Who Are the Archangels?

Question: Who Are 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:

1. Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;
2. The Dominations, Virtues, and Powers;
3. The Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.

The apocryphal 1Enoch 20 lists the archangels as:

• Uriel,
• Raphael,
• Raguel,
• Sariel,
• Gabriel, and
• Remiel

The militaristic Michael is counted by many as an archangel and is mentioned in Book of Revelation Chapter 12 as well as in the Book of Daniel.

Main source: Catholic Encyclopedia - Angels.

See Christianity Glossary.

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