Name: angeli
Description: Spiritual beings created by God. In Purgatory angels serve a range of ministerial functions: the celestial helmsman ferries newly saved souls to the shores of Purgatory; angels descend into the Valley of the Princes each night to expel the serpent; an angel stands guard over the door of Purgatory; and angels indicate the pathway to each of the terraces in Purgatory proper. In the Paradiso angels are often designated "intelligences" who feed on intellectual fare, namely truth. In Par 28 Beatrice names the nine orders of angels, proceeding from the highest to lowest--Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, Angels. They are arranged in circles around God; each order presides over one of the nine heavens.