Il simbolismo zoomorfo degli angeli in De coelesti hierarchia 15,8 di Dionigi l'Areopagita

By means of the symbols of the lion, the ox, the eagle, and the horse, Dionysius explains some prerogatives of the angels. According to the Areopagite, the angels are mysterious beings, guardians, and messengers of the arcane. On the one side, being among the most noble of creatures, they welcome Godʼs revelation and enjoy perfectly and unrestrainedly His vision. On the other side, being the protectors of humans, the angels are present everywhere and work to make connections between persons and inaccessible reality, whether they are opposed to each other or not.