There are many denominations for angels:
We have Archangels, Guardian angels, Fallen angels and sub-denominations like cherubs and seraphim, which are all mentioned in the bible.
Angels in general are ethereal beings which usually have wings of different designs. In stained glass murals, the colour of the angels wings shows what type of angel they are; a seraphim would be orange, also depicting a high rank.
Guardian angels are angels which come into personal contact with humans and usually 'guard' them and guide them through life. Though ony those with a spiritual awareness can usually see them, sometimes using them as 'spirit guides' when talking to toher spirits.
Fallen angels are basically just as they say; fallen. They can either be cast out of heaven for commiting something bad, like sleeping with a human, or they can fall because there is a common delusion that if you do fall, then you can become human.They don't need to eat or sleep, but they can consume liquids and expell them like a human would. Though they are unfeeling, they still possess emotions, which tend to be amplified because of the lack of bodily feelings. They can heal incredibly fast, though bruses tend to linger because of the lack of blood flow around the body. This also gives them the advantage of not being able to age, so they are essentially immortal. Most fallen angels tend to be male, with the rare few female angels having more common sense than most to stay in heaven. The main weakness of a fallen angel is the large 'V' shaped scare that runs along their backs where their wings have been pulled out as they fell. Jam something sharp into those scares and you can incapacitate them from a few minutes to knocking them out unconscious, until the foreign matter is removed.
Some fallen angels can still retain their powers when they have fallen to earth. they can project their minds into our own and walk through our dreams whenever they want to. Some can even create illusions in the minds of humans and can eaily control them in this way. With some stories, the wings scares on their backs can give humans access to some of the fallen angel's memories. You can either walk through them or be shown specific things if you are allowed exclusive access.
(See Nephilim)
Archangels are the main 'boss' angels, which is putting it lightly. Michael, Rapheal, Gabriel, Ariel and Uriel are just some of the main archangels, which are usually depicted with weapons or specific items which can help you to recognise them. For example Ariel is always depicted with a scroll. They are usually the ones with a back story and are mentioned in the bible. Along with the angels, they are guardians of people and all things physical. But don't call on them to help you personally; archangels respond best when dealing with matters involving all humankind. They are the first order of angels that appear only in human form. As such, they function among us as pioneers for change in the form of explorers, philosophers, and human rights leaders. This order is most commonly known because they are mentioned by name in the Bible, which makes them highly important as they are the most commonly known among humans.
Angels do not have physical touch, so their emotions compensate. Now when I say touch, I mean the physical sensation; they can still grab and hold things, but it will be like a numb sensation, which would be the best comparison. They don't need to eat and don't really have any major organs. If you watch the Prophecy trilogy they have more insight into the workings how angel anatomy may work.
Other types are:
Seraphim, Cherub, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers and Principalities.
There are three choirs in Heaven which put these angels into hierarchical positions. But they are not all wings and harps. If you read the bible, (which I doubt many of you have), then you will know that they are anything but. The game Bayonetta for instance has the most accurate CGI videos of angels depictions from the bible.
The first choir (in its celestial form) is represented by wavelengths of light and force fields and frequencies of sound. They emanate vibrations or waves of devotional love into the universe. Under the highest angelic forms lay the 'middle' angels. The third choir is best known to us because they are most like us with their vulnerability to the act of sinning
First is the Seraphim. These are the angels who are closest to God. They encircle his throne and emit an intense fiery light, which is supposed to represent his love. Seraphim are considered 'fiery serpents' and other devine beings are not even allowed to look at them. There are apparently only four of them and each has four faces and six wings. Usually, when they come to Earth, they leave their serpent appearance behind, preferring tall, thin, clean-cut human embodiments, but they can always show up intheir natuarl forms as snakes so protection when help is needed.
Cherubs are the keepers of celestial records and hold the knowledge of God. They are sent to Earth with great tasks, like expelling humankind from the Garden of Eden. Ancient art depicts cherubim as sphinx-like, winged creatures with human faces, not the fat babies with wings that now grace greeting cards and book covers. Ophaniel and Rikbiel are cherubim, as was Satan before his fall to evil.
Thrones' appearance is perhaps the most bizarre of the first grouping. They are said to look like great glowing wheels covered with many eyes and possibly a face. They serve as God's chariot and dispense his judgment in order to carry out his desires for us. The angels in the second choir can exist in a state of transition between the celestial and human worlds. They are considered heavenly governors, attempting to strike a balance between matter and spirit, good and bad.
Dominions, or dominations, are like middle management angels. They receive orders from seraphim and cherubim, then dish out duties to the 'worker bee' angels of the lower orders. Their main purpose is to make sure that the cosmos remains in order by sending down power to heads of government and other authority figures. Zadkiel is the chief dominion of this order. Virtues are shaped like sparks of light, and are in charge of maintaining the natural world as they inspire living things in areas such as science. They also take orders from the angels above and convert them into miracles for the deserving. When they make themselves known to us in their earthly form, they are musicians, artists, healers, and scientists who work with the power of love, as well as physics. The two angels at the ascension of Jesus are believed to have been virtues, though this open for speculation. Powers, in their celestial form, appear like brightly colored, hazy fumes. Powers are like border patrol agents between heaven and Earth. They are the angels of birth and death and some believe that they also preside over demons who wish to overthrow the world, while others, namely St. Paul, thought the powers themselves were the evil ones. In any case, powers are a group of experts who serve as advisers in terms of religion, theology, and ideology. Principalties are angelic beings that are shaped like rays of light. It's the principalities who oversee everything, just like a principal in school. They guide our entire world: nations, cities, and towns. What's more, they are in charge of religion and politics. As if their plate isn't full enough, they are also in charge of managing the earthly duties of the angels below them, so they are quite busy.
