Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
By
MANLY
P. HALL
,+';f)o.o.-,.,_
{PAS)
"o-5c,'
Copyright 1980
By the Philosophical Research Society, Inc.
I. Title.
291.2'15
80-27119
ISBN 0-89314-807-5
Published by
THE PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY, INC.
OF CONTENTS
TABLE
... . .. ... ..
Dionysius the Areopagite
.....................
...... ...... .... .
The Planetary Archangels
.
25
27
34
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Astronomy
of
System
The Ptolemaic
Flying Buddhist Angels
. .
..
. . . . . .7 .
. . . . . . .. . .
. .
.. .
18
... .............. 19
A Siamese Angel ..... .. . . ......
A
Six-Winged
Seraph
The
Nine
Hierarchies
the
Areopagite
.
Stars Sang Together"
Morning
"When the
21
... ..........
... . ...... 23
......
.
.
29
39
Seraph
Mosaic
The Seraphim . . . .. .
.
The Throne
.
The
Dominations
. . . . . . . . .. . .
. . . .. .. .
.
. . . . .. . .. .. .
The
Cherubim
.
. . . . . . . .. . ..
. . . . . .... .. .
. . 47
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
.
49
. . . . . . . 50
The Vertues
..... . ............. . . . .......... . . ..
51
...................... . ............ .
The Powers
52
The Principat
Archangel .
S. Michael
The Angell
. ..
..
.. . . .. .
... ......
.
... . .. ... ....
54
...... 55
INTRODUCTION
Early Christian
concepts
flourished
astronomer who
in the
probably indebted to
philo
placed
the
He
because far
so
earth
thein
center ofsolar
the
as
humanity
is
the
cosmic forces converge upon
concerned
all
globe
inhabited
man
by
kind.
The geocentric or Ptolemaic concept dominated astr o
to
nomy
of Galileo, Copernicus,
the times
Brahe, and
astronomer-mathemati
of these
as
around sun,
the
these
modern
Most
as-
INTRODUCTION
The
Chronicle.
of
Ptolemaic system
Nuremberg
the
of
there
approached
must
teries. It
is some
be
by faith, but
thing to inspire confidence inresources
the idea that order prevails
with which to
and that the Creator has ample
as
administer his creation. Astrology
we knowblessed
it today, if
theologized, would sustain the doctrine of the
angels and the concept that stars and planets are emis
saries of the cosmic order.
BLESSED
THE
ANGELS
References
to angels occur throughout
Bible from
named
are actuallythe
Revelation.
Genesis to
Only three
in
the sacred
canon-the
archangels
Michael,
Raphael,
and
Uriel,
fourth
Gabriel. A
is named in the apo
archangel,
cryphal Second Book of Esdras and the Book
can of Enoch.
in pursuing this subject
further
make
use Those interested
appended
to
concordances
most
which
of the
Jamesare
Bible.
It is worth
English editions ofstandard
the King
reference
books, includ
noting that none of the
ing the Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Catholic
Encyclo
Encyclo
pedia, The Universal Jewish
(editedEncyclopedia,
James
paedia of Religion and Ethics
Hastings)
byby
and
A Religious
Encyclopaedia
(edited
Schaff,
mysterious
beings Philip
to
L.L.D.)
assume
be fig
D.D.,
these
ments the
of the imagination.
No judgment
is passed
of angels, and
are accepted
by
concerning
they
reality
all these sources as belonging to religious beliefs which
have been venerated for ages.
10
Johannes
11
12
13
brings
appearance
The miracu
of the fairy godmother who
the
star
lous powers to the rescue of mortals in distress.
mys
modern
Several
archangels.
magic
tipped wand of the good fairy is reminiscent of
invisible beings convinced
scepters carried by the
will
their
tical sects offer prayers to these
many ancient
be heard.
that belief supplications
group
developed
its by explana
in angelic
beings
was held
The
these
mysterious
creatures.
interpretations
peoples; each culture
own
prominent in the
of scriptural writings of
Persian
art. Figures of
andthe
They are also
archangels
the
Zoroastrians and in
angels
tions and
celestial
attend
are numerous
in beings
Christian
art after
fourth
the
Trinity,
Deity,
century A.D. Choirs of
representa
of
tions of
hierarchies
Pictures
various
Glories,
Virgin.
and andBlessed
theare
Holy
the
order
of
their
preemi
depicted
called
the
this type
have
in
are Eastern and
Michael,
Gabriel,
Western
Churches
nence. Both the the archangels
elevating them
sainthood
canoniza
venerated especially
to
and Raphael,
by
According
arch
scriptural
testimony
both
angels
tion.
angels have appeared
or
to
and
creatures,
and
artists
in human form with
without
call heavily
wings. them
They have
are androgynous
inspiration
painters to
have been
depicting intuition. been required
successful than
orothers,
the most inspired.
called
has
perhaps
Some
supernaturalRaphael
beings
and
God"
These
quiet
"Birds of
upon
more
been
youthful,
which
benign expressions,
are
as
prevailing
and
shown
Dante
variously
handsome persons with
wear
customs. Archangels
vestments,
robed and garmented according to
borately embroidered
bejeweled.
elegant carries
may
and
in
Each
ela
sym-
14
15
16
esse
of angels is
God as their
ANGELS IN ART
ANGELS
ART
17
IN
or
garments were
Angels and
archangels
magnificently
blue, often
red
colored
style. Later their
usually
gold
This
about
have a
ornamented.
may
ornately
Eastern
nimbus
is decorated. and
nimbus
the head.
Church
be wore
in the
chaplet,
times, beings
Originally these superphysical
no hair
attributes
introduced.
Gradually
ornaments but, in more recent
circlet, or
a
archangels
other
coronetadded
has been both
lances,
have beenobjects and swords,
angels
and and
may
barefoot,
usually
carry symbolic
sprays
such as
archangels
provided
sandals.
of flowers. Angels
are
shown
but the
Protestantare
Reformation
had very
upon
often
with little
Anglican Church
angels
The angels.
effect
Divine
theIn the as
InWill
the are fully
the cult of
messengershowever,
of the congregations
recognized.
Book have shown very
course ofin
time,
of to
Common
the subject. In the
little interest
Michael
and of September is
todedicated
all angelic St.
Prayer the twenty-ninth
by extension
the Archangel,
beings frequently appear in Buddhist
They
beings.
Bodhisattvas.
attending
Buddhas
Angelic
art.
among
scatter
flowers,
are usually shown
or
In
fane
of
with
clouds,
paradise scenes they float
Japanese reli
Horyuji,
or fill the airexample
their music.century
The great
originally
decorated
with
series
giousthe outstanding
of sixth
divinities. These exquisite
architecture, was
a
works
destroyed
by
disastrous
fire
were
of mural paintings of Buddhist
surviving
paintingsa
One
nearly
all
of art
beings,
in 1949.
depicts a
of the few
represented
motion.
Buddhist angel.
These radiant
often called
havetennin, are their
their
in
usually
They
do not
bodies
hair
high
flowing garments stream from
wings but
in graceful folds. The
is arranged in a
18
A Study of Hiten
or
Flying Angels
by
Toshio Nagahiro.
19
20
21
canonized.
22
Blessed
Angells
by Thomas
THOMAS HEYWOOD
23
24
25
to
planet.
order
Informs
minerals, and all the elements of his
of
he must serve these lesser
ascend in godliness,
and
be merciful
according
to the laws of
is
loving kindliness
heaven and nature; it
through
that
living things
BOOK
ENOCH
THE
OF
comprehensive
No study
of angels could be considered
discussion
work
without a
of the Book of Enoch. This conis
of unknown
origin controversy.
and has been theChristian
subject writers
of
theological
siderable
Early experiences of
mystical
references
to the not canonical,
make frequent
was
while the book
is
Enoch and,
it
Behold, the
of
versions and the other
Ethiopian
of which to
one
the
Slavonic
indicate the
26
AREOPAGITE
DIONYSIUS THE
associated
the
27
Qumran.
It is believed
Firstcentury
Book of Enoch is others
tothat
the
probably
Some sections
with the Essene community
at century A.O.
second
second
go
back
B.C.,
and
Enoch
Secrets
an additional
were added as late as the
account
Book of the Modern of
ascension
there is
ties
of Enoch's life and his final
In The
to the
heavenly
region.
thinking
this with Alex
seventh
chapter
andrianism.
interest
translation) is
The
ofhad
Enoch
sonsBook
of
subject. "It happened of the First
(Richard Laurence
multiplied
present
to our
of special
after
whenthe angels,men
in beheld
those days, that
were born to
of heaven,
they daughters
became enamoured
them, elegant and other,
beautiful. And
the
the
select
sons
them,
wives
progeny
and let
of
them,
saying
to
each
Come,
let us
children."
selves
from the
beget
for our
of men,
us
The
Acts
reference
the
joined
"But some
firstDionysius to Dionysius
Areopagite,
men
17:34,
others with
Damaris,
is
believed:
found
Areopagite
and
him, and
In
Golden
a woman
the
them
among Jacobus
Voragine (Volume II,
them."
The
and
named
edition)
translation,
in
Legend of
Dionysius
Ryan-Ripperger
of
the
the best
of Mars
was the was called
section of Athens where he had his dwelling. The Areo
section of
and was
quarter
pagus
28
Church
Fathers
are
first,
On
the
Heavenly
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The works of St. Dionysius the Areopagite; from a Greek uncial manuscript of the ninth century in
the Laurentian Library at Florence.
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30
throne.
31
32
AREOPAGITE
33
DIONYSIUS THE
giving
original authors.
This brings
up certain
may have only translated
or transcribed
earlier
works,
Pseudo-Areopagite.
credit to the
available
concerning
doubts about the
existence
of the
500 A. O.
information is
he
No
was,
him except that
supposed
that
falsely
writings
ofhe
Whoever
must have
lived about
it is
Religious Encyclopedia,
he
his own to
attributed
the following
quota
Dionysius of the Areopagus.
A
tion:
non-authorship
edited by Schaff,
contains
Areopagite
Dionysiusinteresting
bythe
whom, then,
of
"The
works arose,
were written; and
what upon,
time, the question
onceatagreed
hypotheses
from
these
and
a
Baumgarten-Crusius,
placing
were proffered,
that of
number of
Westcott,
that
the
author at Alexandria, in
Actually
Edessa,
of sixth century."
the third century, to
placing
him at
that
at the beginning
ofPseudo-Areopagite
the
Baumgarten-Crusius
Dionysian
actually
there is no proof
the
included
existed. If
is correct the
productions
writings must Alexandrianism.
certainly be
therefore that of mystical
the
It
quite
possible
among
the
Dionysius
the
is
writings ofcentury
of
are
A. O. and
Areopagus could date back to the first
notsource. In
opinions
this properly credited
dependable.
to their true
problems of
The
Alexandrian libraries
alwaysdestroyed
are
kind, modern
great
A.O.
were
completely
by
the
books
Council
lost to the world. The
fate of the religious
which
remains
uncertain.
were rejected by the
of Nicaea, 325 A. D. , also
THE BLESSED
34
ANGELS
JUPITER:
MARS:
SUN:
VENUS:
MERCURY:
MOON:
35
but
was
the chief of the rebellious spirits is that
called the dragon,
in The Golden Legend it is stated
this dragon
Lucifer. Michael is carrying
sometimes shown in Roman armor
souls.and
bearing a lance
a balance or scales for the
weighing of
healingas
arts.
archangel
Raphael is regarded
the guardian of humanity
and is .
the
Raphael was the
the patron of the
who brought to
shepherds the glad tidings of the birth
of Christ. He is represented with a kindly and gentle
carries
expression and
dressed as a pilgrim. His hair is bound
with a fillet. He
a staffcarrying
and has a wallet hung on his
a fish as a charm of
belt. Raphael is often shown
. universal
feast
declared
medication (see Tobit 6:6). In 1921
Pope Benedict
XV
Raphael
has
October 24 as Raphael's
day.
Since the sixteenth century St.
also been
Archangel
recognized
as the patron of travelers.
twice
The
Gabriel is mentioned four times in the
foretold
the
birth
popularto
Bible,
in Daniel and twice in According
Luke. He is believed
of Samson.
to
have
announced
the
According
to
belief, he was the keeper of the celestial treasury.
andLuke, Gabriel
births of John
herself
the Baptist
Jesus. In early paintings of the Annun
before the angel, but
ciation scene, Mary humbled
graceful
after she became the Queen of Angels Gabriel
kneels to
head
and
flame-like
with
face
her. In art this archangel is presented as a
being
the
and
a
curl of hair
a beautiful
inscribed
"Ave
Plena."
forehead.
HisGratia
attributes
are a lily sometimes
and a scroll
above with
Maria
He is
shown with a scepter or an olive branch as a symbol of
declared
elec
patron 12,
those
peace on earth. On January
195involved
1, Pope Pius
XII
tronic
telephone,
Gabriel to be
in
of
communication, television,
and
36
should be
37
38
or
39
"When the Morning Stars Sang Together" ; engraving from the Book
of Job by William Blake.
40
41
THE PLANETARY ARCHANGELS
rites
and
ceremonies
were
conducted.
so
the life
of the
poetic
of over
Athens.
This
was not aAthena
soul
symbolical belief
but science,
was held to be literally
true.and,
of
inspired
her city
and art
the philosophy,
spoke
when need arose,
or
and enlightened
the minds of her scholars. Every race
angel
had its guardian
within whose protecting care its
cultures unfolded and its people fulfilled their appointed
destiny. In astral theology, all divisions of planets
life on this
planet or elsewhere have their rulerships and the
stand as symbols for their presiding divinities.
In his last discourse, Socrates declared it to be his belief
that there were creatures living along the shores of the air
as men live along the shores of the sea. To the old pagans
there were countless spirits, most of them friendly, which
mingled invisibly with mortals and occasionally com
municated with them. There was no and
emptiness in space.
intelligent,
Everywhere there was life -conscious
42
43
Among those
profoundly
influenced
by the
44
ARY ARCHANGELS
45
THE PLANET
generally
angelology that
ofrepresented
It must be understood in all aspects
actual
bodies
artistic
the forms in which these beings are
fields
of angels or
contrivances . The
are
belong
in
temporary
appearances.
archangels are
of light from which they are able to
perceptions
They
project
the
dimen
minerals
only
and
has its
to be the
guardian
This has
explana
existence
,
growth
,
and
propagation.
The in
processes
tion for the wonderful guidance everywhere obvious
heavenly
kingdom
the
of
mankind
rights of the various
various
direct
the
depend
growthphysical
of
mineral
kingdoms
and
their
subdivisions
.
upon
to guard the
elements
stones
In the,
kingdom,
rights
and
privileges.
the
all have their
and metals, gems and
natural resources
Plants
carrying
Any heavy
abuse of
vegetation
penalty.
aforms
their
is
a misdemeanor
obedience
have
guardian
of
live in
to the
angels and all
their
guardian
which
for
they
laws of their Creator . Each species of animals is ensouled
of
the
commonwealth
.
by a
regulates
spirit
conduct
Taylor assigns
cosmic
too arepreviously
citizens
In his
ensouling
of
description
the
mountains
quoted, , Thomas gardens
rivers,
glens, and
to
46
LP
48
50
The
Do minat i o n s
IS
52
54
S.
M ICHAE L ARCHANGEL
SS