Angelology of St. Isaac the Syrian

Contents Origin and ontology Heavenly hierarchy Disadvantages of angels Actions of angels among people Angels and devotees in interaction Angelic mysticism The meditation on angels is often presented as the most artificial topic to which theologians have ever devoted attention - a veritable example of a scholastic exercise. Be that as it may, I chose this topic for exactly the opposite reasons. For better or for worse, angels are extremely popular in the West today. In fact, when lecturing outside the university and outside the Church, it seems to be one of the most favorite topics at the present time. Creations of St. Isaac of Nineveh is an exceptionally fruitful source for the study of angelology. In terms of numbers, angelic entities appear over 170 times in the 118 chapters of his published writings. Words for angels (in Syriac: ͥढ़પ ..īrā or ࡡࡠ mal..àḵā) appear about 155 times in addition to seraphim and cherubim (each 8 times) 2 . The frequency is quite high. More importantly, most of the references are not mere rhetorical embellishments or biblical allusions, as is the case in patristic literature. In the works of St. Isaac contains a broad and deep angelology. Particularly noteworthy among all patristic literature are his concepts about the inner life of angels. I will begin my report with ontological concepts, then move on to the actions of angels and end with the mysticism of angelology. However, in the case of angelic entities, as we will see, it is difficult to draw a clear dividing line between ontology and activity 3 . Origin and ontology Exactly how angels came to be appears to be somewhat of an open question in the Judeo-Christian tradition, but their ontological status is clear: they are created beings with a special position in creation. In the Tradition of the Church, angels are depicted as emanations from God, as “light from Light.” In the same way, St. Isaac states that angels were created out of nothing, 4 but does not discuss creation or its timing in detail. The absence of such reasoning is undoubtedly explained by the spiritual and eschatological orientation of St. Isaac. Indeed, theories about the creation of angels are essentially abstractions and derived from the fact that they are experienced and encountered as beings full of light, although there is no clear biblical view on this matter 5 . The main principle of St. Isaac is that angelic entities resemble God as much as possible 6: they are God-like in character to the extent that created entities can be. This is why man can feel the power of divine holiness in angels, 7 and why angels are often the objects of excessive worship in various traditions, such as early Judaism, Christianity in Ethiopia or Byzantium, or religious practices in postmodern Europe. Godlikeness indicates perfection. As celestial and godlike creatures, angels can be called perfect, but perfection itself is a relative concept, the logic of which implies that there cannot be perfection per se, but only in relation to certain, specific beings. Moreover, perfection is not a finished state: according to Isaac, perfection can be increased. That's why Rev. Isaac could regard the angels as perfect and at the same time argue that man could achieve even higher perfection 8 . Indeed, angels, despite their perfection, are not infallible or infallible 9. What then is the perfection of angels? St. Isaac emphasizes that angels are not subject to change, change; this is one of the most fundamental differences in comparison with human beings, in whom even the most angel-like ones can change 10. Therefore, one of the most admirable and enviable traits of an angelic being is resilience. And this is why, in the case of angels, their activities are a continuous manifestation of their essence and, therefore, their ontology and actions are in strong harmony, constituting one indissoluble unity. Therefore, the difference between ontology and the activities of angels should not be emphasized. In fact, the fact of human existence looks somewhat abnormal from an angelic point of view. Most of what we do is inconsistent with our deepest nature, and it is this strangeness that necessitates the very distinction between ontology and action, that is, between given nature and practical functions. It should also be noted that angelic entities are not simply, so to speak, “meaningless activity,” i.e., angels are not only impersonal instruments of God’s action, but active subjects who have in themselves the power and ability to carry out God’s instructions 11 . This is not self-evident; from the Jewish point of view, developed by the rabbinical academies near Nineveh, angels are created for only one action or only for one day, and then they disappear 12. Moreover, angels are immaterial entities, ethereal forces, as they are called in the church tradition 13 . St. Isaac applies this idea when discussing their internal functions, namely, their perception is immaterial, and in this sense transcendental: they hear, speak, converse and move, but hearing, speech, conversation and movement occur without any physical or sensory action, let alone bodily organs 14. The division of angels into nine categories is an established norm in Orthodox theology. Therefore, it would be good to remember that in the early patristic era before the time of St. For Isaac this was not necessarily the case. The earliest lists of angels differ in detail 15, and some of the first Church Fathers, for example, Theophilus of Alexandria (d. 412), in his polemic against Origen, were of the opinion that we simply do not know which rank of angels is higher than others 16. However, Rev. Isaac confirmed the now traditional order of the nine ranks of angelic entities in three triads, accepting the main content of the “Heavenly Hierarchy” of Dionysius the Areopagite (VII 2) 17. However, he also says that the existence of the higher angelic orders is diverse, and the orders include various divisions and changing positions 18. Angelic essences according to St. Isaac (Word 17) Protection, security, message delivery, education Division indicates certain functional principles. In the highest order, entities are named according to their relationship with God; in the second triad, which is usually considered the most obscure, the names indicate the strength of power; in the third triad, names imply practical functions. But what is said about "angels" more or less applies to all nine orders. Since "angels" are only the lowest order in the hierarchy, it makes sense to use "angelic entities" when there is a need to emphasize that this applies to all nine orders. St. Isaac lays out some of the general principles of how the ranks are differentiated and operate. The hierarchy here is both quantitative and qualitative. The higher the rank, the fewer number of angelic entities it contains. Higher ranks always have in their nature more power, more understanding (ࣣࠐ, sukkālē), more uniqueness and more ability to understand the wisdom of God. The highest are hidden from those below them, distinguished by their internal qualities of enlightenment. “Every intelligible entity ( ̐ ̘ ͣ ͝ ͐ , ʔusya ) does not borrow from outside itself that which constitutes its own difference; on the contrary, this difference is determined within her movements, that is, she can directly enter into greater lordship to receive the first light or become similar to another rank, which obviously differs not in place, but in the purity of acceptance and superiority, or in accordance with the mental measure of the degree of acceptance of heavenly signals and forces” 19. Quite noticeable, from the point of view of St. Isaac, differences between ranks in the jurisdiction of 20. However, they form a harmonious whole, in which each rank guides those below 21. But a high or low position does not mean a strictly defined position in space, but, first of all, the magnitude of spiritual knowledge 22. Stated by Rev. According to Isaac, the angelic hierarchy operates completely differently from most earthly hierarchies (such as the army), in which the external order is strict, but within the structure, those below can despise and ridicule those above them behind their backs. Moreover, it seems that in the world of angels, authority is not generated unilaterally by the magnitude of spiritual knowledge itself: the lower ones submit to the higher ones by their very nature, and this also gives rise to the authority of the higher ones. In other words, since angelic beings are devoid of selfishness and vanity, authority is a natural shoot that also grows from below, and not something that must be implanted or demanded from above. It is interesting that in the angelic world, St. Isaac is undergoing a constant dynamic movement towards the higher ranks, which must occur until the lower ones reach the One who is the “head of creation.” St. Isaac does not say whether this actually means raising the angels to a higher rank or simply increasing enlightenment and perfection in each rank, which sounds more reasonable 23 . After all, all the angels are oriented strictly in the direction of the highest peak, which, adds St. Isaac does not mean the Creator. What does this mean then? The first Christian reflections on Christ as the head of angels fit very well into this image - without implying, however, that Christ is nothing more than the head of angels 24. The highest rank has a special position and unique status. Its members are filled with the “highest light” in a pure, immaterial form. Their knowledge is not based on study or achieved through symbols, but they contemplate the Deity directly, as far as possible, and are nourished by the beauty of His "triple rays", being worthy to abide in union with Christ Himself. This is participation in the eternal knowledge of enlightened divine beings, also called “intrinsic knowledge” (𝑅𝑆𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠𝑑𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑑𝑠𝑑𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑑𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠), which is formed from the outpourings of divine inspirations 25. Ultimately they receive their enlightenment from Jesus Christ and then from the entire Trinity. Appeal to the inner character of angels What is angelic existence like then? How to describe the thinking of angels? Due to the transcendental nature of angels, the human mind cannot deal with the nature of angels directly, as is the case with earthly things. The life of angels occurs beyond the limits of sensory perception, and one should think about angels accordingly. St. Isaac, always an apophatic mind, is specific on this issue: he warns against attempting to understand the subject according to human standards, from a human point of view 26 . In other words, one should not focus on common vocabulary with its earthly associations, but one should try to comprehend something from the transcendental reality to which the verbal level only indicates. “Thoughts are set in motion at the soul level, but at the spiritual level there is no thought, since the mind rises above the images of this world and dwells in a different knowledge. The knowledge of those [people] can be described in our usual verbal way; as for these, their knowledge cannot be described even in the form in which the mind exists there. The knowledge here, of course, presupposes the movement of thoughts, while that way of life is above all such things. It is in this state that we will be after the resurrection from the dead along with the holy angels; the angels are already in him” 27. To understand how the angelic level relates to our world, it is useful to briefly outline several ontological concepts. For Rev. Isaac's reality is threefold: physical, mental (mental) and spiritual. The difference between the latter two lies in the divine dimension and the ability to comprehend it. In the case of a person, this means that in the spiritual sphere a person is known in the mental and psychological dimension as a person; in the spiritual dimension, a person is seen in the light of God’s love, as a manifestation of God’s love: As for angels, they deal with man in all three dimensions, but demons only in the lower two 28 . At the same time, we can conclude: to recognize angels, not only physical knowledge and spiritual understanding are needed, but also spiritual insight, enlightened by the love of God. Having clarified these concepts, we can advance in what is very important for St. Isaac's question: What is angelic existence like? Here again, functional and practical concepts reveal aspects of the ontology of angels From a spiritual point of view, the most significant characteristic of angels is that they are completely God-centered. This applies not only to their individual actions - their entire being is entirely aimed at God. Their “amazement before God” (amaze ͬ͗ͪ͐, tehrā) - a rather ecstatic term in East Syrian mysticism) is not so much an action as a constant state, a way of being: the angels are in a stable state of contemplation of God 29 . This is clearly an ontological question, for holy powers are said to exist by virtue of their internal movements associated with God. These movements provide an ongoing revelation of God, inspiring even the angels 30 . This intentional direction towards God is a fundamental characteristic of the angelic way of being, a kind of core of angelic existence and an important truth for the saint. Isaac. The essential intentionality of their being allows them to eternally grow in vision and understanding (ἐπέκτασις of St. Gregory of Nyssa). The growth of angels in the knowledge of God is infinite, 31 and therefore their evolution is endless. Despite the fact that the essential existence of angels is constantly directed towards God, it is quite logical that their very existence is completely harmonious and transparent, full of light 32 . In Christian theology, this is often referred to as their creation: angels are reflections of Divine light. However, Rev. Isaac nowhere presents their special character as an inevitable consequence of their creation, probably because this might show the angels in an impersonal light and there would not be enough room for freedom. Being light and enlightened, angelic beings are not physically limited; their actions do not take time, but occur immediately 33. Their being does not become exhausted, does not weaken, does not get tired 34. How do these entities, created from transcendental light, perceive and communicate? The way they see and display each other is mainly a display and reproduction of the hierarchical nature of the existence of angelic entities. In Word 17 of St. Isaac there is an excellent discussion about the dynamics of interaction between angels. Angelic entities do not see each other from the outside, but the vision occurs in accordance with their internal movement and degree of enlightenment, like direct intuition that has no physical limits. Therefore, they see each other accurately and correctly, regardless of distance. However, this only applies to seeing each other’s “nature,” for their thoughts and consciousness (“knowledge”) are invisible and unattainable. Moreover, each angelic entity is capable of realizing the nature and glory of others only to the extent that its own nature allows it. The same principle applies to humans and demons: humans are able to perceive the glory of angels only as much as their own enlightenment allows, and demons are able to perceive the glory of people only as much as their darkness allows. But in exceptional cases, higher entities can reveal the magnitude of their glory to those below 35. How then can people see angels? In fact, "seeing" angels is usually not a visual event, given that they are incorporeal. St. Isaac defines the most accurate human vision of angels as being driven by spiritual intuitions that are immaterial and caused by grace. However, he also recognizes that human experience is doomed to retain its subjectivity: man cannot achieve a perspective outside himself. Spiritual forces must be seen in their own dimension, in their own sphere, in their own nature, and therefore this kind of vision presupposes a special purification 36. “Angels are not corporeal entities, and they cannot be seen as they are, without change, outside of the soul’s vision, which is true contemplation ( ̬ ͐ ͘ ͪ ͝ ͐ , teʔoriya ); with such a vision they do not become lower than their true nature. No one can obtain such a vision without a double purification of the mind (ทททททททททททท, hawnā)" 37. St. Isaac discusses in detail the question of how one can see angels and kindred souls. He also considers a state called “teʔoriya of angels”, which is possible for the human mind to achieve 38. However, the main interest of St. Isaac and his most original contribution lies in his descriptions of the inner life of angels - and angelic beings, being incorporeal, have no other life than the inner one! These descriptions actually indirectly reveal the “double cleansing” of which St. Isaac, according to his own criterion, had to achieve in order to have such insight. The main difference between the human and angelic minds, according to St. Isaac, is that the angels, being stable and unchanging, do not stoop to temporary affairs, as people do. This includes not only material goals, but also spiritual interests - for example, thoughts about God's judgment and the struggle for salvation, which are natural and reasonable concerns for a person and do not imply spiritual knowledge 39 . In the case of angels, knowledge is more perfect, it is of a different nature and is aimed at higher truths than the desire for one’s personal salvation 40. Low rating prp. Isaac's struggle for his own salvation is explained by the fact that his criterion for comparison is not earthly people, but angelic beings. In this sense, the reaction of St. Isaac's response to modern criticism of religion for its selfish striving for heavenly bliss would be positive: the struggle for salvation is selfish almost by definition, but it is neither the ultimate goal of religion nor the highest internal state. The inner character of angels is an important question for St. Isaac, for this also determines the ideal internal disposition and state of mind for ascetics. The key point in this regard is that the thinking and consciousness of angels is stable, integral and dispassionate; however, this does not mean an indifferent dryness of internal movements, but rather a “fullness of love.” Thus, angelic beings can be deeply moved in the positive sense of the word (i.e., frenzy in God), but not in the sense of selfishness or hesitation 41 . St. Isaac also discusses the shortcomings of angels. First, angels do not have the ability to experience God. After all that has been said above, this statement may be surprising, but Isaac did believe that, despite the perfection of the angels, constant praise and ability to do the will of God, this does not imply a natural ability to contemplate and participate in the Divine. More precisely, angels need grace in order to be moved by the divine 42 . In essence, humans and angels share the same inability to achieve the divine teʔoriya themselves, by the power of their own nature 43 . However, it can be assumed that this grace is given unlimitedly to all the heavenly hosts. In this sense, their natural inability is similar to a parallel case of the early patristic understanding of the eternity of the human soul: the human soul as a part of the created world is not eternal per se, but only in the grace of God can it live - and lives - forever. Secondly, the guidance of angels is imperfect. They know neither the glory of the coming world 44, nor the fullness of God’s plans, nor the highest blessings of His Providence 45. And the inner abilities of angels, such as the power of reasoning, have their limits 46. But on the issue of shortcomings, one must be careful in distinguishing homiletical strategies in different contexts, for the mention of angels is a traditional embellishment in patristic rhetoric whenever dramatic emphasis is required. For example, in the Word 4 rev. Isaac says that the angelic hosts cannot even behold the glory around His throne, 47 but this is not said to analyze the actual abilities or inabilities of the angels, but mainly to simply emphasize the miracle of the Incarnation. In the same way, when the reasoning is aimed at emphasizing the glory of Christ, Rev. Isaac can claim that even the many-eyed cherubim cannot look upon His face, 48 thereby indirectly pointing to the glory of His Divine nature. Actions of angels among people Despite the fact that angelic entities are immaterial and are in constant contemplation, they receive commands regarding certain material-temporal events and participate in the worldly affairs of man - without any change in themselves and even without interference with their constant contemplative state 49 . According to Rev. Isaac, the angels work together with God in spiritual things, as far as is possible for their nature 50 . Even when acting in our world, angels do not abandon their contemplative attitude towards the Divine, but move away from that special, direct contemplation that they have in transcendental reality 51 . The actions of angels on earth can be carried out in human form. Given that angels do not have a physical form or dimension, they can appear in various forms. Seeing such phenomena does not at all mean having purity: they can be granted to everyone. Moreover, visible appearances are sent only to console and encourage the common man, and they do not provide accurate information about what angels are really like 52 . Angels also appear in dreams 53 , perhaps in the guise of saints 54 . The idea that saints appearing in dreams are actually angelic entities raises an interesting question: could this apply to all appearances of saints? This hypothesis would solve some problems regarding the apparent omnipresence of certain saints appearing to be active in various places. How can a person emerge from the afterlife in his own essence? These questions would be resolved by the idea that angels take the form of saints. Be that as it may, Rev. Isaac does not comment on the appearances of saints outside of dreams. It is obvious that the general purpose of the angels is to provide protection, which has a practical universal character and applies to both physical and internal events. Angelic guardianship implies not only some unusual actions in exceptional cases, but also an intangible force that constantly protects a person 55. Whether this is called in speech the patronage of God or angels - for St. Isaac is of secondary importance. St. Isaac gives some practical examples of patronage: angels force a person to linger or return, so that the danger threatening him will pass. But it is not at all necessary to accurately comprehend the role of angels: one can also talk about the providence of God, as St. Petersburg sometimes does. Isaac. In other cases, however, it is expressed more precisely: God orders His angel to stop the falling stone so that people have time to escape from danger 56. In fact, it seems that most of what is called Divine providence or God's protection of man in the world is actually performed by angels. The question here would be: why does not such protection extend to all people in all cases? Question from Rev. Isaac is the opposite: why does such exclusive protection sometimes protect others? His answer is surprising and undoubtedly honest: we don’t know 57 . Moreover, angels heal people. St. Isaac prays for an angel of mercy for those experiencing bodily suffering 58 and claims that angels brought relief from pain to ascetics, healing them with the “touch of a hand” or restoring their weakened bodies 59 . Angels and devotees in interaction The distance between a person and an angel is correlated with the level of a person’s internal enlightenment. Therefore, ascetics and mystics have a special relationship with angels. The ascetic life per se is “the work of angels” (ฦࠏࢯ ࠐय़จ, pulḥānā d-malˀaḵē) or “angelic work” (🦦😏चेम्टन malˀaḵāyā) 60, which means to be like angels, to think and orient oneself as angels do, to become like angels. And this is not only imitation: for St. Isaac, one of the main goals of the ascetic life is communication with angels (ล๭ānā d-ʕam malˀaḵē) 61 . This is why it is fundamentally important for ascetics to have a deep understanding and experienced knowledge of the nature of the angelic way of existence. St. Isaac draws some parallels between ascetics and angels. Ascetics are attentive, constantly observing their inner life, just as the many-eyed cherubs are able to completely concentrate on God 62. The beauty of God, comprehended in such contemplation, is the food of angels; devotees can enjoy the same food, which contributes to their further “angelization.” According to Rev. Isaac, angels are constantly present among the ascetics 63, also in their temptations and sufferings 64. Along with general providence, ascetics are more often than others granted individual appearances of angels and special influences. This happens due to the pure consciousness of the ascetics, for internal purity allows one to comprehend internal inspirations, and because they have deprived themselves of the world and have no other hope. Thus, in the desert, apparitions occur more often, especially to those who are desperate and have no other help 65 . This applies not only to internal illumination, St. Isaac notices that many ascetics see angels undisguisedly. Angels even bring them food: St. Isaac mentions bread, olives or fruit 66. However, all this happens as if between the lines. Christian spirituality is definitely not angel-centric, as it might seem from the teachings of St. Isaac; The role of angels in general is hidden, implicit and therefore unnoticeable. For example, very few prayers or hymns address them directly, and there are hardly any in the East Syrian tradition. But St. Isaac takes the liberty of asserting that the ascetics, on their part, love angels and long to see the angel of light in their quest for enlightenment 67 . And the fact that angels inspire thoughts is very clear in the case of ascetics. St. Isaac tells the story of one monk who covered all the walls of his cell with sentences and words, some of which were inspired by angels, others by his own natural inner impulses 68 . Most of all, people and angels are united in praise. In the case of a person whose heart constantly pours out unceasing praise, the resemblance to the angelic mode of existence is obvious 69 . St. Isaac says that the prayer of a pure man can rise above the prayer of angels 70. It is therefore not surprising that during prayer, angels are said to observe and experience a sense of amazement at the sight of a corporeal being praying with a purpose characteristic of heavenly beings 71 . They admire and marvel at those who can bear adversity in humility. In the same way, the angels praise God for people who have increased virtues in their souls 72. The most important task of angels in relation to man, according to St. Isaac, to promote inner inspiration and enlightenment. This is deeply connected to the idea of ​​a heavenly hierarchy, which in turn is not separate from people. This means that people and angels ultimately form one hierarchy - a hierarchy of intelligent created beings, in which people have angels as leaders and teachers 73 . In fact, one of the most interesting sayings in the writings of St. Isaac is that human nature cannot grow internally or be enlightened without the guidance of angels. The reason for this is the hierarchical nature of creation 74 . Enlightenment does not come on its own, impersonally, but through intercession. Therefore, the main task of angels in relation to man is life guidance, spiritual enlightenment and teaching for the purpose of internal growth. But on the other hand, Rev. Isaac also argues that human nature itself is in motion towards good. Therefore, the innermost in man is capable of moving towards good on its own, without angelic inspiration or edifying prompting, but movement towards evil can only occur through suggestion produced by the efforts of demons 75. The apparent contradiction can be explained by the fact that the movement towards good and enlightenment are different things, the second is the content or culmination of the first. Moreover, nothing can be taken for granted because of the existence and action of opposing forces. In the ascetic struggle, Satan tries to separate man from his angels, blinding the spirit of man. Angels, in turn, limit and restrain demonic influences 76. Nevertheless, Rev. Isaac clearly says that those who strive for the will of God are taught and inspired by angels 77 . It goes without saying that this guidance occurs somewhere beyond active cognition, in what is today called the subconscious. How does this happen? St. Isaac says that the angels bring forth enlightening inner movements from their own knowledge and experience 78 . Intimate inspiration can bring joy, open intuitive understanding, or provide help in various matters. In fact, joy and peace for St. Isaac indicates true angelic influence as opposed to demonic influence. Inspiration occurs through the stimulation of a person's previous memories or feelings or simply by proximity: an angel approaches a person and influences him only with his presence 79 . The distance between a person and an angel is correlated with the magnitude of inspiration and the direction of a person’s internal development 80. Therefore, it is not surprising that St. Isaac interprets certain mystical experiences as the result of the proximity of angels. These ecstatic moments are filled with divine inspirations and insights; “at such times, it is as if all the members of this person’s body become streams of tears, [originating] from joy and amazement” 81. After such moments, a person remains in a state of serenity and peace, which is visible even from the outside. St. Isaac also refers to Evagrius, who had similar views on the role of angels 82 . Moreover, this idea represents a functional way of solving the problem of transcendence and immanence of mysticism. St. Isaac says that the fruits of grace ( ͣ̈͐͘͟͠, sukkālē ) enter the human soul through the action of angels “not from the quest or will of man, but they unexpectedly happen to nature, at the command of God, for the consolation of man, through the holy angels” 83 . In Church Tradition, angels are known primarily for their role in the heavenly liturgy. St. Isaac does not attempt to outline the external order of the angelic doxology - the “Transcendental Typikon”, but describes in quite impressive detail the internal character of the angelic doxology and worship. Angels “with fiery praises and holy movements offer You spiritual service in the secrecy of their natures” 84. St. Isaac reaches the heights when he describes the experiential knowledge of God by angelic beings. “The cloud of the presence of the Most High blinds the eyes of the seraphim, splendor terrifies the legions of their ranks and silence descends over all their ranks. They await the dawn of mysteries from within the invisible, in the airless depths, with soundless movements, disembodied feelings, formless perceptions, [waiting] for the revelation of the formless Essence to them. But the strength of their internal movements is too weak before the waves of His secrets” 85. It is significant that this paragraph is a continuation of the description of St. Isaac a humble man in prayer. Angelic worship serves as an ideal point of reference for ascetics. St. Isaac humbly contrasts his own worship with the fiery praise, sacred (mental) movements and spiritual service offered by the angelic hosts 86 . The prayer life of the seraphim is a life of praise and joy about the holiness of the Divine in trembling and flaming movements 87 . Human prayer can participate in the same warmth and inner movement. It seems that for St. Isaac's angelic praise is silent: it does not consist of physical voices. It is interesting that Rev. Isaac teaches that this silent doxology was brought to earth and taught to people by Christ Himself, Who repeatedly withdrew into the desert and sought solitude for prayer. “This [discourse], which only the heavenly ranks possess, was revealed to people in the Son of God, who descended to their dwelling and showed them the ministry of the invisible [beings], whose task is to offer praises to God in that great silence that is spread throughout their whole world - in order to thereby be raised to contemplation ( ̬ ͐ ͘ ͪ ͝ ͐ , teʔoriya ) of this glorious nature of the Trinity and remain in amazement, seeing the greatness of this ineffable glory" 88. The future state of man is, no doubt, an unceasing contemplation of the divine glory, and this exactly corresponds to how the angels now contemplate. In the world to come, wonderful movements regarding God will emanate from all rational nature 89 . It is the radiance of knowledge, the perfection of love and the highest degree of understanding that takes place when the inner movement of the human mind is absorbed into the outgoing divine action. Moreover, this perfection means that the susceptibility to sin is surpassed 90 . Thus, the description of the activity of the angelic mind by St. Isaac is at the same time a description of the human mind in the world to come. The inner life of angels corresponds to the eschatological reality of man. The words of Christ about the heavenly abodes (John 14:2), from the point of view of St. Isaac, refer to the angelic way of existence or, more precisely, to the angelic way of contemplating God 91. Thus, we saw that St. Isaac, the entire structure of Christian spirituality is and must be understood in connection with angelic beings and their heavenly world - and not only in connection, but in actual communication. However, the role of angels is implicit, and in this sense Christian angelology represents a kind of esoteric tradition. If so, we can conclude our discussion of angels with a balanced remark. To do complete justice to St. Isaac, it is necessary to emphasize the importance of his maxim: “He who is worthy to see himself is better than he who is worthy to see angels” 92. Particularly in the United States, "angelic spirituality" has developed into a broad movement with various specialized practices of communication, healing, and spiritual guidance, independent of any existing religion. This number is based on references in my Finnish translation of the works of St. Isaac and may contain instances where angels (॥ढ़ส, ʕīrā or ࡡࠐ, malˀаḵā) are implied in the Syriac original. Words 1–82 from the 1st volume of the works of St. Isaac the Syrian is quoted from the edition of Paul Bedjan (Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa / Ed. P. Bedjan. P., 1909). Rus. lane cit. according to the edition: Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of Asceticism / Ed. S.I. Sobolevsky. Sergiev Posad, 1911; Isaac the Syrian, St. On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life: Newly Discovered Texts / Trans. with sire., approx. and after. Abbot Hilarion (Alfeev). M., 1998. – Note. ed. “And He suddenly created wonderful angelic natures, verbal and intelligent, out of nothing” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. X 24). Wed. Homily 21 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 101. Most of the Church Fathers, such as St. Ambrose of Milan and St. Basil the Great in their “Six Days” when explaining Gen. 1:5 agree that angels were created before the physical world. Blzh. Augustine (De civ. Dei. IX 9; De Gen. ad litt. I 17, VII 5) directly states that the creation of “heaven” (Gen. 1:1) or light (Gen. 1:3–5) means the creation of the immaterial angelic world. Angelic entities are likened to God “as far as possible” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On the Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. X 24). The Creator established “similarity to Himself in everything, as far as possible” (Ibid. XX 8). “...The sound of their praises cannot be endured by the ears of those clothed in flesh” (Ibid. X 24). See, for example: Word 47 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 204. See Homily 1 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 1. Angels “are constant and unchanging” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On the Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. XX 7). See Babylonian Talmud, Hag. 14a. St. Isaac states that “angels are incorporeal beings” (Hom. 20 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfection religiosa). Bo 2nd part (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. X 24) Ven. Isaac describes how non-composite light disembodied spirits “speak without lips,” “see without eyes,” “hear without ears,” “fly without wings,” etc. In the “Apostolic Constitutions” of the 4th century. there are “eons” and “armies” and their unique organization; blzh. Jerome (d. 420) excluded Principalities and Virtues; St. Ambrose of Milan (d. 397) and St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) composed nine ranks, but still in a different order. On this, see Keck D. Angels and Angelology in the Middle Ages. Oxford, 1998, pp. 56–57. Russell N. Theophilus of Alexandria. Routledge, 2007, pp. 169–170. For the Greek original of the corresponding chapter in Pseudo-Dionysius, see De coelesti hierarchia // PG. 3. Col. 208. St. Isaac lists nine orders in Word 17 (See Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of Asceticism, p. 70). He also refers to “glorious and holy beings, arranged in ninefold orders by Wisdom, Who created everything” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On the Divine Mysteries and on Spiritual Life. X 24). See Homily 17 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 70. Homily 17 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 68. Angels and archangels are very weak and small for comprehending the wisdom of God (Cf. Ibid. p. 70). See Word 18 // Ibid. P. 75. For more details, see Word 17 // Ibid. P. 70. “For they extend from rank to rank until they reach to unity that which is greater and mightier than all – the Head and foundation of all creation” (Ibid.). See Word 17. The relationship between Christ and the angels was discussed in Heb. 1–2 and in “The Shepherd” of Hermas (Sim. 8.3.3, 9.1.3, cf. 9.12.7–8). See about this: Moxnes Η. God and his Angel in the “Shepherd” of Hermas // Studia Theologica – Nordic Journal of Theology. 1974. Vol. 28. Iss. 1. P. 49–56. Wed. Homily 17 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism.S. 70. See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. XX 8. See Homily 18 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 72. See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. XX 7. “For holy powers now exist in these motives; and this is their way of being; They are delighted with this mystery at every moment thanks to the revelations that they receive in various ways through their aspiration towards the Divine Nature” (See Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On the Divine Mysteries and on Spiritual Life. VIII 6). “...And the saints [angels] did not reach perfection in this” (Homily 21 // Abba Isaac the Syrian, Ascetic Words. P. 81). See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. X 24. Angelic beings “are not hindered by bodies or actions due to the speed and enlightenment of their minds,” “they do not need time and place” for their actions (On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. XX 8). Moreover, angelic beings are “quick in movement, immediate in action” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. X 24). Angelic beings “do not get tired or faint” (Ibid.; cf. XX 8). See Homily 17 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. pp. 68–69. “To see angels accurately means to be moved by the spiritual inspirations peculiar to them. However, there is no place to see the nature of spiritual forces except from within ourselves. But when someone is rewarded with a vision of them in their nature, in their dimension as a spiritual creation, his innermost begins to move with grace and the revelation of spiritual inspirations. When the soul has purified itself and become worthy of seeing its brother servants, it does not perceive their appearance with these (material) eyes” (Hom. 20 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. P. 161–162. Contemplation of angels refers to the “natural state of the soul” in Homily 4 (Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of the Ascetic. P. 19). For the vision of angelic souls and angelic beings, see Word 17 // Ibid. pp. 69–70. St. Isaac calls such concerns and thoughts “the natural movements of the rational soul”; they exist in those who have not yet achieved love and sufficient knowledge (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On the Divine Mysteries and on Spiritual Life. XX 2). According to St. Isaac, angels “exist in another [form] of knowledge” and “do not stoop to such thoughts”; “They are busy with other experiences,” for “they think about secrets that are higher than the thought of the Judgment” (Ibid.). See, for example: Ibid. XL 4. “Even in the nature of angels there is no established ability to be moved by themselves, without revelation given by grace” (Hom. 20 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. 1909. P. 161). “...Our mind (ทธยฐ, hawnā) does not have the natural power to strive for divine contemplation, and with only imperfection we are equal to all heavenly natures" (Homily 18 // Ascetic Words of Abba Isaac the Syrian. P. 74). “...Another world, which will have no end, the glory of which is not revealed even to angels” (Isaac the Syrian, Ven. On Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. X19). The divine economy is hidden “from both angels and people” (Ibid. XXXIX 20). For a description of the limits of the powers of the minds of angels, see Hom. 29 // De perfectione religiosa. 1909. P. 207. See Word 6 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 33. See About Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life. V 23. Angelic entities participate in the actions of God “as far as possible, they remain in the life of the spirit, in accordance with the gift with which their nature is endowed” (Ibid. X 19). See Hom. 20 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. P. 162. See, for example: Music. 19 // Ibid. P. 159. For a detailed description and interpretation of these night visions and their consequences, see Homily 30 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of Asceticism. P. 135 See Hom. 54 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. 1909. P. 391–392. For more information about this, see Homily 67 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of Asceticism. pp. 349–350. “Although a person is unworthy of this due to secret sins known to him alone, yet God takes him away from trouble, by His mercy” (Ibid.). See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. V 27. See Word 57 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 296. See, for example: Hom. 80 // Ibid. P. 551; Hom. 81 // Ibid. P. 573; Word 55 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 260. See also: Word 14 // Ibid. P. 58. See Word 49 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 222. See, for example: Hom. 80 // Ibid. R. 551; Hom. 81 // Ibid. P. 573; Word 55 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 260. See also: Word 14 // Ibid. P. 58. See Word 57 // Ibid. pp. 295–296. See Word 49 // Ibid. P. 222. “The soul that labors to remain in this vigil and lives decently will have cherubic eyes to constantly lift up its gaze and contemplate the heavenly spectacle” (Homily 70 // Ibid. p. 357). See Word 58 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 317. See Words 21, 57 for details. See Word 24 // Ibid. pp. 115–116. See Word 34 // Ibid. pp. 147–148. For example: “And with the alleluias of the highest angels, let us praise at every moment the power of Your Being” (On Divine mysteries and spiritual life. X 41). See, for example: Word 7 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 36. See Word 5 // Ibid. P. 27. See Word 57 // Ibid. P. 294. See for more details: Word 63. “...They are our teachers, as well as teachers to each other. The lower ones learn from those who follow them and have more light” (Word 18 // Ibid. p. 74). See Homily 18 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 74. See Word 60 // Ibid. pp. 326, 328. “Whoever desires the fulfillment of the will of God will have heavenly angels as guides” (Homily 57 // Ibid. p. 293; cf. Homily 18 // Ibid. p. 74). “The Holy Angels, from their own knowledge, pour into us knowledge of the movement of things. Knowledge that they themselves first taste and comprehend, and then pass on to us” (Sermon 18 // Ibid. p. 73). “...Holy Angels take upon themselves the likenesses of some venerable and good saints and in sleepy dreams show these likenesses to the soul, while its thoughts soar, to its joy, enrichment and admiration, and during the day they constantly set them in motion when the soul considers its thoughts” (Homily 30 // Ibid. P. 135; see also: Homily 46 // Ibid. P. 197). See, for example: Word 34 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Words of asceticism. P. 149. Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. XVIII 19. See Hom. 65 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. P. 443–444. (In the Russian translation, instead of Evagrius there is: “one of the God-bearing men” - Homily 41 // Abba Isaac the Syrian Ascetic Words. P. 173. - Ed.). Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. XVIII 20. Hom. 74 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. P. 517–518. See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. V 8. See Hom. 80 // Mar Isaacus Niniυita. De perfectione religiosa. P. 547. See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. XII 1. St. Isaac refers to Matt. 14:13, Matt. 14:23 and Mark. 6:31–32. See Isaac the Syrian, St. About Divine mysteries and spiritual life. VIII 5–6; XII 2.