What do we know about the third rank, which includes the principalities, the archangels, and the angels?

First: The Principalities. The essence of this rank is dignity, spirituality, and awe. They are turned towards the Lord of Lords and lead others to acquire a fitting ‘princely’ nature.

692 See Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty, The Book of Revelation, trans., Victoria Malaty and Ramzy Malaty (Sporting, Alexandria: St. George’s Coptic Orthodox Church, 1996) On Revelation Chapter 5: pp. 82ff.

693 “The Celestial Hierarchy” in Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works , trans., C. Luibheid (Paulist Press, 1987) Chapter 9.

They are the angels who guard cities, nations, and rulers against attack from evil angels. The term “principality” means being like God by becoming “princes” with authority in the royal order befitting royal powers.

In the epistle of Jude, it says, “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day” (Jude 6). So, just as there are principalities among the good angels, there are also principalities among the evil powers who were not worthy of their status. Instead of leading those below them to be like God, they fell from their leadership because of their pride, and now lead others to evil, even though they are aware that they are being preserved in darkness until the Day of Judgement. The apostle Jude gives this evil example so that the faithful might not trust in the gifts, talents, or position granted to them. Thus, he alerts us to the risk of falling into pride that besets religious leaders, in his desire that the Lord preserve them from relying on themselves.

Second: The Archangels. These are considered to be rulers and leaders of the angels (Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16). Each archangel leads a host of angels according to invisible, transcendent principles. They are closely related to the principalities as well as the lower angels. There are said to be seven archangels who have the honor of standing before the throne of God in heaven. In the Book of Revelation, it is said of them: “From the seven Spirits who are before the throne” (Rev. 1:4) and that they are “seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Rev. 4:5).

St. Clement of Alexandria and St. Cyprian believe that these are the seven archangels, as is evident from the words of the archangel Raphael that he himself is one of the seven archangels standing before the Lord (Tob. 12:15). We continually seek their intercession after that of St. Mary the Mother of God (as in the Commemoration of Saints in the Psalmodia); and especially, “the three great holy luminaries: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.”

Third: The Angels. These are the lowest of the heavenly ranks that have an angelic nature. They deal directly with our world. Every one of us has his own guardian angel, especially those who fear God, and children. Some think that faithful humans and those who walk by the Spirit will become — on the great day of the Lord — like a tenth rank, as though they had taken the place of Satan and his angels who fell from their ranks.