The Absence of "Confessors" in the Angelic Hierarchy

Angelic hierarchy is striking for its strictness and meticulous structure – it lacks a category that could serve as an analogue for confessors. From the very beginning of Christian tradition, starting with the Corpus Areopagiticum of the 6th century, the angelic realm was classified into nine orders, systematically divided into three triads – seraphim, cherubim, and thrones. Such clear organization demonstrates that the notion of "confessors" is not applicable to either angels or their fallen forms. Fallen angels, having lost their original nobility and turned away from the creative order, cannot be assigned to this non-existent category. As a result, in-depth study of the angelic orders allows for a better understanding of the unique structure of the heavenly realm and confirms that the concept of confessors has no place here, reserving that space exclusively for the other higher beings.

What is the significance of the term "confessors" in the context of the angelic hierarchy, and can they be regarded as fallen angels?

In the angelic hierarchy, the term "confessors" does not exist as a category for classifying angels. As explained in one source, "The angelic realm has a hierarchical structure. According to Corpus Areopagiticum (early 6th century), the angelic realm comprises 9 orders, which are divided into 3 triads (lika): Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones. Therefore, there are no confessors in the angelic hierarchy" (source: link txt).

This implies that the very notion of "confessors" is inapplicable to both angels and their fallen forms. Fallen angels are those who, due to their inherent nature and subsequent spiritual decline, have lost their original nobility and departed from the creative order. In other words, the angelic classification does not provide for a separate group labeled as confessors that could be equated with fallen angels.