Stępień, Tomasz (Akademia Teologii Katolickiej w Warszawie, 1998)
This article discusses one of the greatest problem in the interpretation of Pseudo-Denys's Ecclesiastical Hierarchy. It is namely the problem of placing three sacraments: baptism, syn texis and myron consecration above the ordinary ecclesiastical hierarchy. We are trying to solve this problem by showing that there are two different species of sacraments: sacraments which lead men straight to God (baptism, syntexis and myron consecration) and sacraments which lead to hierarchy (ordination and monastic tonsure). Next we show the correspondence between the first species of sacraments, and the divine providence. It is possible when we notice the con nections between sacraments and symbolical theology. Sacraments are the first part of the spi ritual ascending of the soul to God, of (he purification. That's why the first three sacraments are on the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy: they are leading us straight to the intelligible world of the divine providence and to the contemplation of God in the divine darkness.
