A — Ange

Angel: in Greek, messenger. We shall be scarcely better informed on learning that the Persians had Peris, the Hebrews Malacs, and the Greeks their Demonoi.

But perhaps this will teach us more: one of humankind’s earliest ideas has always been to place intermediary beings between the Divinity and ourselves. These are the demons, the spirits invented by antiquity. Man has always made the gods in his own image. Princes were seen communicating their orders through messengers; therefore the Divinity too sends couriers. Mercury and Iris were couriers, messengers.

The Hebrews, the only people led by the Divinity himself, did not at first give names to the angels God finally deigned to send them. They borrowed the Chaldeans’ names when the Jewish nation was captive in Babylonia. Michael and Gabriel are named for the first time by Daniel, a slave among those peoples. The Jew Tobit, who lived in Nineveh, knew the angel Raphael, who traveled with Tobit’s son to help recover money owed by the Jew Gabael.

In the laws of the Jews—that is, in Leviticus and Deuteronomy—there is not the slightest mention of angels’ existence, much less of their worship. Accordingly, the Sadducees did not believe in angels.

But Jewish histories speak of them a great deal. These angels had bodies. They had wings on their backs, as the Gentiles imagined Mercury had them on his heels; sometimes they hid their wings beneath their clothing. How could they have been without bodies, since they drank and ate, and the inhabitants of Sodom wished to commit the sin of pederasty with the angels who visited Lot?

According to Ben Maimon, ancient Jewish tradition admits ten ranks, ten orders of angels. 1. The Chaios Acodesh, pure, holy. 2. The Ofanims, swift. 3. The Oralim, the strong. 4. The Chasmalim, flames. 5. The Seraphim, sparks. 6. The Malachim, angels, messengers, envoys. 7. The Eloim, gods or judges. 8. The Ben Eloim, children of the gods. 9. Cherubim, images. 10. Ychim, the living.

The story of the angels’ fall is not found in the books of Moses. The first evidence cited for it is that of the prophet Isaiah, who, addressing the king of Babylon, cries: “What has become of the collector of tribute? The firs and cedars rejoice at his fall. How have you fallen from heaven, Helel, morning star?” This Helel was translated by the Latin word Lucifer. Then, through an allegorical interpretation, the name Lucifer was given to the prince of angels who made war in heaven. Finally this name, meaning light-bearer and dawn, became the Devil’s name.

The Christian religion is founded on the angels’ fall. Those who rebelled were cast from the spheres they inhabited into hell at the earth’s center and became devils. A devil tempted Eve in the form of a serpent and damned humankind. Jesus came to redeem humankind and triumph over the Devil, who still tempts us. Yet this fundamental tradition is found only in the apocryphal book of Noah, and even there it appears in a form entirely different from the received tradition.

St. Augustine, in his 109th letter, has no difficulty attributing fine and agile bodies to both good and bad angels. Pope Gregory II reduced the ten choirs of angels recognized by the Jews to nine choirs, nine hierarchies or orders. These are the Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Archangels, and finally the Angels, who give their name to the other eight hierarchies.

The Jews had two cherubim in the temple, each with two heads, one an ox’s and the other an eagle’s, and six wings. Today we paint them as a flying head with two little wings below the ears. We paint angels and archangels as young people with two wings on their backs. As for Thrones and Dominions, no one has yet thought of painting them.

St. Thomas, in question 108, article two, says the Thrones are as near God as the Cherubim and Seraphim because God sits upon them. Scotus counted a thousand million angels. The ancient mythology of good and bad spirits having passed from the East into Greece and Rome, we consecrated this opinion by allowing every man a good angel and a bad one, one helping him and the other harming him from birth to death. But we do not yet know whether these good and bad angels continually pass from one post to another, or whether others relieve them. On this point consult St. Thomas’s Summa.

We do not know precisely where the angels stay: whether in the air, in the void, or on the planets. God has not wished us to be informed.

The Greek word for angel means messenger. We won’t learn much more by listing other peoples’ names for them. Persia had its Feris, the Hebrews their Malacs, and Greece its Demonoï.

Here’s something that may tell us more. From very early on, people have put other beings between themselves and God. Ancient people invented demons and spirits for this role. Humans have always shaped their gods after themselves. Princes used messengers to give orders, so God must have couriers too. That’s what Mercury and Iris were: couriers carrying messages.

God himself guided the Hebrews, and no other people. Yet at first they didn’t name the angels he finally chose to send them. They took the Chaldeans’ names for these beings while the Jewish nation was captive in Babylon. Daniel, a slave there, is the first to mention Michael and Gabriel. Tobit, a Jew living at Nineveh, knew the angel Raphael. His son traveled with Raphael to collect a debt from another Jew, Gabael. Raphael was helping him recover the money Gabael owed Tobit.

Look at Jewish law, meaning Leviticus and Deuteronomy. You won’t find a word about angels existing, let alone about worshiping them. The Sadducees didn’t believe in them, either.

Jewish histories, though, say plenty about angels. These beings had bodies, with wings growing from their backs. The Gentiles likewise imagined Mercury with wings at his heels. At times, angels kept their wings hidden under their clothes. How could they have been bodiless? They drank and ate. The people of Sodom wanted to commit the sin of pederasty with those who came to Lot’s house.

Ben Maimon says the old Jewish tradition has ten ranks or orders of angels. They are: 1. Chaios Acodesh: the pure, the holy. 2. Ofamins: the speedy. 3. Oralim: the strong. 4. Chasmalim: flames. 5. Seraphim: sparks. 6. Malachim: angels, messengers, delegates. 7. Eloim: gods or judges. 8. Ben Eloïm: the gods’ children. 9. Cherubim: images. 10. Ychim: living beings.

Moses’ books don’t tell a story about angels falling. The first passage offered as evidence comes from Isaiah. Speaking directly to Babylon’s king, the prophet cries out: “Where’s the man who collected tribute? The fir trees and cedars celebrate his fall. How did you fall out of heaven, Helel, star of the morning?” Translators used the Latin Lucifer for Helel. Later, people read this as an allegory. They called the leader of the angels who fought in heaven Lucifer. In the end, a name meaning light-bringer and dawn became a name for the Devil.

Angels falling is the basis of Christianity. The rebels were hurled from the spheres they lived in. They landed in hell, at the center of the earth, and became devils. A devil took a serpent’s shape, tempted Eve, and brought damnation on humanity. Jesus came to redeem humanity and defeat the Devil. That Devil still tempts us. Yet this essential tradition is found only in Noah’s apocryphal book. Even that book tells it quite differently from the version people accept.

St. Augustine readily gives good and evil angels light, nimble bodies in his 109th letter. The Jews recognized ten angel choirs. Pope Gregory II cut them down to nine choirs, hierarchies, or orders. His list runs: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Archangels, and lastly Angels. These last give the other eight hierarchies their name.

There were two cherubim in the Jewish temple. Each had six wings and two heads: an ox’s and an eagle’s. These days, we paint a cherub as a flying head. Two small wings sit just under its ears. For angels and archangels, we paint young people with wings on their backs, two each. Nobody’s thought of painting Thrones and Dominions yet.

Why are Thrones as near God as Cherubim and Seraphim? St. Thomas answers in question 108, article two: God sits on them. Scotus put the number of angels at a thousand million. Ancient stories of helpful and harmful spirits spread from the East to Greece and Rome. We made that belief sacred. We gave everyone two angels, a good one and a bad one. From birth until death, the first helps and the second harms. Do they keep changing posts? Or do other angels come to take over? We still don’t know. For that question, turn to St. Thomas’s Summa.

Where exactly do angels stay? In the air? In empty space? On the planets? We don’t know. God hasn’t wanted us to find out.