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46-553: Notable people with the name include: Chief among characters bearing the name Abdiel is the seraph Abdiel appearing in Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), specifically in Book V and Book VI . Two passages from Book V serve to establish Abdiel's character: Had audience; when among the Seraphim Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal adored The Deity, and divine commands obeyed So spake

92-572: A bull, a lion and a human. Other hadiths describes them with six wings and four faces. While according to a hadith transmitted from At-Targhib wat-Tarhib authored by ʻAbd al-ʻAẓīm ibn ʻAbd al-Qawī al-Mundhirī, the bearers of the throne were angels who were shaped like a rooster , with their feet on the earth and their nape supporting the Throne of God in the highest sky. a number modern Islamic scholars from Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University , and other institutes of Yemen and Mauritania also agreed

138-501: A former student of Alan Watts , to adopt the name when he also entered Orthodox monasticism , later becoming known as Fr Seraphim Rose. The Bearers of the Throne ( ḥamlat al-arsh ) are comparable to seraphim, described with six wings and four faces according to tradition. No description of their features is given in the Quran, only that their number is eight in 69:17 . Their affiliation

184-546: A mystic role in Giovanni Pico della Mirandola 's Oration on the Dignity of Man (1487), the epitome of Renaissance humanism . Pico took the fiery Seraphim—"they burn with the fire of charity"—as the highest models of human aspiration: "impatient of any second place, let us emulate dignity and glory. And, if we will it, we shall be inferior to them in nothing", the young Pico announced, in the first flush of optimistic confidence in

230-463: A royal family may also include one or more former monarchs. In certain instances, such as in Canada, the royal family is defined by who holds the styles Majesty and Royal Highness . There is often a distinction between persons of the blood royal and those that marry into the royal family. Under most systems, only persons in the first category are dynasts, that is, potential successors to the throne (unless

276-426: A royal family perform certain public, social, or ceremonial functions, but refrain from any involvement in electoral politics or the actual governance of the country. The specific composition of royal families varies from country to country, as do the titles and royal and noble styles held by members of the family. The composition of the royal family may be regulated by statute enacted by the legislature (e.g., Spain,

322-583: A royal family vary depending on whether the polity in question is an absolute monarchy , a constitutional monarchy , or somewhere in between. In certain monarchies, such as that found in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait , or in political systems where the monarch actually exercises executive power, such as in Jordan , it is not uncommon for the members of a royal family to hold important government posts or military commands. In most constitutional monarchies, however, members of

368-637: A surname or dynastic name (see Royal House ). In a constitutional monarchy, when the monarch dies, there is always a law or tradition of succession to the throne that either specifies a formula for identifying the precise order of succession among family members in line to the throne or specifies a process by which a family member is chosen to inherit the crown. Usually in the former case the exact line of hereditary succession among royal individuals may be identified at any given moment during prior reigns (e.g. United Kingdom , Sark , Nizari Ismailis , Japan , Balobedus , Sweden , Kingdom of Benin ) whereas in

414-730: Is a celestial or heavenly being originating in Ancient Judaism . The term plays a role in subsequent Judaism , and Islam . Tradition places seraphim in the highest rank in Christian angelology and in the fifth rank of ten in the Jewish angelic hierarchy . A seminal passage in the Book of Isaiah ( Isaiah 6:1–8 ) used the term to describe six-winged beings that fly around the Throne of God crying " holy, holy, holy ". This throne scene, with its triple invocation of holiness, profoundly influenced subsequent theology , literature and art. Its influence

460-488: Is frequently seen in works depicting angels, heaven and apotheosis . Seraphim are mentioned as celestial beings in the semi-canonical Book of Enoch and the canonical Book of Revelation . In Hebrew, the word saraph means "burning", and is used seven times throughout the text of the Hebrew Bible as a noun, usually to denote " serpent ", twice in the Book of Numbers , once in the Book of Deuteronomy , and four times in

506-469: Is not always clear and sometimes their role is swapped with the cherubim. In a book called Book of the Wonders of Creation and the peculiarities of Existing Things , these angels rank the highest, followed by the spirit , the archangels and then the cherubim. The Bearers of the Throne are entrusted with continuously worshipping God. Unlike the messenger angels, they remain in the heavenly realm and do not enter

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552-584: Is not found in fire simply, but exists with a certain sharpness, as being of most penetrating action, and reaching even to the smallest things, and as it were, with superabundant fervor; whereby is signified the action of these angels, exercised powerfully upon those who are subject to them, rousing them to a like fervor, and cleansing them wholly by their heat. Thirdly we consider in fire the quality of clarity, or brightness; which signifies that these angels have in themselves an inextinguishable light, and that they also perfectly enlighten others. The seraphim took on

598-543: Is repeated several times in daily Jewish services , including at Kedushah prayer as part of the repetition of the Amidah , and in several other prayers as well. Conservative Judaism retains the traditional doctrines regarding angels and includes references to them in the liturgy, although a literal belief in angels is by no means universal among adherents. Adherents of Reform Judaism and Reconstructionist Judaism generally take images of angels as symbolic. A Judean seal from

644-626: Is that these powers may have learned through the revelation of the Son of God and of the Holy Spirit-and they will certainly be able to acquire a great deal of knowledge, and the higher ones much more than the lower-still it is impossible for them to comprehend everything; for it is written, 'The more part of God's works are secret. This quote suggests that Origen believed the Seraphim are revealed this knowledge because of their anointed status as Son of God and

690-473: Is the immediate family of kings / queens , emirs/emiras , sultans / sultanas , or raja / rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress , and the term papal family describes the family of a pope , while the terms baronial family , comital family , ducal family , archducal family , grand ducal family , or princely family are more appropriate to describe, respectively,

736-576: The Akyəst ( Ge'ez : አክይስት "serpents", " dragons "; an alternate term for Hell ). In the Second Book of Enoch , two classes of celestial beings are mentioned alongside the seraphim and cherubim, known as the phoenixes and the chalkydri ( Ancient Greek : χαλκύδραι khalkýdrai , compound of χαλκός khalkós "brass, copper" + ὕδρα hýdra " hydra ", "water-serpent"—lit. "brazen hydras", "copper serpents"). Both are described as "flying elements of

782-568: The Book of Isaiah in fixing the fiery nature of seraphim in the medieval imagination. Seraphim in his view helped God maintain perfect order and are not limited to chanting the trisagion . Taking his cue as well from writings in the Rabbinic tradition, the author gave an etymology for the Seraphim as "those who kindle or make hot" The name seraphim clearly indicates their ceaseless and eternal revolution about Divine Principles, their heat and keenness,

828-476: The Book of Isaiah . The reason why the word for "burning" was also used to denote a serpent is not universally agreed upon; it may be due to a certain snake species' fiery colors, or perhaps the burning sensation left by its venomous bite. Regardless, its plural form, seraphim , occurs in both Numbers and Isaiah, but only in Isaiah is it used to denote an angelic being; likewise, these angels are referred to only as

874-541: The Netherlands , and Japan since 1947), the sovereign's prerogative and common law tradition (e.g., the United Kingdom), or a private house law (e.g., Liechtenstein , the former ruling houses of Bavaria , Prussia , Hanover , etc.). Public statutes, constitutional provisions, or conventions may also regulate the marriages, names, and personal titles of royal family members. The members of a royal family may or may not have

920-525: The "House of ...". In July 2013 there were 26 active sovereign dynasties in the world that ruled or reigned over 43 monarchies. As of 2021 , while there are several European countries whose nominal head of state, by long tradition, is a king or queen, the associated royal families, with the notable exception of the British royal family , are non-notable ordinary citizens who may bear a title but are not involved in public affairs. A royal family typically includes

966-468: The 8th century BCE depicts them as flying asp (snake) , yet having human characteristics, as encountered by Isaiah in his commissioning as a prophet. Medieval Christian theology places seraphim in the highest choir of the angelic hierarchy. They are the caretakers of God 's throne, continuously singing "holy, holy, holy". Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his Celestial Hierarchy (vii), drew upon

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1012-463: The Hebrew Bible the seraphim do not have the status of angels , and that it is only in later sources (like De Coelesti Hierarchia or Summa Theologiae ) that they are considered to be a division of the divine messengers. Seraphim appear in the 2nd-century BC Book of Enoch , where they are mentioned, in conjunction with cherubim , as the heavenly creatures standing nearest to the throne of God . In non-biblical sources they are sometimes called

1058-609: The Holy Spirit. He was later criticized for making such claims and labeled a heretic by the Christian church. However, his theory about the Seraphim, as referred to in Isaiah , would be reflected in other early Christian literature, as well as early Christian belief through the second century. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae offers a description of the nature of seraphim: The name "Seraphim" does not come from charity only, but from

1104-471: The Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly." (Isaiah 6:1–3) And one cried to another, "Holy, holy, holy, is YHWH of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory." (verses 2–3) One seraph carries out an act of ritual purification for

1150-478: The Seraph Abdiel, faithful found Among the faithless, faithful only he Among innumerable false. Unmoved, Unshaken, unreduced, unterrified His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal. Abdiel denounces Satan after hearing him incite revolt among the angels , and abandons Lucifer to bring the news of his defection to God . However, when he arrives, he finds that preparations are already underway for battle. In

1196-554: The Seraphim, in the Book of Isaiah , are the physical representation of the Christ and the Holy Spirit . His rationale comes from the idea that nothing "can wholly know the beginnings of all things and the ends of the universe" aside from God . Origen concludes this section in writing about the Seraphim as beings that have the knowledge of God revealed to them which elevates the role of the Seraphim to divine levels: Nevertheless whatever it

1242-551: The absolute divinity of Atziluth causes their continual "burning up" in self-nullification . Through this they ascend to God, and return to their place. Below them in the World of Yetzirah ("Formation", archetypal creation, divine emotions) are the Hayot angels of Ezekiel's vision , who serve God with self-aware instinctive emotions ("face of a lion, ox, eagle"). Seraphim are part of the angelarchy of modern Orthodox Judaism . Isaiah's vision

1288-471: The early monarchic period of Israel and Judah , Egyptian motifs were evidently borrowed by the Israelites en masse , as a plethora of personal seals belonging to classes ranging from commonfolk to royalty have been discovered, which incorporate several pieces of ancient Egyptian iconography, including the winged sun , ankh , the hedjet and deshret crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt , scarabs , and

1334-608: The eighth verse, "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within". They appear also in the Gnostic text, On the Origin of the World . The 12th-century scholar Maimonides placed the seraphim in the fifth of ten ranks of angels in his exposition of the Jewish angelic hierarchy . In Kabbalah , the seraphim are the higher angels of the World of Beriah ("Creation", first created realm, divine understanding), whose understanding of their distance from

1380-557: The ensuing fight, Abdiel smites Satan , Ariel , Ramiel , and Arioch , presumably among others. In Asimov's Annotated Paradise Lost , Isaac Asimov theorized that Abdiel was in fact a representation of Milton himself. Likewise, in Cyder , Ambrose Philips refers to Milton as "that other bard" and contrasts Milton to his character Abdiel. The character name Abdiel has also been used: Seraph A seraph ( / ˈ s ɛr ə f / ; pl. : seraphim / ˈ s ɛr ə f ɪ m / )

1426-401: The excess of charity, expressed by the word ardor or fire . Hence Dionysius (Coel. Hier. vii) expounds the name "Seraphim" according to the properties of fire, containing an excess of heat. Now in fire we may consider three things. First, the movement which is upwards and continuous. This signifies that they are borne inflexibly towards God. Secondly, the active force which is "heat," which

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1472-476: The exuberance of their intense, perpetual, tireless activity, and their elevative and energetic assimilation of those below, kindling them and firing them to their own heat, and wholly purifying them by a burning and all-consuming flame; and by the unhidden, unquenchable, changeless, radiant and enlightening power, dispelling and destroying the shadows of darkness Origen wrote in On First Principles that

1518-631: The human capacity that is the coinage of the Renaissance. "In the light of intelligence, meditating upon the Creator in His work, and the work in its Creator, we shall be resplendent with the light of the Cherubim. If we burn with love for the Creator only, his consuming fire will quickly transform us into the flaming likeness of the Seraphim." Bonaventure , a Franciscan theologian who was a contemporary of Aquinas, uses

1564-449: The latter case the next sovereign may be selected (or changed) only during the reign or shortly after the demise of the immediately preceding monarch (e.g. Cambodia , KwaZulu Natal , Buganda , Saudi Arabia , Swaziland , Yorubaland , The Kingitanga ). Some monarchies employ a mix of these selection processes ( Malaysia , Monaco , Tonga , Jordan , Morocco ), providing for both an identifiable line of succession as well as authority for

1610-445: The member of the latter category is also in line to the throne in their own right, a frequent occurrence in royal families which frequently intermarry). This is not always observed; some monarchies have operated by the principle of jure uxoris . In addition, certain relatives of the monarch (by blood or marriage) possess special privileges and are subject to certain statutes, conventions, or special common law. The precise functions of

1656-451: The monarch, dynasty or other institution to alter the line in specific instances without changing the general law of succession. Some countries have abolished royalty altogether, as in post-revolutionary France (1870), post-revolutionary Russia (1917), Portugal (1910), post-war Germany (1918), post-war Italy (1946) and many ex European colonies. Whilst mediatization occurred in other countries such as France , Italy and Russia , only

1702-651: The plural seraphim – Isaiah later uses the singular saraph to describe a " fiery flying serpent ", in line with the other uses of the term throughout the Tanakh . There is emerging consensus that the motifs used to display seraphs in Hyksos -era Canaan had their original sources in Egyptian uraeus iconography. In Egyptian iconography, the uraeus was used as a symbol of sovereignty , royalty , divinity and divine authority , and later iconography often showed uraei with wings. In

1748-409: The prophet by touching his lips with a live coal from the altar (verses 6–7) "And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." The text describes the "seraphim" as winged celestial beings with a fiery passion for doing God's good work. Notwithstanding the wording of the text itself, at least one Hebrew scholar claims that in

1794-409: The relatives of a reigning baron , count / earl , duke , archduke , grand duke , or prince . However, in common parlance members of any family which reigns by hereditary right are often referred to as royalty or "royals". It is also customary in some circles to refer to the extended relations of a deposed monarch and their descendants as a royal family. A dynasty is sometimes referred to as

1840-468: The second matter, some scholars have proposed that the covered "feet" of the seraphim should be identified as genitals, as "feet" are often used in the Hebrew Bible as a euphemism for the penis . The vision in Isaiah Chapter 6 of seraphim in an idealized version of Solomon's Temple represents the sole instance in the Hebrew Bible of this word being used to describe celestial beings. "... I saw also

1886-496: The six wings of the seraph as an important analogical construct in his mystical work The Journey of the Mind to God . Christian theology developed an idea of seraphim as beings of pure light who enjoy direct communication with God. The plural form of the word, seraphim , was given to Seraphim of Sarov upon his reception into the Sarov monastery. This later inspired Eugene Dennis Rose ,

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1932-442: The soundness of this hadith by quoting the commentary from Ibn Abi al-Izz who supported this narrative. Al-Razi identifies the seraphim with the angels around God's throne, next to the cherubim. They circulate the throne and keep praising God. Ibn Kathir , on the other hand, identifies the seraphim with those who carry the throne, the highest order of angels. Royal family Philosophers Works A royal family

1978-403: The spouse of the reigning monarch, surviving spouses of a deceased monarch, the children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and paternal cousins of the reigning monarch, as well as their spouses. In some cases, royal family membership may extend to great grandchildren and more distant descendants of a monarch. In certain monarchies where voluntary abdication is the norm, such as the Netherlands ,

2024-460: The sun" that reside in either the 4th or 7th heaven, who have twelve wings and burst into song at sunrise. In the Book of Revelation (4:4–8), the beasts are described as being forever in God's presence and praising him: "[A]nd they rest not day and night, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.'" This account differs slightly from the account of Isaiah, stating in

2070-464: The uraeus cobra. These uraei often had four wings, as opposed to the Egyptian standard which only gave them two. These images have been connected with the seraphim angels associated with Isaiah's visions, or perhaps more directly to the aforementioned "fiery flying serpent", but this continues to be debated – and an image of serpentine seraphim clashes with Isaiah's own vision, which clearly envisioned seraphim with heads, legs, and arms – although, on

2116-701: The world. Seraphim ( Sarufiyyun or Musharifin ) are directly mentioned in a hadith from Al-Tirmidhi about a conversation between Muhammad and God , during the Night Journey , concerning what is between the Heavens and the Earth, often interpreted as a reference to the "Exalted assembly" disputing the creation of Adam in Surah Ṣād 38:69 . In Islamic traditions, they are often portrayed in zoomorphic forms. They are described as resembling different creatures: An eagle,

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