What are the characteristics of heavenly beings?

Heavenly beings are rational, dynamic, incorporeal, immortal beings who serve God. Their true nature is only known to the Creator Himself. However, the Holy Bible says of them in general, “He makes His angels spirits and His ministers, flames of fire” (Heb. 1:7; Ps. 104:4). They can easily move everywhere unhindered by physical obstacles such as closed doors or walls. They are not extended in three-dimensional physical space, but are limited so that when God sends them to earth for a specific task, they can no longer be in heaven at the same time.

St. Basil the Great says that their bodies are unchangeable since they do not eat and drink, unlike humans who also age. So, there are no children, youth, or elders among the angels, for they remain in the same form in which they were initially created. St. John of Damascus says that angels are immortal by grace and not by nature, like the human soul. St. Cyril the Great thinks that angels cannot read our thoughts, but only God, for “God Alone understands what is in us.”⁶⁵³

653 St. Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of St. John, Volume 1 2.1 (LFHCC 43:166; PG 73:224).

Some Fathers believe that angels have ethereal, delicate, and immortal bodies in comparison to the bodies of human beings. By analogy to God who is Spirit, they are called spiritual bodies. The Second Council of Nicaea⁶⁵⁴ in 787 A. D. declared that angels have ethereal or luminous bodies, based on the following:

• a. Human bodies will be transformed into spiritual bodies in the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:44), which confirms the existence of such kinds of bodies.

• b. Angels are subject to space and time, and their power, authority, knowledge, and holiness are limited. God created these heavenly creatures with great heavenly powers so that they can have the capability of obeying God and fulfilling His will in the fastest way possible. Thus, He created them with spiritual bodies that allow them to move quickly in heaven and on earth. This does not mean, however, that they are unlimited, or that each of them is present everywhere — only that they can move from place to place with great speed (Dan. 9:21–23).

• c. St. John Chrysostom says, “The Son of God was sent not as a servant or a slave for He is the Only begotten Son who has the same will of His Father. As for the angels, they move from one place to another so that they leave one place to be sent to another where they were not.” Daniel the Prophet says, “Behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me” (Dan. 10:13).

• d. Angels are spiritual beings with free will, having the authority and freedom to either advance in goodness and virtue; or else, deviate towards evil.⁶⁵⁵ St. Basil believes that angels can deviate, because they are not holy by nature. Holiness is outside of their nature, though they can acquire it with diligence and earnest effort. Their perfection is due to the work of the Holy Spirit and their good use of their free will. St. Basil says in his letter to Amphilochius that angels have free will and can choose good or evil, so they are always in need of the help of the Holy Spirit. Also, in his third treatise against Eunomius, he says that angels acquire holiness through their own effort and through their contemplation of God but are not holy by nature. When they desire goodness, they receive holiness according to the degree of their love for God. And in his treatise on the Trinity, he says that these heavenly beings receive holiness from the Holy Spirit according to their ranks, and so he again emphasizes that they are not good by nature, but by their free will.

• e. What keeps angels from falling is their constant contemplation of God and their awareness of that temptation which caused some hosts of angels to fall because of pride. Also, when they constantly resist the evil angels, this increases their desire for holiness and for being with God.

654 The Church of Alexandria did not take part in this Council.

655 See St. John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 2.3 (NPNF II/9:B19; PG 94:868).

• f. Angels cannot predict future events or the thoughts of the human heart. St. Cyril says that the angels know that only God knows the secrets of human hearts.⁶⁵⁶