The Country That Made Its Own Canon
#Canons
Spirituality & Religious Studiesspiritualityreligiousstudies.wordpress.com@spiritualityreligiousstudies.wordpress.com
2026-01-17Angelic Ranks Across Religions
This is about the different ranks amongst different religions. We hope you enjoy!
Christianity:
The most famous ranking in Western culture comes from Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his 5th century work, The Celestial Hierarchy. He divided angels into 9 “choirs” organized into 3 “triads.”
The First Triad (Comtemplators of God):
Seraphim: The “Burning Ones” They have 6 wings & surround the throne of God, perpetually chanting the Trisagion (“Holy, Holy, Holy”).
Cherubim: Known as the “Plenitude of Knowledge.” In Scripture, they’re guardians of sacred space (like Eden or the Ark of the Covenant).
Thrones: Also called Ophanim (Wheels). They represent divine justice & the “chariot” of God.
The Second Triad (Cosmic Governors):
Dominions (Dominations): They regulate the duties of lower angels & represent the authority of God over the universe.
Virtues: Known as the “Brillant” or “Shining Ones.” They’re associated with miracles & bestowing grace & valor.
Powers: These are “warrior” angels who protect the world from demonic interference & maintain the laws of nature.
The Third Triad (Messengers to Humanity):
Principalities: The “Chief Messengers.” Though common tradition lists many, only Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael are officially recognized in most Catholic & Orthodox canons.
Angels: The lowest rank, most concerned with the affairs of individual humans (including Guardian Angels).
Judaism: The Maimonidean Hierarchy
In Judaism, the ranking of angels is primarily used to explain the different levels of “closeness” to the Divine Essence. The most widely cited list is from Maimonides (the Rambam) in his Mishneh Torah.
Chayot Ha-Kodesh: “Holy Living Creatures.” The highest possible rank.
Ophanim: “Wheels.” Associated with Ezekiel’s vision of the Chariot.
Erelim: “The Valiant Ones.” Linked to the concept of peace.
Chashmalim: “The Glowing/Amber Ones.”
Seraphim: “The Burning Ones.”
Malachim: “Messengers.” The general term for angels.
Elohim: “Godly Beings.” Referring to their divine reflection.
Bene Elohim: “Sons of God.”
Cherubim: Guardians & attendants
Ishim: “Person-like Beings.” They’re the closest to the human intellect.
Islam:
Islam doesn’t use a numbered “1 to 9” hierarchy in the same way Christianity does. Instead, angels (Mala’ika) are categorized by their by their functions.
The Four Archangels:
Jibril (Gabriel): The Angel of Revelation
Israfil (Raphael): The Angel of the Trumpet. This signals the Day of Judgment.
Mikail (Michael): The Angel of Mercy & Providence (weather & sustenance).
Azrael (Malak al-Mawt): The Angel of Death.
The Bearers of the Throne (Hamalat al-Arsh): 8 massive angels who carry the Throne of Allah.
The Cherubim (Al-Karubiyyun): Angels who are perpetually lost in the praises of God, unaware of anything else.
The Recording Angels (Kiraman Katibin): Every human has 2 (Raquib & Atib) who record good & bad deeds.
Munkar & Nakir: The interrogators of the soul in the grave.
Maalik & Ridwan: The guardians of Hell & Paradise, respectively.
Zoroastrianism: The Amesha Spentas:
In Zoroastrianism, the “angels” are emanations of the supreme God, Ahura Mazda. They’re known as the Amesha Spentas (Holy Immortals).
Vohu Manah: Good Mind/Purpose
Asha Vahishta: Best Righteousness/Truth
Khshathra Vairya: Desirable Dominion/Power
Spenta Armaiti: Holy Devotion/Piety
Haurvatat: Wholeness/Health
Ameretat: Immortality
Below these entities are the Yazatas. These are entities/beings “worthy of worship,” like Mithra.
Buddhism: The 26 Heavenly Realms
In Buddhist cosmology, “angels” are called Devas. Rather than a hierarchy, they’re ranked by the level of the Heaven they inhabit.
The 6 Sensual Heavens: Devas here still experience desire (like the Four Great Kings who guard the world).
The 16 Fine-Maternal Heavens (Arupa-loka): Beings of pure consciousness with no physical form at all, existing in states like “Infinite Space” or “Neither Perception nor Non-Perception.”
Hinduism: Celestial Classes
Hinduism features a vast array of celestial beings. While not always called “angels,” they function as intermediaries between the Trimurti (which we’ve covered in another post. Check it out!): Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva, & humanity.
Devas: The benevolent “shining ones” who govern natural forces (Indra, Agni, Vagu).
Gandharvas: Celestial musicians & messsengers.
Apsaras: Celestial dancers & spirits of the clouds & waters.
Yakshas: Nature spirits & guardians of the earth’s treasures.
Vidyadharas: “Knowledge holders” or magical beings of the air.
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#16FineMaternialHeavens #26HeavenlyRealms #3Triads #4GreatKings #5thCentury #6SensualHeavens #9Choirs #AhuraMazda #AlKarubiyyun #Ameretat #AmeshaSpentas #Angels #Apsaras #ArchangelGabriel #ArchangelMichael #Archangels #ArkOfTheCovenant #ArupaLoka #AshaVahishta #Atib #Azrael #BeneElohim #Brahma #Buddhism #Canons #Catholic #Chashmalim #ChayoteHaKodesh #Cherubim #Christianity #DayOfJudgment #Devas #Dominations #Dominions #Eden #Elohim #Erelim #Ezekiel #Gandharvas #GuardianAngel #HamalatAlArsh #Haurvatat #Hell #Hinduism #HolyImmortals #Indra #Islam #Israfil #Jibril #Judaism #KhshathraVairya #KiramanKatibin #MaimonideanHierarchy #MalaIka #Malachim #MalakAlMawt #MalikRidwan #Mikail #MishnahTorah #Mithra #MunkarNakir #Ophanim #Orthodox #Paradise #Powers #Pricipalities #PseudoDionysiusTheAreopagite #Rambam #Raphael #Raquib #Seraphim #SpentaArmaiti #TheCelestialHierarchy #ThroneOfAllah #ThroneOfGod #Thrones #Trimurti #Trisagion #Vagu #Vidyadharas #Virtures #Vishnu #VohuManah #Yakshas #Yazatas #Zoroastrianism
Johann Sebastian #Bach 14 #Canons on the first eight fundamental notes of the aria from the #GoldbergVariations
BWV 1087 https://imslp.org/wiki/14_Canons,_BWV_1087_(Bach,_Johann_Sebastian) holograph #manuscript
Barenreiter ed of these canons that were newly discovered in 1975...
https://www.barenreiter.co.uk/fourteen-canons-on-the-first-eight-notes-of-the-aria-ground-from-the-goldberg-variations-bwv-1087.html #modernedition
AmericanMathematicalSociety article Surface Topology in Bach Canons, I: The Möbius Strip by Tony Phillips. It is based on work with Eric Altschuler, published in Musical Times in 2015.
https://plus.maths.org/content/topology-music-m-bius-strip #BachCanons
Final photo from #FortMcHenry shows one of a line of #canons, apparently sighting through an earthen berm at the Dali, the container ship which brought down the Baltimore bridge.
Heard tonight that they expect to float it next week, and tow it back to the port for repair.
It seemed today to have a ship with a crane working on it (or nearby?) so perhaps they’re removing some cargo to lighten it.
Wonder how the port will feel, having this ship back?
From Twitter (also known as X). Personally I prefer #Canons, but #Nikons are also very good. #Nikon #Canon
+++ Jetzt bewerben +++
... auf die freien Plätze der International Summer School mit dem Thema "#Canons of #Digital #Cultures":
Wann? 11.10. bis 13.10.2023
Wo? Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur #Mainz #AdW
Wie? Bewerbung in elektronischer Form (kurzes Motivationsschreiben und Lebenslauf als PDF) bitte bis zum 11. August 2023 an: ISS_mz@uni-mainz.de
Teilnahmegebühren? Keine! Danke https://nfdi.social/@nfdi4culture
#ISS_mz2023 #DMGK #DigitalHumanities #DH #DigHum
https://iss.adwmainz.net/
#FridaynightJukebox #JukeboxFridayNight New from #canons "loving you" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QaefDV7cb8
Im Hochland von Island.
(August 2019)
(Foto: © Rüdiger Benninghaus)
#Landschaften, #landscapes, #highlands, #Flüsse, #rivers, #Schluchten, #canons, #Island, #Iceland
(August 2019)
(Foto: © Rüdiger Benninghaus)
#Landschaften, #landscapes, #highlands, #Flüsse, #rivers, #Schluchten, #canons, #Island, #Iceland
At the 'Maurice and Shelagh Bond Memorial Lecture', Hannes Kleineke reflected on the people of St George's Chapel. In the second of two blogs, Hannes reflects on the major disagreement between the 'Poor Knights' and canons...👇
http://ow.ly/BoCC50LuCIZ
#Knights #Canons #Medieval #Histodons #Westminster @histodons @histodon
les #canons et obusiers occidentaux livrés à l' #Ukraine sont de la haute technologie
alors faudrait voir à pas trop tirer avec, parce que sinon, ils tombent en panne
en fait, ce sont des armes qui ne supportent pas les conditions de #guerre
c'est ballot, tout de même !
https://www.watson.ch/fr/international/ukraine/719132031-ukraine-l-artillerie-occidentale-a-un-gros-probleme
In October, Dr Hannes Kleineke delivered the 'Maurice and Shelagh Bond Memorial Lecture' at St George's Chapel. In the 2nd of two blogs, Hannes reflects on the people of St George's Chapel, including the major disagreement between knights and canons...👇 http://ow.ly/BoCC50LuCIZ
@histodons @histodon #FifteenthCentury #Knights #Canons #MiddleAges #Westminster
Der Condor kommt bekanntlich nicht aus Deutschland
(A einer über Colca Peru)
#canons (beachte schreibweise) hat man
´
Planetarium & Observatory Colca
KLAR
A Infotipp
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colca-Tal
B
Planetario y Observatorio Colca
http://www.facebook.com/Planetario.Observatorio.Colca/
Grand projet touristique nuisible à #Hauteville. Developper le #tourisme en inventant l’eau chaude: après avoir installé des #canons à neige pour la micro-station basée à seulement 900 mètres d’altitude, le maire a décidé de forer le plateau karstique... » @CQFDjournal
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