Angel of God, My Guardian Dear Art Print

Angel of God, My Guardian Dear Art Print
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Angel

(1) From Greek angelos 'messenger.' In post-canonical and apocalyptic literature angels are grouped in varying orders, and the hierarchy thus constructed was adapted to Church uses by the early Christian Fathers. In his De Hierarchia Celesti the pseudo-Dionysius (early 5th century) gives the names of the nine orders; they are taken from the Old Testament, Eph. i. 21, and Col. i. 16, and are as follows: i. Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, in the first circle.

ii. Dominions, Virtues, and Powers, in the second circle.

iii. Principalities, Archangels, and Angels, in the third circle.

The seven holy angels are-- Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Chamuel, Jophiel, and Zadkiel. Michael and Gabriel are mentioned in the Bible, Raphael in the Apocrypha, and all in the apocryphal book of Enoch (viii. 2). Milton ( Paradise Lost, Bk. i. 392) gives a list of the fallen angels. Muslims say that angels were created from pure, bright gems; the genii, of fire; and man, of clay.

(2) An obsolete English coin, current from the time of Edward IV to that of Charles I, bearing the figure of the archangel Michael slaying the dragon. Its value varied from 6s. 8d. in 1465 (when first coined) to 10s. under Edward VI. It was the coin presented to persons touched for the KING'S EVIL