ANGEL, one of the myriad of incorporeal creatures whose natural
abode is heaven and who, on certain occasions, appear to man in
the shape of human beings to reveal God's will and carry out His
commands. The appellation "messenger" or "angel" used in the
prophecy of Malachi was confirmed by Christ when He said of John
the Baptist, "This is he of whom it is written, "Behold, I send
my messenger [or angel] before thy face, who shall prepare thy
way before thee'" (Mt. 11:10 quoting Mal. 3:1). The same usage
was applied to some bishops in charge of churches in Asia Minor
(Rev. 1:20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). The fathers of the
church recorded their views of the celestial hierarchy. CLEMENT
OF ALEXANDRIA (c. 150-215) holds that "the grades here in the
church of bishops, presbyters, deacons, are imitations of the
angelic glory . . ." (Stromata 13, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol.
2, p. 505; Jurgens, 1970, Vol. 1, p. 184). According to CYRIL OF
JERUSALEM (c. 315-386), "After this we make mention of heaven .
. . of the