page_title: Christian angelology
section_title: Seraphim
hierarchical_section_title: Christian angelology / First Sphere / Seraphim
caption_attribution_description: English: God surrounded by en:seraphim. From the Petites Heures de Jean de Berry, a 14th-century illuminated manuscript. Courtesy of the en:Bibliothèque nationale de France: [1] en:Category:Illuminated manuscript images
context_page_description: In Christianity, angels are agents of God, based on angels in Judaism. The most influential Christian angelic hierarchy was that put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 4th or 5th century in his book De Coelesti Hierarchia.
  During the Middle Ages, many schemes were proposed about the hierarchy of angels, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius, others suggesting completely different classifications.
  According to medieval Christian theologians, the angels are organized into several orders, or "Angelic Choirs".
  Pseudo-Dionysius and Thomas Aquinas drew on passages from the New Testament, specifically in Galatians 3:26-28, Matthew 22:24-33,
  Ephesians 1:21-23, and Colossians 1:16, to develop a schema of three Hierarchies, Spheres or Triads of angels, with each Hierarchy containing three Orders or Choirs. Although both authors drew on the New Testament, the Biblical canon is unclear on the subject, and these hierarchies are considered less definitive than biblical material.
context_section_description: Seraphim (singular "Seraph") are, literally translated, "burning ones". The word seraph is normally a synonym for serpents when used in the Hebrew Bible. Mentioned in Isaiah 6:1–7, Seraphim are the highest angelic class and they serve as the caretakers of God's throne and continuously shout praises: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" According to Isaiah 6:1–8, the Seraphim are described as fiery six-winged beings; with two wings that cover their faces, with another two that cover their feet, and the last two they use to fly.
caption: Seraphim surround the divine throne in this illustration from the Petites Heures de Jean de Berry, a 14th-century illuminated manuscript.
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