Seven Archangels

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The seven archangels in Eastern Orthodox tradition.
The seven archangels in Eastern Orthodox tradition.

A system of seven archangels is an old tradition in Abrahamic religions. The earliest reference to a system of seven archangels appears to be in Enoch I (the Ethiopian Enoch), where they are given as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Zerachiel and Remiel. Centuries later, Pseudo-Dionysius gives them as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Chamuel, Jophiel, and Zadkiel. Pope Gregory I lists them as Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Simiel, Orifiel, and Zachariel. Eastern Orthodoxy venerates Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel.

In angelology, different sources disagree on the names and identities of the seven archangels. Various occult systems associate each archangel with one of the traditional seven "luminaries" — the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn — but there is disagreement as to which archangel corresponds to which body.

The seven archangels figure in some systems of ritual magic, each archangel bearing a specific seal.

The Seven Seals of the Seven Archangels from a 16th century treatise, The Complete Book of Magic Science; the seals of the Seven Olympian spirits are also shown
The Seven Seals of the Seven Archangels from a 16th century treatise, The Complete Book of Magic Science; the seals of the Seven Olympian spirits are also shown

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