierarchy. Without order, cities would not have developed, civilization would not have developed. But the hierarchy can be traced not only in the material plane of being, but also in the spiritual or in another way - the angelic world.
Angels were no exception, helping God in his affairs and becoming the conductors of His will. The structure of the angelic hierarchy is clearly divided into three spheres, each of which has its own ranks of angels.
Each religion has its own angels, archangels and other heavenly powers, but, of course, they are called differently.
Angels of Christianity
Modern Angelology began to take shape in the early stages of the development of Christianity. Theologians of that time took seriously the question of creating schemes for the hierarchies of these beings. Moreover, each scheme is divided into several levels, which later became known as choirs.
Of course, Christian theologians did not come up with all this out of their heads. They used the Old and New Testaments as a source of information. This is confirmed by the fact that in Judaism (from which many traditions have followed to Christianity) there are no such angelic ranks as the archangel or the "leadership".
Since all these schemes were created at about the same time, they often overlap with each other. At the same time, it often happened that the hierarchies and choirs were seriously increased or, on the contrary, the previously existing ranks were missing.
However, there were also examples of schemes with radically different provisions in history. Moreover, there were hierarchies of the reverse execution scheme (from lowest to highest).
As an example, we can cite the hierarchy built and described by Athanasius the Great: he did not begin to systematize all the information and simply listed all the available ranks.
Those who are now called cherubim are actually the image of the ancient Greek Cupid.
The first treatise that appeared, in which the work on structuring the congregation of angels was more or less thoroughly done, was called "Ariopagitics". It was this Talmud that theologians used in their works as a source of detailed descriptions of choirs.
This book belongs to the hand of Pseudo-Dionosius and in it the hierarchy of heavenly powers is shown in ascending order. Where more and more important angels were placed above the rest.
In the treatise "On the Heavenly Hierarchy" there are two options for the location of the hierarchy of the heavenly forces. How it happened is explained in the work of a later time - Shilia to the Areopagitics.
Another interesting scheme can be called the vision of the hierarchy from Hildegard, which is described in the work "Know the ways of light, that is, the Lord." In this scheme, there were nine choirs, which had their own symbolism:
- Angels along with archangels corresponded to body and soul.
- Seraphim and Cherubim related to love of God and knowledge.
- The intermediate five symbolized human feelings (sight, touch, etc.).
Gradually, some of the schemes atrophied, while others were reborn. Wrong, in the opinion of theologians, ideas about hierarchy were discarded. Ultimately, the Areopagite scheme became canonical. It had three spheres in each of three groups.
The heavenly hierarchy in Orthodoxy differs little from that in Catholicism.
Spheres of Angelic Ranks and Ranks of Angels (descending order)
First sphere:
- seraphim;
- cherubim;
- thrones.
Second sphere:
- domination;
- strength;
- authorities.
Third area:
- angels;
- archangels;
- start.
Of course, the above scheme has been refined and signed several times. New interpretations of hierarchies have often appeared.
Ranks of the First Orb
All 9 angelic ranks in Orthodoxy did not deviate much from the Catholic canon:
| Seraphim (From Hebrew Saraf - blazing) | Described in the Bible only once: Appears in the form of an angel with three pairs of wings. The upper pair covers the head (in a number of sources it is stated that the seraphim has a bird's head, but it emits such a bright radiance that it cannot be seen), the middle pair is flying, the lower one covers the legs. Seraphim worship God and embody his will on Earth. Highest angelic rank |
| Cherubim (translated as "like a youth") | Like the seraphim, he has the closest relationship to God. However, it is one step below the seraphim |
| Throne | No matter how rude it might sound, it is used by the Almighty as a stool. God sits on them and leads his judgment |
Second Sphere
Third Sphere
The above table fully answers the question of how many angelic ranks are there in the Christian religion. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the hierarchy of paradise.
The Angelic ranks are divided into three hierarchies - higher, middle and lower. Each hierarchy consists of three ranks.
The higher hierarchy includes:
Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.
Seraphim.
Closest to all of the Most Holy Trinity are the six-winged Seraphim (Flaming, Fiery) (Isa. 6: 2). They are aflame with love for God and encourage others to love it.
Cherubim.
After the Seraphim, the many-pure Cherubim stand before the Lord (Gen. 3:24). Their name means: outpouring of wisdom, enlightenment, for through them, shining with the light of knowledge of God and understanding of the mysteries of God, wisdom and enlightenment are sent down for true knowledge of God.
Thrones.
For the Cherubim - stand the God-bearing by the grace given to them for their service, the Thrones (Col. 1:16), mysteriously and incomprehensibly bearing God. They serve the justice of God.
The middle Angelic hierarchy consists of three ranks:
Domination, Strength and Authority.
Dominance.
Dominions (Col. 1:16) rule over the subsequent orders of Angels. They instruct the earthly rulers appointed by God to wise management. Dominions teach to master feelings, tame sinful desires, enslave the flesh to the spirit, dominate one's own will, and overcome temptations.
Strength.
Forces (1 Pet. 3:22) do the will of God. They work miracles and send down the grace of miracles and clairvoyance to the saints of God. Forces help people in bearing obedience, strengthen them in patience, grant spiritual strength and courage.
Authorities.
Authorities (1 Pet. 3:22; Col. 1:16) have the power to tame the power of the devil. They reflect demonic temptations from people, assert the ascetics, protect them, and help people in the struggle against evil thoughts.
The lower hierarchy includes three ranks:
Beginnings, Archangels and Angels.
Beginnings.
The beginnings (Col. 1:16) rule over the lower angels, directing them to the fulfillment of Divine commands. They are entrusted with ruling the universe, protecting countries, peoples, tribes. The beginnings instruct people to give everyone the honor that befits his title. They teach the rulers to fulfill their official duties not for the sake of personal glory and benefits, but for the honor of God and the benefit of their neighbors.
Archangels.
Archangels (1 Thess. 4:16) preach the great and glorious, reveal the secrets of faith, prophecy and understanding of the will of God, strengthen the holy faith in people, enlightening their minds with the light of the Holy Gospel. We give.
Angels.
Angels (1 Pet. 3:22) are closest to humans. They proclaim the intentions of God, instruct people to a virtuous and holy life. They keep believers, keep them from falling, raise up the fallen, never leave us and are always ready to help if we wish.
All ranks of the Heavenly Forces bear the general name of Angels - in essence of their ministry. The Lord reveals His will to the higher Angels, and they, in turn, enlighten the rest.
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The ranks of angels are an important part of Christian culture. Even in heaven there is a strict hierarchy.
We will help you understand angelic chinaz in this article.
The ranks of angels - what are they and why are they needed
The kingdom of God is like any organization. If these words seem blasphemous to you, then think - where did people get their structure of society? God made man in his own image and likeness, which means he gave us a hierarchy. Moreover, let us remember that Archangel Michael bears the title of Archangel, that is, the commander-in-chief of the heavenly host. This alone can say that the ranks of angels really exist.
Ancient icon Image of St. Michael the Archangel, the leader of the Heavenly Host. Russia XIX century.
What are they created for? As in any organization, so in heaven there must be a chain of command. Without it, the organization will be in disorder, anarchy. And just for refusing to obey, the angel Lucifer was expelled. And remember that each of the angels has its own, so to speak, field of activity. So it is simply impossible to establish order in such a structure without a clear hierarchy. In general, the nine angelic ranks were created by God precisely in order to manage the heavenly kingdom as efficiently as possible.
The Creator, naturally, is endowed with unlimited power and possibilities - how else would he create the whole world? But it should be understood that even he sometimes needs to get distracted from one problem in order to tackle another. Moreover, the real world is too fragile to withstand the direct intervention of a deity. Let's not forget about the Archangel Gabriel, who is the Voice of God. After all, if the Creator turns to a person directly, then he simply will not withstand the power of the true voice and will die. This is why God needs help. Excess strength imposes its limits.
Nine angelic ranks
Yes, this seemingly monolithic organization has its own problems. At least once a split was brewing among the angels. But it happened because of the first fallen angel, who was able to win over a few rioters. From this we can conclude that the basis of the problems is not in the rationality of the hierarchy, which no one questions. The problem is that only the Lord himself can be perfect in this world. Even Adam and Eve, his beloved children, succumbed to the temptations of the Serpent. Yes, you can make a discount on the freedom of choice presented to them. But if their souls were completely pure, then the flattering speeches of the Enemy would not have had their destructive effect.
If we sum up all of the above, it turns out that there is nothing in Heaven without hierarchy. Everything is like people. But is it really any wonder? Unlikely. Any organization is called upon to exclude, so to speak, the human factor. In our case, it is angelic. It doesn't always work out, but how could it be otherwise? Even a perfect being like God can have mistakes.
9 angelic ranks of the heavenly hierarchy
We have already spoken about how many angelic ranks there are in the Christian religion. There are 9 angelic ranks. Now let's figure it out in essence - what are the angelic ranks and their names? You need to start the story with the fact that the ranks are divided into triads of angels. They were created for a reason - each triad unites a certain group of angels. The first is those who are directly close to the Lord. The second - emphasizes the divine basis of the universe and world domination. The third is those who are directly close to humanity. Let's dwell on each in more detail.
Angelic ranks in Orthodoxy
The first triad consists of seraphim, cherubim, and thrones. Seraphim are the closest beings to God. These six-winged creatures live in constant motion. They are often confused with muses, which can also kindle the fire of life in the souls of mortals. But at the same time, seraphim can scorch a person with their heat. Cherubim are guardian angels. It is of them that the protection of the tree of life, which appeared after the expulsion of Adam and Eve, consists. The first representatives of the great Mistrust, because before the Exile, the tree did not need to be protected. Thrones are not part of the interior. They are the third order of the first triad, they are often called the Mirrors of Wisdom. They reflect divine providence, and with their help, heavenly souls can predict the future.
The second triad includes forces, domination and authority. Forces are engaged in transferring a particle of divine power to mortals. They help in difficult times to take hold of the head, so to speak, and not to despair. Dominions are the middle rank in the angelic hierarchy, they personify the craving for freedom and independence, inform people of the craving to remove themselves from inequality. Power is the rank that closes the second triad. In some texts, the Gospel, for example, it is said that the authorities can be both helpers of good and henchmen of evil. They carry out manifestations of divine power in the world of people.
The third triad completes the hierarchy ladder. It includes beginnings, archangels and angels. The beginnings are the angelic order that governs human Hierarchies. There is a version that it was with their permission that the monarchs were anointed. Archangels are senior angels who rule over the angels themselves. As an example - the archangel Michael the archangel, the head of the angelic host. Angels are the ones who are most involved in the lives of people. They bring news from God, fight in his name, give him honor and glory.
These are all angelic ranks that exist in the Christian religion. In different interpretations, there can be a different number of them, from 9 to 11. But the most reliable is the one that is mentioned in the works of Dionysius by the Areopagite. They were written in the late 5th or early 6th century. It is a collection of research texts aimed at bringing clarity to the lives of heavenly beings. The theologian asked difficult questions and tried to answer them as clearly as possible. He did it. The key to this success was the spirituality of the researcher and the most powerful power of thought. He read many texts just to satisfy his and our curiosity. We can say that the theologian simply summed up everything that was written before him. And this is true, but in part. Even such a seemingly simple work required a titanic effort.
Angelic ranks in Orthodoxy
There is a difference between Orthodox and Catholic cultures. She also touched upon those roles that are assigned to the angelic ranks. Yes, if you look at it in general, the differences will not be conspicuous. All the same, albeit different confessions, but the same religion. What is the difference between the angelic ranks in Orthodoxy?
All 9 angelic ranks are depicted in the "Assumption" by Francesco Botticini.
Firstly, there are no triads in the Orthodox religion. There are degrees. There are also three of them, and they are called - Higher, Middle, Lower. They differ among themselves by their "remoteness" from the divine throne. This in no way suggests that God loves the Lower Degree less than the Upper Degree. Of course not. It's just that if the first is in direct contact with people, doing the will of God, then mortals hardly see the second.
The next big difference is the degree of personalization. In Orthodoxy, individual angelic personalities appear more often. They are honored as patrons and guardians. In Catholicism, this happens much less often. Although here, like Catholics, there are 9 angels, 9 angelic ranks. Both denominations used the same texts, and small differences can be attributed to different interpretations. Cherubic angels, for example, represent wisdom rather than guard. They have the highest spiritual wisdom, they can use it. For the good, of course, advising his fellows how best to fulfill this or that command of the Lord.
Let us dwell on the last degree, the lower angelic rank, their description and meaning. In Orthodoxy, they are given the most attention, because they are often shown to people. Some of the highest archangels are given names such as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael. Ordinary angels communicate most closely with people, even become personal guardians and intercessors. Guardian angels take custody of every mortal, guiding and helping him, pushing him along the path of God's Plan, the so-called Great Plan.
Angels are invisible, immortal, but as much as the human soul is invisible and immortal. That is, to the extent that God allows them this prosperity. In Orthodoxy, angels are associated with two elements - fire and air. With fire, they cleanse sinners, carry divine wrath, retribution. And they are like the wind, because they are carried along the earth with great speed, in order to perform the highest will as quickly as possible.
Angelic ranks are an important part of the heavenly kingdom, because without them there will be no order, discipline. It is with their help that it becomes clear how the hierarchy of divine essences works. It was from them that humanity received an understanding of how their own society should work.
