Choir of Principalities: Origins, Pseudo-Dionysius and Angels 49 to 56

Who are the Principalities?

The Principalities are the seventh choir of angels, the one that opens the third and last triad. The Latin principatus translates the Greek archai, plural of arche, “beginning”, and hence “principle” or “power”. The root survives in “archbishop” and “archangel”: one who stands at the head.

In the Kabbalistic and esoteric tradition of the 72 angels, this choir gathers angels 49 to 56. For the origin of the list, read our introduction to the 72 angels.

The Principalities in the Bible

The Principalities are mentioned in the New Testament:

• Ephesians 1:21 and 3:10: God’s wisdom is made known to the principalities and powers in the heavens.
• Colossians 1:16: they are numbered among the realities created in Christ.
• Romans 8:38: neither angels nor principalities can separate us from the love of God.
• Titus 3:1: the same word archai here designates human rulers, to whom one must submit.

So one must remain cautious: the same words can designate human authorities, angels, or hostile powers (Ephesians 6:12). Tradition has retained the benevolent angelic reading.

The idea of angels of the nations comes from the Old Testament: the book of Daniel speaks of the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” and the “prince of Greece” (10:13, 20), and of Michael as “your prince” (10:21; 12:1). Sirach (17:17) says that God set a ruler over every nation. An ancient variant of Deuteronomy 32:8, known from the Qumran manuscripts, speaks of the number of the “sons of God” where the traditional Hebrew text says “sons of Israel”.

The Principalities in Pseudo-Dionysius

In the Celestial Hierarchy attributed to Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (around 500, chapter 9), the Principalities are the first order of the third triad, the one turned towards humanity. The author sees in them leaders who guide the lower orders towards God, imitating his way of governing.

In medieval tradition, particularly in Thomas Aquinas, this role is extended: the Principalities watch over the common good of peoples, cities, kingdoms and those who govern them. This is a theological reading that relies on the book of Daniel.

The eight angels of the choir in the list of 72

In the list of 72 names of the Shem HaMephorash, the Principalities gather eight angels, from No. 49 to No. 56. Each one rules for five days of the year and for twenty minutes of the day, according to the most common calendar.

The dates follow the most common calendar (angel No. 1 rules from 21 to 25 March, then five days per angel). Sources sometimes differ by a few days: see how to calculate your guardian angel.

Other readings and images

Other readings:

• Jewish tradition speaks of the sarim, the “princes” of the nations: some midrashim count seventy nations and seventy angelic princes. This idea predates the Christian hierarchy.
• Haniel is cited by many modern authors as the leader of the Principalities; see our page on the archangel Haniel. These attributions of “choir leaders” vary from one list to another.
• Iconography shows them as young crowned princes, sometimes armed with a sword or holding a sceptre.

A symbolism for today

In today’s symbolism, the Principalities evoke responsibility for places and groups: a town, a school, a team, a family. They are read as a reminder that what surrounds us calls for attention, beyond our immediate circle.

This reading does not promise that someone is watching over your neighbourhood; it invites you to ask what you can bring to it.

A gentle practice

An exercise in “a gesture for my place”, lasting ten minutes:

1. Choose a place that matters to you (street, building, shared garden, association).
2. Write down one thing you like about this place, then one thing that is missing from it.
3. Choose a simple gesture, such as picking up a few pieces of litter, greeting a neighbour, or offering help to an elderly neighbour.
4. Carry it out this week, quietly.

This exercise is a matter of personal reflection and does not replace medical advice or psychological support.

Keep in mind

The nine choirs are a construction of Christian theology, based on Pseudo-Dionysius (around 500), then Gregory the Great and Thomas Aquinas. It draws on lists of names found in the New Testament; it is not an official teaching of the Church, which affirms the existence of angels (Catechism, § 328) without fixing a precise hierarchy.

The attribution of eight Kabbalistic angels to each choir is, for its part, an esoteric construction of the Renaissance, which the Catholic Church does not recognise: it retains only the three archangels named in Scripture, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Nothing demonstrates that a particular angel corresponds to your date of birth, and no one can promise you protection or any event. Read these pages as a symbolic bestiary: for the images and the reflection they inspire.

See also the guide to the 72 angels and the guide to the archangels.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the 72 guardian angels.