72. Following this persecution in Corinth, the sacred text goes on to say: «But Paul, having stayed yet many days, taking his leave of the brethren, sailed thence into Syria, (and with him Priscilla and Aquila) who had shorn his head in Cenchrae; for he had a vow» (Acts XVIII, 18). We teach that on the 25th of October of the year 50, Paul left Corinth, accompanied by Silas, Timothy, Luke and some others, among whom were Aquila and his wife Priscilla. As we interpret from the sacred text, Aquila, who had his hair long for having taken the Nazarite vow, cut it when told to by Paul, thus finishing with all the obligations of the vow before they embarked at the Corinthian port of Cenchrae. After a sea crossing of six days they reached the city port of Ephesus on the 31st of October that year. Verses 19-21 speak of Paul and his companions’ sojourn in Ephesus, of their apostolate among the Jews and of how the latter begged them to stay longer, without Paul’s acceding to their wish, though he did promise to return if it were God’s will. We add that besides Paul’s mission amongst the Jews, he accomplished a great apostolate among the large Christian communities, and also among the Gentiles of the city and its surrounding districts. Leaving Aquila and his wife Priscilla there, as we interpret from verse 19, on the 3Oth of March of the year 51, Paul, accompanied by Silas, Timothy and Luke, embarked at Ephesus, «and going down to Caesarea, he went up and saluted the Church: and thence came down to Antioch» (Acts XVIII, 22). That is, after disembarking at Caesarea Maritime on the 15th of April 51, he reached Jerusalem five days later, namely on the 20th of April that year. Paul’s principal reason for wishing to pass through Jerusalem was to visit the Most Holy Virgin Mary Who, as we know, was there with Her two sisters and the Apostle John; and also in order to discuss some matters with James the Less, as likewise to venerate the holy places sanctified by Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. When the sacred text says that Paul «went up and saluted the Church», it is stressing the importance of the diocese of Jerusalem, as there was the Divine Mary, Mother of the Church; though as we know, the Apostolic See was then in Rome. During the fifteen days that Paul lived in Jerusalem, he was greatly comforted by the wise counsel of the Heavenly Mother, Who instructed him to continue his apostolate. Thus on the 5th of May 51, leaving Silas in Jerusalem, Paul left with Timothy and Luke for Antioch of Syria, and visited the Christian communities along the way. The sacred text says that «after he had spent some time there, he departed and went through the country of Galatia and Phrygia, place by place, strengthening all the disciples» (Acts XVIII, 23). As we interpret, Paul reached Antioch on the 7th of June 51 and remained there until the following 8th of August when, accompanied by Luke, Timothy and Titus who was in Antioch, as well as by others, he left to visit the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, where he carried out a great apostolate among the Christian communities, which were greatly fortified by the Apostle’s visit. it is well to make clear that this was the Titus converted by Saint Paul in Antioch of Pisidia, and that he had accompanied him to the Second Council of Jerusalem. Wherefore he bears no relation to Titus Justus, converted by Paul in Corinth. The author of the Acts of the Apostles interrupts the narrative of this journey of Saint Paul to record the remarkable event that occurred meanwhile at Ephesus. As we interpret from the sacred text, a Jew named Apollo had arrived at the city, a man well versed in the Scriptures (Acts XVIII, 24-27), who in the times of the Precursor of Christ had received the baptism of penance, had thereafter lived far from Jerusalem and who now taught in the synagogues all that he knew about Jesus. Since Aquila and his wife Priscilla were in Ephesus, on hearing of Apollo’s worthy mission they took him to the local bishop, who gave him more detailed instruction on evangelical doctrine and baptized him. Greatly strengthened by grace, Apollo decided to go to the territory of Corinth, pertaining to the region of Achaia, where he was received by the Christian communities and accomplished a great apostolate, «for with much vigour he convinced the Jews openly, showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ» (Acts XVIII, 28). As we interpret from chapters III and IV of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, some time later Paul conferred the diaconate, presbyterate and episcopate on Apollo,
73. In verse 1 of chapter XIX, Saint Luke continues: «And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul, having gone through the upper provinces, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples» (Acts XIX, 1). We teach that following the great mission he had carried out in the provinces of Galatia and Phrygia, the Apostle covered as well those of Bithynia, Mysia and Asia, finally reaching Ephesus on the 17th of October of the year 52, accompanied by Luke, Timothy and Titus. In this city, as we interpret from verses 1 to 7, `he found certain disciples’ who, though called such in the sacred text, were not faithful of the Church but followers of John the Baptist and friends of the recently converted Apollo, who as we know had gone to Corinth. These followers of the Precursor, who some time before had received the baptism of penance, were instructed by Paul on the Sacrament of Baptism instituted by Christ, and on the other truths of the evangelical faith; and so «they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus» (Acts XIX, 5). After baptism they received the Sacrament of Confirmation, as is seen in the following text: «And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they spoke in tongues and prophesied» (Acts XIX, 6). As is seen in verse 8, Paul preached for three months in the synagogues of Ephesus. But because of some hardhearted Jews, who cursed Christ when Paul spoke in public, «departing from them, he separated the disciples, preaching daily in the school of one Tyrannus» (Acts XIX, 9). In other words, from then on Paul preached neither in the synagogues nor in the public places of Ephesus, as he found his labour obstructed by not a few Jews; and he carried on in a more private manner at the school of a certain personage named Tyrannus, who had recently been converted to Christianity. When the sacred text says that Paul `separated the disciples’, which has the meaning here of audience, it should be understood that at the place where Paul gave instruction to Jews as well as to Gentiles, the agitators were not allowed in. The Apostle’s teaching during two years in the school at Ephesus became so prestigious that it was frequented by many of the province of Asia who came to the city, both Jews and Gentiles, but more so the latter given the great pagan pilgrimages to the Temple of Diana. For at that time the Temple, demolished years before during the Most Holy Virgin Mary’s stay, had been rebuilt after Her departure from Ephesus and idolatrous worship restored. Paul’s preaching, the miracles God worked through him and the strange event of the presumptious Jewish exorcists manhandled by the possessed man, caused great fear to manifest itself among the Jews and Gentiles, and resulted in a plentiful harvest of conversions (Acts XIX, 10-18). Many of the new Christians brought their books on magic arts to be burned in the Apostles’s presence «...thus the word of God was strengthened and consolidated» (Acts XIX, 20). The disciples Aristarchus and Gaius (or Caius) came from Macedonia to Ephesus to help Paul in the great apostolate, for they had been notified of the Apostle’s presence in the city. The sacred text continues: «These things fulfilled, Paul inspired by the Holy Ghost purposed to go to Jerusalem through Macedonia and Achaia, saying: Because after I have been there, I must needs go to Rome as well» (Acts XIX, 21). In other words, God instructed the Apostle to undertake the journey. Before setting out, Paul sent the disciples Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia to prepare for his visit, whilst he continued to preach for a time at certain places in the province of Asia, which he did accompanied by Luke, Aristarchus and Gaius. It is well to state that Aristarchus, a disciple of the Lord, was then bishop of Thessalonica, and Gaius his presbyter assistant. The sacred text, therefore, considers both as Macedonians even though they were not born in Macedonia. As we interpret from the sacred text, when Paul, after his apostolate elsewhere in the province of Asia returned to Ephesus to set out on the planned journey, a great tumult arose on account of the doctrine he had taught (Acts XIX, 23). It was one of the fiercest attacks on the Apostle and his companions. The disturbance at Ephesus referred to in the sacred text was promoted by a certain silversmith called Demetrius who made tiny reproductions of the Temple of Diana and sold them as amulets, for no small profit. Given that the month of May was dedicated to the great solemnities of the goddess’ worship, when the idolatrous Demetrius saw that, despite the influx of pilgrims to Ephesus for the pagan feasts, his business suffered from Paul’s intense apostolate, on the 17th of May of the year 55 he stirred up much of the populace against him, and as well against the Jews themselves opposed to idolatry. As follows from the sacred text, so great was the uproar of the pagans that they laid hold of Aristarchus and Gaius, though their rage was chiefly against Paul. That is why, in spite of the Apostle’s wishing to go out to calm the people, «the disciples suffered him not» (Acts XIX, 30), out of fear that they should do the same to him. The violence of the disturbance increasing, the Jews, fearing for themselves, obliged Alexander, the Ruler of the synagogue, to convince the idolatrous multitude that Paul was to blame for everything and that they, the Jews, besides having in nowise harmed the worship of Diana, greatly repudiated Paul and the other Christians. But as is seen in the sacred text, the pagan populace, knowing that Alexander was a Jew, blinded by idolatrous fanaticism did not let him even speak; for «all with one voice, for the space of about two hours, cried out: Great is Diana of the Ephesians» (Acts XIX, 34). The Ephesus tumult was brought to an end thanks to the intervention of the principal city official, called clerk in the sacred text, who with consummate shrewdness appeased the idolatrous crowd by exalting the greatness of Diana. At the same time he pleaded on behalf of the captive Aristarchus and Gaius, saying they were «neither guilty of sacrilege nor of blasphemy against your goddess» (Acts XIX, 37); for both in their preaching, though having combated idolatry, had taken care not to mention Diana. Finally he told Demetrius, the author of the tumult, that if he had anything legitimate to claim, he should appeal to the tribunals, but never to resort to public disturbances, as they could be accused as seditious before the Roman emperor. With these and other arguments the tumult ceased and the crowd dispersed. In the I Epistle to the Corinthians, when St. Paul speaks of the resurrection of the flesh, he alludes to the persecution at Ephesus as follows: «Humanly speaking, what doth it profit me that I fought with the beasts at Ephesus, if the dead rise not again? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die» (I Cor. XV, 32); by which the Apostle teaches that when on this occasion at Ephesus he fought in defence of Christianity against human beasts, that is against Jews and pagans, his sufferings would avail neither body nor soul if an eternal happiness did not exist for both elements, for without the hope of the next life, the materialists would be right when they say: «Let us give ourselves up to every kind of pleasure and pastime whilst we live, since after death there is neither joy nor suffering».
74. The same day, the 17th of May 55, «after the tumult ceased Paul calling the disciples and giving them an exhortation, took his leave and left to go to Macedonia» (Acts XX, 1), where he covered the whole region preaching the Gospel, and visited, as well, a large part of what is today Yugoslavia and Albania. Then he went to Greece where for three months he carried out an intense apostolate. When Paul was about to embark at the Corinthian port of Cenchrae for Seleucia of Syria, he had to give up the voyage and return to Macedonia because the Jews were planning to kill him. The sacred text says: «And with him was Sopater, the son of Pyrrhus, of Berea: and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe and Timothy: and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus» (Acts XX, 4). The sacred text mentions Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius of Derbe and Timothy as Thessalonians, not because they were natives of Thessalonica, but because it was there that they had their apostolic mission. When they reached Macedonia, the seven named in verse 4 went on to Troas, in the province of Mysia, where they awaited Paul and Luke; since these last two stayed in the province of Macedonia to preach the Gospel and consolidate the Christian communities, until the 13th of April 57 when they embarked at Philippi, for thus must be understood the expression in verse 6 - «But we sailed from Philippi after the days of the azymes» (Acts XX, 6a). We teacb that Saint Luke expressed himself in levitical terms in order to facilitate the chronological placing of events, and not because Paul and he now had anything to do with the Jewish Passover. As we see in the sacred text, from Philippi it took Paul and Luke five days to reach Troas, where there awaited them the other seven of their company who had gone on before. Paul arrived in the city on the 18th of April, and abode there for seven days, On the first day of the week, Sunday the 25th of April of the year 57, with Paul in Troas many Christian faithful assembled to hear his sermon, during which there occurred in the evening the accident to Eutychus, whom Paul then resuscitated; a miracle referred to in chapter XXXI of this Treatise. On Monday the 26th of April, Paul departed for the nearby port of Assos, whence he headed for Mitylene with Luke and the other companions already mentioned. The day after reaching this city, that is on the 28th of April, he headed south by boat, coasting the island of Chios, now Quios; and they reached that of Samos on the 29th of April, whence they crossed to Miletus in the province of Charia, arriving on the 3Oth of that month, year 57. Saint Luke explains the haste of the journey in verse 16: «For Paul had determined to sail past Ephesus, lest he should be stayed any time in Asia. For he hastened as much as he could to celebrate the feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem» (Acts XX, 16), referring here to the Jewish Pentecost. We teach that Paul, desiring to render courageous testimony of Christ in the midst of the Jewish multitude that gathered at the Temple for the Mosaic feast of Pentecost, ever quickened the pace of his journey. Had Paul entered Ephesus his delay would have been greater on account of the numerous Christians who demanded his presence there, besides the risk of his being seized by the pagans, from whom he had to flee during his previous stay. All of this would possibly have prevented him from being in Jerusalem on the anticipated day. Saint Luke now goes on to say, in verse 17, that «sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called the ancients of the Church» (Acts XX, 17). That is to say that Paul, wishing to speak to the bishops and presbyters governing the communities of Ephesus, assembled them at Miletus on the 20th of May of the year 57, where he gave the moving farewell sermon narrated in the sacred text (Acts XX, 18a-35). In his sermon he announced to them that, impelled by the Holy Ghost he was going to Jerusalem, where he would suffer terrible persecution, and also martyrdom, as was being foretold him by certain prophets as well. For that reason they would not see him again. In this farewell gathering Paul reminded them of all that for three years he had laboured in Ephesus for the Kingdom of God, without coveting anything of this world; and he exhorted them to care zealously for the flock, since it would be placed in frightful spiritual dangers by the enemies of the Church; Which, too, would be scourged by schisms and heresies springing from within her own bosom. After these words Paul knelt and prayed with all, who, deeply moved and bathed in tears, kissed him thinking to see him no more. With these tokens of filial affection they accompanied him to the ship, in order that he should continue his journey on that same 2nd of May of the year 57. It is well to state that the Holy Ghost, in order to subject Paul to an heroic test of obedience, instructed him to go to Jerusalem, amongst other places; and besides, as we interpret, revealed to him directly, and through other persons with prophetic charisms, that the chains and tribulations there awaiting him might also include his martyrdom, wherefore Paul sincerely believed he would soon meet his end in the city. The Apostle listened to those prophecies with presumptuous confidence in himself, without reflecting on his human frailty, which is why he dared even to say: «But I fear none of these things...» (Acts XX, 24). Moreover, his farewell sermon reveals a certain vainglory in the apostolate he had been carrying out. It is not denied withal that Paul was also moved by the great love he professed for Christ. Nevertheless, as we shall see, God later revoked the trial of obedience to go to Jerusalem; of which Paul would be informed by certain prophets, whom he would disregard.
75. Verses 1-17 of chapter XXI relate Paul’s journey from Miletus to Jerusalem, in which he was accompanied by Aristarchus, Luke, Timothy, Sopater, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus and Trophimus. As we know, this journey began on the 2nd of May 57, after Paul had delivered his moving farewell sermon in Miletus, whence by ship he travelled to the island of Coos; the next day to that of Rhodes, and from there to Patara in the province of Lycia. On the 4th of May he embarked for Tyre of Phoenicia, which he reached on the 9th of May. Referring to this city Saint Luke says: «And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days; and they said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem» (Acts XXI, 4). We teach that since among the faithful of this Christian community there were some with the gift of prophecy, these by divine revelation told the Apostle not to go to Jerusalem. Paul however, disregarding now God’s voice transmitted through His prophets, preferred to follow his own impulse; and on the 16th of May he left by boat together with his companions, and arrived a day later at Ptolemais, now Saint John of Acre. The following day, May the 18th, he left for Caesarea Maritime and stayed for three days at the home of the disciple and Bishop Philip, known as one of the first seven deacons, whom the sacred text calls the `evangelist’ to stress his great labour as preacher of the Gospel, and as well to distinguish him from his namesake the Apostle Philip. In verse 9 Saint Luke tells us that Philip had four virgin daughters who prophesied, who as we know were Baruca, Abigail, Jonasa and Lydia, and who as disciples of Mary formed part of the 40 pious women. The four were then at Caesarea Maritime in a convent of nuns founded there. As we interpret from the sacred text, in that city Paul was again ordered by God, now through Philip’s four daughters, not to go to Jerusalem. Nevertheless he did not give credit to these prophetic warnings, wherefore God sent the Holy Prophet Agabus (Acts XXI, 10-11) from Judea to Caesarea Maritime, who foretold the sufferings awaiting him in Jerusalem and tried also, we teach, to dissuade him from going to the city. All those there with him did likewise, without being able to convince him, for he answered them by saying: «What are you doing weeping and afflicting my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but as well to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus» (Acts XXI,13). His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that «though it is true that the Holy Ghost at first ordered the Apostle Saint Paul to go up to Jerusalem, it is no less true that afterwards the Holy Ghost put the humility of the Apostle Saint Paul to the test by ordering him through holy prophets - the exalted Agabus first and foremost - not to go up to Jerusalem.» Paul, therefore, disregarding the prophetic warnings, continued the journey to Jerusalem with his entourage, and accompanied also by Mnason of Cyprus, leaving Caesarea Maritime on the evening of the 20th of May. He stayed overnight in the parrochial house of Bishop Mnason, in the diocese of Antipatris, and arrived at Jerusalem on the night of the 24th of May of the year 57. Once there, he took up residence first at the Carmelite convent in Lazarus’ former house in the city, which is why Saint Luke says: «When we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly» (Acts XXI, 17); for he goes on to relate: «And the day following, Paul went in with us unto James’ house: where all the ancients were assembled» (Acts XXI, 18), that is, on the 25th of May of the year 57 Paul entered the Cenacle of Jerusalem, accompanied by Aristarchus, Luke, Timothy and his other travelling companions.
76. We interrupt our interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles in order further to amplify the doctrine of the Angels or heavenly spirits, in the light of the dogmatic Definitions of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII.
We know there are nine choirs of Angels in three hierarchies, and that among all the Angels, there stand out by their higher rank the seven Archangels, Saint Michael being the Prince of all the heavenly spirits.
We shall first treat of the hierarchies, the choirs and the qualities of the Angels exactly as they sprang from the hands of God, without taking into account here, for the time being, the new economy of grace that arose following the trial to which the Angels were subjected.
God created the Angels divided into three hierarchies. Each has three choirs, there being a total of nine angelic choirs, in the following order of rank: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels. God created the same number of heavenly spirits for each choir.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that «the three angelic hierarchies refer to three grades of angelic priesthood.» Each angelic hierarchy is a different grade of priesthood, so that: 1) The three choirs constituting the first angelic hierarchy, namely Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones, possess the same grade of priesthood, which is that of the first rank, that is, the highest that corresponded to the angelic nature. 2) The three choirs constituting the second angelic hierarchy, namely Dominations, Virtues and Powers, possess the same grade of priesthood, which is that of the second rank, that is, that of the middle grade corresponding to the angelic nature. 3) The three choirs constitutingthe third hierarchy, namely Principalities, Archangels and Angels, possess the same grade of priesthood, which is that of the third rank, that is, the lowest grade corresponding to the angelic nature. The angelic priesthood, in each of its grades, is the participation of the angelic nature in the Divine Souls of Christ and Mary by virtue of mystical espousal with the Most Divine Soul of Christ through espousal with the Divine Soul of Mary; or said in another way, it is the participation of the angelic nature in the Hypostatic Union, the Eternal High Priesthood of Christ. Consequently, according as the grade of angelic priesthood be greater or less, greater or less will be the participation in the Priesthood of Christ.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that «in the angelic nature there are nine unique and different species that correspond exactly to the nine unique and different angelic choirs.» That is to say that each angelic choir is a unique species distinct from those of the other choirs; wherefore between choirs there are special differences that distinguish them naturally one from another. Though all the heavenly spirits possess the same angelic nature, since all are pure spirits, nevertheless when God created them He endowed those of each choir with common specific natural qualities and characteristics that differentiate and distinguish one choir from each of the other choirs, that is, one angelic species from all the other angelic species. Concerning those common specific natural qualities, it is well to bear in mind that: 1) The qualities of the choirs of the first angelic hierarchy are of the most perfect degree, as befits their highest grade of priesthood; and natural excellence is in this descending order: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones. 2) The qualities of the choirs of the second angelic hierarchy are of an inferior degree of perfection to those of the choirs of the first, as befits their middle grade of priesthood; and natural excellence is in this descending order: Dominations, Virtues, Powers. 3) The qualities of the choirs of the third hierarchy are of an inferior degree of perfection to those of the second, as befits their lowest grade of priesthood; and natural excellence is in this descending order: Principalities, Archangels and Angels.
At Creation God also endowed each angelic person with his own natural qualities, that differ from those of the other heavenly spirits. However the excellence of those individual qualities was in accord with the grade of hierarchy or priesthood, and of the rank of the choir or species. Let us now consider the heavenly spirits in their personal capacity. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that: «In the angelic person there are three states: 1) Intelligence; 2) Word; 3) Action. In the first state are reflected certain aspects of the Eternal Father, in the second state are reflected certain aspects of the Divine Word; in the third state are reflected certain aspects of the Holy Ghost. The aspects of each of the three Divine Persons of the Most Holy Trinity that are reflected in the three corresponding states, are different for each angelic person. Since an Angel is pure spirit and therefore indivisible, all his person is Intelligence, all his person is Word and all his person is Action. Likewise, each state is person; nevertheless, there are not three persons, but one person in three states.» Therefore each angelic spirit is a sublime image of the Triune God; for while the Most Holy Trinity is one God in three Persons or three Persons in one God, each heavenly spirit is one person in three states or three states in one person. In other words each angelic person, because of his own natural qualities, is at once all Intelligence, all Word and all Action. Because of his own natural gifts, each angelic spirit reflects in a different manner certain aspects of the attributes or characteristics or perfections of the Triune God, such as, among others: eternity, simplicity, omnipotence, immutability, omnipresence, immensity, infinite goodness, infinite sanctity, infinite wisdom, infinite beauty, infinite justice, infinite mercy... Also, each heavenly spirit reflects in a different manner certain aspects of the intratrinitary processions and relationships: a) In the state of intelligence he reflects certain aspects of the Person of the Eternal Father and His relationship with the Son - active generation or Paternity, since the Father eternally engenders the Son, Whom He loves eternally as Himself. b) In the state of Word he reflects certain aspects of the Person of the Son and His relationship with the Father - passive generation or filiation, since the Son, by way of generation, proceeds eternally from the Father, Whom He loves eternally as Himself. c) In the state of Action he reflects certain aspects of the Person of the Holy Ghost, Who proceeds eternally from the love of the Father and the Son, both of Whom he loves eternally as Himself The relationship of the Father and the Son with the Holy Ghost is one of active suspiration; the relationship of the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son is one of passive suspiration or procession.
His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also infallibly teaches that «in the angelic person not only are there reflected certain intratrinitary aspects of the three Divine Persons, but also certain extratrinitary aspects.» That is to say that because of his own natural gifts, each angelic spirit reflects in a different manner certain aspects of the mysteries ad extra, such as: the Hypostatic Union of the Most Divine Soul of Christ with the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity; the Incarnation of the Divine Word; Calvary and all other mysteries of Christ and Mary, as likewise all the other mysteries of the universe. Hence each angelic spirit reflects certain extratrinitary mysteries, in the following way: a) through the state of Intelligence, the Father’s activity; b) through the state of Word, the Son’s activity; c) through the state of Action, the Holy Ghost’s activity.
While the understanding and will of the angelic person by their own natural capacity operate in each of the three states, with far greater sublimity do they operate by virtue of their supernatural and beatific capacity.
At Creation God also endowed all the heavenly spirits with supernatural and beatific gifts in accord with the grade of hierarchy or priesthood, with the rank of the choir or species and with the excellence of their natural qualities. Nevertheless as we shall see, the trial of the angelic spirits carried with it, for those that overcame it, a new and richer economy of grace.
77. We shall now consider the hierarchies, the choirs and the qualities of the Angels after these had overcome the trial to which God subjected them.
a) The Angels continued in nine choirs divided into three hierarchies, although the number in each choir was not now the same due to the apostasy of a total of one third of them. The first hierarchy was the most reduced in number, the second somewhat less and the third considerably less.
b) The priesthood corresponding to each hierarchy, the specific natural qualities of each choir and the natural qualities peculiar to each angelic person in his three states, though unaltered, were further sublimated as reward for fidelity to God, according to the degree of merit of each heavenly spirit.
c) As from the moment the Angels overcame the trial, their supernatural and beatific gifts no longer depend on hierarchical order or grade of priesthood, nor on rank of choir or species, nor on the natural qualities with which they were created; for in accordance with their correspondence to grace and merits acquired during the trial, each angelic spirit received a corresponding increase of grace and beatific vision. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that «an Angel of a lower choir can enjoy more essential glory than one of a higher choir, in virtue of the merits won during the trial.» Since personal merits acquired by correspondence to grace are what count before God, those heavenly spirits that merited more in the trial, without ceasing to occupy the hierarchy and choir in which they were created, in Heaven are now above other Angels of superior choir and hierarchy. There are countless numbers of such cases.
d) Regarding the seven Archangels, His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII defines that «it is infallible doctrine that the holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Cediel, Cedequiel and Jereniel, ever since their creation, according to their species pertain to the lowest choir, namely that of the Angels; but by their merits during the trial, they are above all the angelic choirs in dignity, glory, priesthood, and so forth.» In other words, being those which gained more merit in God’s service at the trial, the seven Archangels headed by Saint Michael are raised above all the other angelic choirs, not only by their rank of captains of the same and by their lofty degree of heavenly glory, but in addition by the greater perfection of their natural qualities; and they were also conferred the extra grade of angelic priesthood, superior to any of the other three ordinary grades of angelic priesthood. Nevertheless, the seven Archangels did not lose the lowest grade of priesthood that they received at Creation corresponding to the third angelic hierarchy, to which they continue to belong. But the other heavenly spirits, though also confirmed in grace after overcoming the trial, continued in the same grade of priesthood received at Creation.
78. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly defines that «before the trial, the Archangel Saint Michael was the least of all the heavenly spirits; just as Lucifer, as well as belonging in species to the Seraphim, was the first of all the heavenly spirits.» He also teaches that «in each angelic person of the demons there continue to be reflected certain aspects of each of the three Persons of the Most Blessed Trinity, but in a chaotic manner.» We add that in the demons there also continues to be reflected, in a chaotic mwmer, certain extratrinitary aspects of the three Divine Persons. From this it follows that the rebel angels, transformed by apostasy into demons, lost neither their angelic nature with its natural qualities, nor their grade of priesthood, nor their species, nor any of their three states - intelligence, word and action. But in them all these gifts became completely inverted, deformed and greatly restricted in their exercise owing to the chaotic darkness that penetrates and enfolds the demoniacal person, who is degraded to a state worse than horrific. And since their condemnation, the infernal spirits, being confirmed in disgrace, can employ only for evil the angelic qualities they retain, for their greater confusion, torment and abjection. From among the satanic hosts that rose up against God there stand out Luzbel or Lucifer, usually called Satan, the principal rebel, together with six others who after the trial were called: Beelzebub, Asmodeus, Leviathan, Belial, Abbadon or Appolyon, and Azazel; all seven from the choir of Seraphim. These seven principal demons or hellish princes, though retaining their species of the first angelic choir, are - because of their pride - relegated to the maximum grade of condemnation, far beneath all the infernal spirits and other damned. Satan occupies the very last place, though bears for his greater reprobation the degrading title of lord of the entire brood of internal spirits and other reprobates, namely lord of Hell. We clarify that Saint Michael gave to all the fallen angels the names that correspond to their reprobation, who from that moment ceased to be called by the names God gave them at creation. As for the name Lucifer or Luzbel, meaning `Lightbearer’, it was given by God to the most sublime and beautiful Angel at his creation, who after his fall received the name Satan, meaning `tempter’. We continue to use the name Lucifer or Luzbel for the chief of the demons because God permits it for the Evil One’s greater torment and humiliation, since it reminds him of his former lost glory.
79. We further enrich the doctrine on the Angels or heavenly spirits with the following teachings:
a) His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches that «every Angel can go in four different directions at once», and that «every Angel can multiply his presence». We teach that the four directions have multiple combinations, and even in completely opposite courses, for example to the North, to the South, to the East and to the West. Besides, every Angel, when he multiplies himself in several presences, in each of them can go in four different directions at once. In Ezechiel’s vision, chapter I of his Book of Prophecy, is mysteriously contained the faculty of every Angel to be able to travel in four different directions at once. In our interpretation of the Book of Ezechiel in chapter XIII of this Treatise, we defined that the mysterious beings with the emblems of the Evangelists seen by the Prophet were four cherubim, each of whom according to the sacred Book had four faces, and who travelled at the same time in the direction of each face.
b) His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII teaches that «each Angel has his respective name.» That is to say that at its creation, God gave each heavenly spirit his own name, which reflects his particular personality; in suchwise that no two Angels have the same name.
c) The Supreme Palmarian Pontiff also infallibly teaches that «guardian Angels can belong to any angelic choir.» But it is well to bear in mind that while each man has assigned to him at least one guardian Angel, God by mysterious designs of his divine providence often increases the number of guardian Angels for certain men, as happens with priests by reason of their ministry.
80. As for the infernal spirits or demons, we quote here the following infallible teachings of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII: «At the conception of a new human being, at the assignation by Satan of a demon as antiguardian, the following takes place in the anarchic kingdom of darkness: 1) Satan, in his accursed role as honorific lord of the demons, nominates a demon who does not obey him; 2) forthwith a legion of demons, on their own account and against their own will, so as to go against that of Satan choose another demon, who at first resists but in the end resigns to going, forced by the rest. 3) Finally Satan, at the democratic pressure of the rebel legion, complies with the mere formality of ratifying the designation of the second demon. Therefore every designation of an antiguardian demon brings an increase of suffering for Satan, the rebel legion and the demon chosen.» However we make clear that besides the assignation of a demon to every human being at conception, there may be other assignations at other moments, whenever God permits it.
81. We further complete the doctrine on the heavenly angelic spirits with the following dogmatic teachings of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII:
a) «The angelic being, over and above his faculties of understanding and will, possesses the suprarational intuitive power. That is to say that the reason of the angelic being is of great subtlety and agility, and far superior to the reason of the human being.»
b) «It is in the suprarational intuitive power, 1) where the angelic being perceives the existence of things; 2) where a lofty knowledge infused by God in the angelic being is impressed; 3) where the knowledge the angelic being acquires is impressed.»
c) «In the good angelic being there exist two estates: 1) the natural estate; 2) the supernatural estate.
d) «The good Angels, though knowing countless mysteries through the supernatural estate by virtue of the beatific vision, are nevertheless ignorant of them in the natural estate until God reveals them through the infallible Magisterium of the Church. Since an Angel is pure spirit and therefore indivisible, it must be said without any contradiction that the whole Angel knows countless mysteries and, at the same time, that the whole Angel is ignorant of countless mysteries.»
e) «When the good Angels, through the natural estate and by virtue of the infallible Magisterium of the Church, know a new mystery, they enjoy a sublime increase of accidental glory.»
f) «The suprarational intuitive power or angelic reason which the Angel possesses, acts exclusively in the natural estate and never in the supernatural estate; for as we know, in virtue of the beatific vision the Angel sees and knows everything in the light of God.»
g) «When in the suprarational intuitive power or angelic reason an Angel perceives the existence of a mystery or thing, he acts in three real and true successive instants of time, as follows:
1) he sees or mysteriously receives intelligence of a mystery or thing;
2) he agilely and subtly reflects on the whys and wherefores, setting before himself truth and error;
3) he spontaneously, agilely and subtly arrives at the truth with all clarity and precision according to his angelic capacity, without any prior fall into error whatever.»
h) «In the Angel, the term `intuitive’ must be understood in several different ways, among others, as the case may be:
1) In the supernatural estate it is synonymous with beatific vision.
2) In the natural estate it is his spontaneous, agile and subtle form of reasoning.
3) In the natural estate it is also synonymous with conjecturing in virtue of infused knowledge, acquired knowledge, or of both at once.
4) In the natural estate it is also synonymous with inferring from experience.»
We now proceed to study the above papal teachings in greater depth.
A) First let us consider the angelic being or heavenly spirit in what concerns his merely natural gifts and qualities, that is to say in his natural estate.
The suprarational intuitive power or angelic reason:
1. Fulfils the mission of angelic memory, since therein is impressed infused knowledge and the knowledge he acquires.
2. Fulfils the mission of angelic perception, since therein he receives intelligence of a mystery or thing.
3. Empowers the Angel spontaneously, agilely and subtly to reason about the whys and wherefores of what he perceives, analyzing what there may be of truth and of error. That is to say that when the Angel, in virtue of his suprarational intuitive power, performs an act of reasoning, he does so by using his understanding and will with great agility and subtlety, since he is assisted by the lofty infused knowledge and the acquired knowledge impressed in him.
4. Empowers the Angel spontaneously, agilely and subtly to know the truth about what he perceives with all clarity and precision, without his being able to make any mistake whatever; wherefore the Angel’s knowledge of a truth entails a spontaneous, agile and subtle act of his understanding and will.
The spontaneity, agility and subtlety with which an Angel reasons and understands a mystery or thing, constitute the intuition with which he reasons about and understands in his natural estate.
By virtue of his suprarational intuitive power, the Angel’s faculty of understanding instantaneously embraces mysteries or things with the whole range of their variants, consequences and importance. In such a way that his knowledge of what he perceives is the most complete to which he can attain. From which it follows that each decision of the angelic being is necessarily unique, complete and irrevocable, for he cannot possibly change his opinion, since his knowledge of mysteries and things is instantaneous, utterly clear and determinant.
As we know, the angelic being perceives a mystery or thing in an instant. The instant after having perceived it, he reasons about it. And the instant after having reasoned about it, he understands it. That is to say that he perceives, reasons and understands, respectively, in three distinct and successive instants. But when the angelic being makes a decision to do something about the mystery or thing he has come to know, that decision he makes in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of understanding; and he carries that decision into effect in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of making the decision. In the natural estate, in virtue of infused knowledge, of acquired knowledge, or of both simultaneously, an Angel may, through signs that portend it, come to conjecture or presage correctly a mystery or thing that will take place in the future, without this implying a clear and precise knowledge of all the particulars of that future event. Furthermore in his natural estate the angelic being, in view of infused knowledge, of acquired knowledge or of both simultaneously, may deduce from a mystery or thing clearly known to him, the evident truth of another mystery or thing. The angelic being’s conjecturing and deducing imply his having previously perceived and reasoned about the signs, mysteries and objects that have served as basis for his final conclusions. An angelic being’s spontaneity, agility and subtlety in reasoning constitute the intuition with which he conjectures and deduces in his natural estate.
The natural estate of an angelic being is his very own natural state comprising the natural gifts and qualities given by God to the Angels at their creation.
B) Let us now consider the angelic being or heavenly spirit in what concerns his beatific gifts and qualities, that is to say in his supernatural estate.
An angelic being’s supernatural estate is the beatific state he possesses from the vision of God. In the supernatural estate the angel operates with his understanding and will by means of the beatific vision, and therefore without using the suprarational intuitive power which is solely for operations of his natural estate. Therefore for the contemplation of the divine essence or essential glory, and for the contemplation through the beatific vision of the other mysteries or things that constitute accidental glory, the Angel makes no use at all of the suprarational intuitive power; for the angelic being’s beatific vision is by means of his understanding illuminated by the Lumen Gloriae or Most Divine Soul of Christ; Who in turn moves the angelic will to love God most perfectly and all that God loves. In operations of the angelic being through the supernatural estate, the Lumen Gloriae replaces the suprarational intuitive power in all its functions.
C) According to the papal teaching, in their supernatural estate the good Angels know countless mysteries in virtue of the beatific vision, Nevertheless, in their natural estate they are unaware of them until they are revealed by God to them through the infallible Magisterium of the Church. This means that in the present economy of grace the heavenly angelic beings know, through beatific vision, those mysteries contained in the Sacred Treasure of Divine Revelation that have been revealed by God through the infallible Magisterium of the Church. And they know as well countless mysteries of the Sacred Treasure of Divine Revelation which have yet to be revealed to the Church. It is well to make clear that there are mysteries which the Angels in their natural estate know before the Church infallibly reveals them, they having been personal witnesses of those mysteries.
D) By virtue of the angelic nature, and for greater glory and happiness, the angelic being always and simultaneously operates in his two estates.
82. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII defines as dogmas of Faith the following:
a) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels adore, praise, serve and sing without cease to God One in Essence and Three in Persons, the three choirs of the first hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the first rank, nevertheless, are most singularly consecrated to the Eternal Father.»
b) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels adore, praise, serve and sing without cease to God One in Essence and Three in Persons, the three choirs of the second hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the second rank, nevertheless, are most singularly consecrated to the Son.»
c) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels adore, praise, serve and sing without cease to God One in Essence and Three in Persons, the three choirs of the third hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the third rank, nevertheless, are most singularly consecrated to the Holy Ghost.»
From these three dogmas it follows that the first angelic hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with the Eternal Father, Whom it serves more directly by way of specific missions. The second angelic hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with the Son, Whom it serves more directly by way of specific missions. The third angelic hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with the Holy Ghost, Whom it serves more directly by way of specific missions.
83. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also infallibly teaches that:
a) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels venerate, praise, serve and sing without cease to the Divine Mary, Temple and Tabernacle of the Most Holy Trinity, the three choirs of the first hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the first rank, nevertheless, are singularly consecrated to Mary, Daughter of God the Father.»
b) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels venerate, praise, serve and sing without cease to the Divine Mary, Temple and Tabernacle of the Most Holy Trinity, the three choirs of the second hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the second rank, nevertheless, are singularly consecrated to Mary, Mother of God the Son.»
c) «Though all the heavenly choirs of Angels venerate, praise, serve and sing without cease to the Divine Mary, Temple and Tabernacle of the Most Holy Trinity, the three choirs of the third hierarchy, or angelic priesthood of the third rank, nevertheless, are singularly consecrated to Mary, Spouse of God the Holy Ghost.»
From these three dogmas it follows that the first angelic hierarchy is more directly at the service of the Divine Mary in the mission She fulfils as Daughter of the Father; the second angelic hierarchy is more directly at the service of the Divine Mary in the mission She fulfils as Mother of the Son; the third angelic hierarchy is more directly at the service of the Divine Mary in the mission She fulfils as Spouse of the Holy Ghost.
Therefore the first angelic hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with Mary, Daughter of God the Father; the second hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with Mary, Mother of God the Son; and the third angelic hierarchy has a more intimate relationship with Mary, Spouse of God the Holy Ghost.
84. His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII also teaches that «though all the angelic choirs fulfil manifold missions in common and indistinctly, each choir, nevertheless, is outstanding in certain specific missions.» And that «though all the holy Angels in common and indistinctly fulfil manifold missions, each Angel, nevertheless, is outstanding in certain specific missions.» For example, each of the seven Archangels has the mission of promoting among men the practice of the following virtues and of defending them against the contrary vices: Saint Michael, humility; Saint Gabriel, patience; Saint Raphael, chastity; Saint Uriel, charity; Saint Cediel, generosity; Saint Cedequiel, temperance; and Saint Jereniel, diligence.
85. Let us now turn our attention to the infernal spirits or demons.
The fallen angel too over and above his faculties of understanding and will, possesses the suprarational intuitive power. But, as His Holiness Pope Gregory XVII infallibly teaches, «the suprarational intuitive power of a fallen angelic being is greatly limited in virtue of his state of damnation; nevertheless, this reasoning power continues to be very subtle and agile and greatly superior to human reason.»
The Supreme Palmarian Pontiff also infallibly teaches that «in a fallen angel there are two estates: 1) the natural estate; 2) the infranatural estate.»
In the light of the papal teaching we here set forth the following doctrine:
It is in the suprarational intuitive power
1) where the fallen angelic being perceives the existence of things;
2) where is impressed in the fallen angelic being part of the lofty infused knowledge with which he was endowed at his creation;
3) where is impressed in the fallen angelic being the knowledge that, in a very limited and often very confused and erroneous manner, he acquires.
A) We first consider the fallen angelic being in what concerns the gifts and qualities of his natural estate.
The suprarational intuitive power or angelic reason:
1. Fulfils the mission of angelic memory, since therein is impressed part of infused knowledge, and the knowledge he acquires.
2. Fulfils the mission of angelic perception, since therein he receives intelligence of a mystery or thing.
3. Empowers the fallen angel spontaneously, agilely and subtly to reason about the whys and wherefores of what he perceives, analyzing what there may be of truth and of error. That is to say that when the fallen angel, in virtue ofhis suprarational intuitive power, performs an act of reasoning, he does so by using his understanding and will with great agility and subtlety, since he is assisted by the lofty infused knowledge and acquired knowledge impressed in him.
4. Empowers the fallen angel spontaneously, agilely and subtly to know the truth about what he perceives, though with the following variants: sometimes he knows the truth with clarity and precision; at other times, imperfectly and imprecisely; at others, very confusedly; and at others, in a completely mistaken manner. A fallen angel’s knowledge of a mystery or thing, whether in a clear, imprecise, confused or mistaken manner, entails a spontaneous, agile and subtle act of his understanding and will, though his operations are subject to the limitations of the state of damnation and to the impediments placed by God to diminish the power of his angelic nature, albeit fallen,
The spontaneity, agility and subtlety with which a fallen angel reasons about and understands a mystery or thing, constitute the intuition with which he reasons and understands in his natural estate.
In their natural estate the demons do not know clearly and precisely all the mysteries contained in the Sacred Treasure of Divine Revelation which have been revealed to the Church; for God does not permit them to know with clarity many of the mysteries revealed; and of the existence of others they are not even aware. The demons also know those mysteries, whether revealed to the Church or not, which they have personally witnessed, and excepting these the demons have absolutely no knowledge of any one of the mysteries that have not been revealed by the infallible Magisterium of the Church. Besides, the knowledge they possess of certain mysteries is not always with the same clarity, given the pride and confusion reigning in every fallen angelic being, and also because of the obstacles God often puts in their way to confound them.
In virtue of the suprarational intuitive power, the fallen angelic being uses his understanding and will with such great spontaneity, agility and subtlety that when with clear insight he makes a decision, it is necessarily a unique, complete and irrevocable one; for as we know, in his natural estate, he is assisted by the infused and acquired knowledge impressed in him; though often the use he makes of both types of knowledge is greatly limited by his state of damnation, and also because his natural qualities are usually veiled by God in part.
The fallen angelic being perceives a mystery or thing in an instant. The instant after having perceived it, he reasons about it. And the instant after having reasoned about it, he understands it, though often in a manner imprecise and confused, and even completely mistaken - which last case is equivalent to not understanding it at all. That is to say that the demon perceives, reasons and understands, respectively, in three distinct and successive instants. But when the fallen angelic being makes a decision to do something about the mystery or thing he has come to know, that decision he makes in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of understanding; and he carries that decision into effect in another instant, which may or may not immediately follow the instant of making the decision. In the natural estate, in virtue of infused knowledge, of acquired knowledge, or of both simultaneously, demons may, through signs that portend it, come to conjecture or presage - correctly or imprecisely or confusedly or erroneously - a mystery or thing that will take place in the future, without this implying, when their conjectures are right, a clear and precise knowledge of all the particulars of that future event. Furthermore, in his natural estate the fallen angelic being, in view of infused knowledge, of acquired knowledge or of both simultaneously, may deduce from a mystery or thing clearly known to him, the evident truth of another mystery or thing. The fallen angelic being’s conjecturing and deducing imply his having previously perceived and reasoned about the signs, mysteries and objects that have served as basis for his final conclusions. A fallen angelic being’s spontaneity, agility and subtlety in reasoning constitute the intuition with which he conjectures and deduces in his natural estate.
Notwithstanding his great natural qualities, the fallen angelic being or demon, lacking the knowledge of many mysteries and things, is always vigilant - scrutinizing and weighing up circumstances; wherefore he makes many decisions that he easily revokes for others which he believes more efficacious in his diabolical plans. Furthermore, God often veils in part the infernal spirits’ angelic faculties so as to render them incapable of grasping certain mysteries, and to keep them ignorant of them, in this way to frustrate and repress satanic fury to the benefit of the Church.
The natural estate of an infernal angelic being is his very own natural state comprising the gifts and qualities inherent in his angelic nature, which - this latter being fallen - are greatly limited, defective and deformed in comparison with how he received them from God when he was created.
B) Let us now consider the fallen angel in what concerns his infranatural estate.
The infranatural estate is a state below what is proper to the angelic nature, and so the infernal spirits possess in it qualities greatly inferior to those proper to their nature. In the infranatural estate the demons, while continuing to use the suprarational intuitive power, though in a more limited manner than in their natural estate, have infused knowledge completely veiled. Therefore, in the infranatural estate the demons always operate with their understanding and will in an aberrant, chaotic and brutal manner. The infranatural estate was given to them because of their condition of reprobates.
C) For his greater confusion, humiliation and suffering, each demon is impelled to operate always and at the same time in his two estates.
We take the opportunity to teach that each of the seven principal demons is entrusted with one of the seven capital sins: Lucifer, pride; Beelzebub, envy; Asmodeus, lust; Leviathan, anger; Belial, greed; Abbadon or Appolyon, intemperance; and Azazel, sloth.
86. Having spoken of the angelic beings, we believe it very appropriate here to present certain doctrinal aspects concerning the human being. Let us consider, then, the following:
As we know, God created Adam and Eve in the state of original justice, in virtue of which they were endowed, among different gifts, with those we here give:
a) Adam and Eve, in earthly Paradise, possessed great spontaneity, agility and subtlety in each of the three faculties of the soul: memory, understanding and will. And they possessed, besides, a lofty infused knowledge in their memory. All these exceptional natural qualities belonged to the natural estate.
b) Adam and Eve possessed, moreover, a supernatural estate, this being the beatific state which came to them from the vision of God.
By their sin, our first parents lost, among other gifts: the spontaneity, agility and subtlety of the three faculties of the soul, infused knowledge, the beatific vision and with it the supernatural estate.
Nevertheless, in Heaven the souls of the blessed possess once more, among other sublime gifts, spontaneity, agility and subtlety in their three faculties, infused knowledge, the beatific vision and with it the supernatural estate.
However, before we study this matter in greater depth, it is well to bear in mind the following doctrine on the three elements of the ego or human person:
Among the natural gifts and qualities inherent to its very nature, the human soul possesses five spiritual supersenses, which have the following missions: 1) With them the soul perceives spiritual mysteries or things. 2) With them the soul shares in the mysteries or material things perceived by the five bodily senses.
Exceptionally, through a miraculous intervention of God, or for other reasons - supernatural, mystical and so forth - the soul may come to perceive material things or mysteries directly, through the five spiritual supersenses.
The five senses of the essential body are of spiritualized matter; the five senses of the accidental body are purely material.
The five spiritual supersenses of the soul as well as the five corporal senses of both bodies are: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
When the three elements of the human person are united, each of the five spiritual supersenses of the soul activates the corresponding sense of the accidental body; and in its turn, each of the latter’s five senses communicates the sensation perceived to the corresponding spiritual supersense of the soul.
When the soul and the essential body are united but separated from the accidental body, each of the five spiritual supersenses of the soul activates the corresponding sense of the essential body; and in its turn, each of the latter’s five senses communicates the sensation perceived to the corresponding spiritual supersense of the soul.
When the three elements of the human person are separated, the soul perceives with its five spiritual supersenses both spiritual mysteries or things and material mysteries or things.
In the human soul, since it is spiritual, simple and indivisible, whether united to the two bodies or not, there occurs the following: when, through the spiritual supersense of sight it sees, all of it sees; when, through the spiritual supersense of hearing it hears, all of it hears; when, through the spiritual supersense of smell it smells, all of it smells; when, through the spiritual supersense of taste it tastes, all of it tastes; when, through the spiritual supersense of touch it touches, all of it touches.
The five spiritual supersenses of the soul and the faculty of memory in nowise operate in the supernatural estate or beatific vision of human beings in Heaven, since they are replaced in all functions by the Lumen Gloriae.
