Seven princes of Hell
Encyclopedia
The seven princes of Hell are, in Christian demonology
tradition, the seven highest demons in Hell.
The seven demon princes can be seen as Hell's equivalent to the Seven Archangels
of Heaven
.
Often, each demon prince corresponds to one of the seven deadly sins
. As with the seven Archangels, a definitive list is hard to find, with different religious traditions and sects offering different names. Often considered an authoritative list, the demon princes according to Peter Binsfield, a Jesuit, written in 1589, are as follows:
Christian demonology
Christian demonology is the study of demons from a Christian point of view. It is primarily based on the Bible , the exegesis of these scriptures, the scriptures of early Christian philosophers and hermits, tradition, and legends incorporated from other beliefs.-Development:In monotheistic...
tradition, the seven highest demons in Hell.
The seven demon princes can be seen as Hell's equivalent to the Seven Archangels
Seven Archangels
The earliest reference to a system of seven archangels as a group appears to be in Enoch I which is not part of the Jewish Canon, where they are named as Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Remiel and Saraqael...
of Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
.
Often, each demon prince corresponds to one of the seven deadly sins
Seven deadly sins
The 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
. As with the seven Archangels, a definitive list is hard to find, with different religious traditions and sects offering different names. Often considered an authoritative list, the demon princes according to Peter Binsfield, a Jesuit, written in 1589, are as follows:
- LuciferLuciferTraditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
- Pride - MammonMammonMammon is a term, derived from the Christian Bible, used to describe material wealth or greed, most often personified as a deity, and sometimes included in the seven princes of Hell.-Etymology:...
- Greed - AsmodeusAsmodeusAsmodeus may refer to:* Asmodai, a demon-like figure of the Talmud and Book of Tobit* Asmodeus , Austrian black-metal band*Asmodeus , the name of several characters in Marvel Comics*Asmodeus...
- Lust - SatanSatanSatan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
- Wrath - BeelzebubBeelzebubBeelzebub -Religious meaning:Ba‘al Zəbûb is variously understood to mean "lord of flies", or "lord of the dwelling". Originally the name of a Philistine god, Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as Satan, the "prince of the demons". In Arabic the name is retained as Ba‘al dhubaab /...
(also called BaalBaal (demon)Baal , Baell) is one of the seven princes of Hell. He is mentioned widely in the Old Testament as the primary pagan idol of the Phoenicians, often associated with the pagan goddess Ashtaroth.-Archaeology and scripture:...
) - Gluttony - LeviathanLeviathanLeviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper . The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
- Envy - BelphegorBelphegorIn demonology, Belphegor is a demon, and one of the seven princes of Hell, who helps people to make discoveries. He seduces people by suggesting to them ingenious inventions that will make them rich. According to some 16th century demonologists, his power is stronger in April...
- Vanity and Sloth