The heavenly powers are not inherently holy, otherwise they would not be different from the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, according to the superiority of one nature over another, they have from the Spirit a certain measure of holiness. The concept of combustion includes the concept of fire, but the other is the combustible substance and the other is fire; so it is in the Heavenly Powers. Their essence is spirit or immaterial fire, as it is written: "Thou makest spirits by Thy angels, and flaming fire by Thy servants" (Heb. 1:7). Therefore they are limited in place and are visible, appearing to holy men in the form of their own bodies. They preserve their dignity by abiding in good, as having freedom in election and never losing their unceasing striving for the true good. Therefore, if we take away the Spirit in our minds, the angelic faces will be upset, the Archangelic authorities will be destroyed, and everything will come into confusion. St. Basil the Great (6:245).

They (the Angels) have expressed and imprinted the good in themselves in such a way that they have become secondary lights, and by means of the outpourings and transmission of the first Light, they are able to enlighten others. Servants of God's will, they are strong both in their natural and acquired strength, they bypass everything, they readily appear to everyone and everywhere because of their zeal for service and because of the lightness of their nature. St. Gregory the Theologian (13:50).

As on a clear noon the sky is clear, not obscured by any cloud, so the nature of the Angels remains bright and brilliant, not darkened by any lust. St. John Chrysostom (35, 303).

Angels have no quarrels, no arguments, no misunderstandings. Each has all that the others have, and all contain within themselves the fullness of perfection, because angelic wealth is not some limited substance to be shared for many, but an immaterial acquisition and richness of understanding. And therefore their perfections, being in each of them complete, make all equally rich. St. Basil the Great (8:359).

Do the elect and the angels have faith and hope in heaven? Angels have neither faith nor hope, because from the time they were established in grace, they have seen Him in whom they must believe and in Whom they must trust. They always see the face of the Heavenly Father, and there is no place in them for either faith or hope, for faith and hope have the invisible as their object. The elect of God in heaven also have no faith and hope, because they see Him in Whom they believed, and have Him in Whom they trusted. Both the Angels and the elect have only immortal love. St. Demetrius of Rostov (103, 73).

The Hierarchy of Bodiless Forces

There are Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, and Powers; but these hosts alone exist in heaven, but endless regiments and innumerable tribes, which no word can depict. St. John Chrysostom (35, 525).

Although the ministering spirits in heaven are incorruptible and immortal, God did not favor that they should all be in the same order. On the contrary, it is ordained that the divine ministers should have principles, powers, and privileges. St. Ephraim the Syrian (25:225).

The nine ranks of Angels are named, according to their nature and activity: Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Powers, Dominions, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels. They are called incorporeal, because they are immaterial; clever, because they are minds; and hosts, inasmuch as they are "ministering spirits" (Heb. 1:14) of the King of all. In addition, they have common and proper names, that is, they are called Powers and Angels. The first is the proper name of one order, but according to their activity all nine orders are called Powers, because all can carry out the Divine will. Angels are also the proper name of one of the ranks, the first from us and the ninth from the Dread Throne; but according to their activity all are called Angels (Messengers), as those who proclaim to people the Divine commands.

St. Peter of Damascus (63:76).

Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Lights, Ascents, intellectual powers, or Minds, have a pure, unalloyed nature, unyielding or difficult to incline to evil. (They) rejoice unceasingly around the Cause (God)... (They) are either illumined by the purest, holiest illumination from the first Cause, or, according to the measure of nature and order, in another way (from the highest to the lowest) they receive illumination. St. Gregory the Theologian (13:50).

There is information about the seven highest Angels in the Revelation of St. John the Theologian, in the first chapter, where it is said as follows: "Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and was, and is to come, and from the seven spirits that are before His throne" (Rev. 1:4), and again: "I saw seven angels standing before God" (Rev. 8:2). In the book of Tobit, one of them says: "I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels" (Tob. 12:15) who stand before the Lord. These seven Angels are numbered by name in order in their rank as follows: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel; Barachiel. Each of them has his own special supreme service with the Lord God. In short, these ministries are manifested as follows.

Michael* is a servant of divine glory, a guardian and defender of God's honor. Gabriel2 is a servant of the divine fortress and an exponent of the hidden mysteries of God. Raphael3 is a minister of divine healings, miraculously poured out from above on the weak nature. Uriel 4 is a servant of divine love, light and fire, illuminating with the knowledge of God and inflaming the hearts of men with divine love. Selaphiel5 is a servant of divine prayers, always praying to God for the human race, teaching people fervent, God-thoughtful, and tender prayer, and inciting them to it. Jehudiel6 is a servant of divine praise and confession, a helper in labors and podvigs, strengthening those who labor in any way for the glory of the name of the Lord, interceding and preparing for them a reward from God. Barachiel7 is a servant of divine blessings and gifts sent to people by the grace of God. St. Demetrius of Rostov (103, 816) 8 .

1 Heb. - Who is like God. God-like. 2 The power of God. 3 The healing of God. 4 Fire or light of God, enlightener. 5 God's Prayer Book. 6 Glorifying God. 7 The Giver of God's blessing. 8 In the Holy Scriptures Jeremiah is also called "exaltation to God" (Ezra 4:36)