1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Ancient / Classical History

The Archangels

By N.S. Gill, About.com

Question: The Archangels

Who are the archangels and how are they different from angels?

Answer: The word angel means messenger and describes the occupation of the angels. Archangels are head angels. According to St. Gregory the Great, there are 9 orders of angels, which St. Thomas, in his Summa Theologia, divides into 3 groups: in the first, Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; in the second, the Dominations, Virtues, and Powers; in the third, the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The apocryphal 1Enoch 20 lists the archangels as Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel.

Main source: Catholic Encyclopedia - Angels

More Ancient / Classical History Q&A

Explore Ancient / Classical History

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Ancient / Classical History
  4. Studying Ancient History
  5. Glossary - Terms to Know
  6. A-F Terms
  7. A Terms
  8. AN-AR
  9. The Archangels - Names of the Seven Archangels

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.