SULLO SGUARDO DEGLI ANGELI NEL PARADISO DANTESCO: UNA GERARCHIA DELLA CONTEMPLAZIONE

ON ANGELIC VISION IN DANTE’S PARADISO: A HIERARCHY OF CONTEMPLATION

Abstract

The present paper aims to treat an aspect of Dante's angelology, namely the contemplative function of angels, which is closely related to their hierarchical arrangement, standing at the very core of angelic intermediation in the universe configured by Dante. Our paper focuses on the implications of angelic vision, arguing that it is not a passive function, but actually an operation, as it involves a constantly active orientation of the angels toward God as the source of life-giving light and knowledge, but also toward one another, and ultimately towards creation as a whole. At this point, Dante's assimilation of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite’s doctrine on angels plays a fundamental role.