The Orders of the Celestial Hierarchies
According to many different sources, including the Bible, St. Ambrose, pseudo-Dionysius and Pope Gregory, the celestial
hiercarchy consists of either seven, nine, ten, or eleven choirs or orders. Eventually Aquinas "blessed" the Dionysian
hieracrchy of nine, three sets of three, making it acceptable to the church and, therefore, the most familiar of the
hierarchies today. The ten choirs of both The Greater Key of Solomon and the Mishna Torah are called the chaioth haQadesh, auphanim, aralim, chasmalim, Seraphim, malachim, elohim, bene elohim, kerubim, and ishim (ranked in that
order). See the chart below for more information.
The Celestial Hierarchies
Ranked from highest to lowest
The Celestial Hierarchies
Ranked from highest to lowest
St. Ambrose
(in Apologia Prophet David, 5)
Seraphim
Cherubim
Dominations
Thrones
Principalities
Potentates (Powers)
Virtues
Archangels
Angels
Gregory the Great
(in Homilia)
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominations
Principalities
Powers
Virtues
Archangels
Angels
John of Damascus
(De Fide Orthodoxa)
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominions
Powers
Authorities (Virtues)
Rulers (Principalities)
Archangels
Angels
Moses Maimonides
(in Mishne Torah)
Chaioth ha-Qadesh
Auphanim
Aralim (Erelim)
Chashmalim
Seraphim
Malachim
Elohim
Bene Elohim
Kerubim
Ishim
The Zohar
(Exodus 43a)
Malachim
Erelim
Seraphim
Hayyoth
Ophanim
Hamshalim
Elim
Elohim
Bene Elohim
Ishim
Pseudo-Dionysius
(in Celestial Hierarchy
and Summa Theologica)
Seraphim
Cherubim
Thrones
Dominations
Virtues
Powers
Principalities
Archangels
Angels
St. Jerome
Seraphim
Cherubim
Powers
Dominions (Dominations)
Thrones
Archangels
Angels
Isidore of Seville
(in Etymologiarum)
Seraphim
Cherubim
Powers
Principalities
Virtues
Dominations
Thrones
Archangels
Angels
Isidore of Seville
(in De Ordine Creaturarum)
Thrones
Dominations
Principalities
Potentates (Powers)
Virtues
Archangels
Angels