The Great Archangels include the best loved personalities in the
angelic realms, but there is some confusion in angelology as to who
they really are and what their roles are. This problem stems from
the very term Archangel, which can refer to any angel above the
lowest ranking choir. Thus, in a sense, the mighty Cherubim and
Seraphim are archangels, but the Choir of Archangels in Dionysius's
hierarchy is
the second lowest ranking of the nine.
Further, how can Archangel Michael be a member of the Choir of
Archangels and also a prince of the Seraphim, as some authorities
state? This apparent inconsistency
may stem from the possibility that the archangels are the most radiant beings that
appear to humanity. An angel of any greater light than, say, Michael would be too
bright for mortals to behold without being blinded. When the angelic hierarchies
were formulated by Christian mystics like Dionysius, therefore, it was assumed that
Michael must belong to one of the highest choirs, because he appeared
to receive his orders direct from God. Also, as the vanquisher of
Satan, Michael must surely be the most powerful angel of light in
Heaven, given that Satan was supposed to have been a serious rival of
the Most High. As for how many archangels there are, the
consensus is seven, although the Christian churches recognize just
two. Occult angelology elevates four archangels above the rest as
the Angels of the Four Winds and the Four Elements. This forms
the basis for the angelic equivalent of a "Wheel of Power,"
or Native American Medicine Wheel, probably the most fundamental ritual
known to man, and integral to traditions the world over. A
further three archangels make up the "Planetary Angels." There
are many different lists of the seven archangels, but they all include
Michael and Gabriel, the majority include Raphael, and the next most
popular choice is Uriel. These are termed here as the
Four Great Archangels.
