As he speaks, spirit after spirit flits down the stairs, each bound on some errand of charity to the spheres below.
_Canto XXII._ Startled by a loud cry, Dante is reassured by St.
Damian's statement that no harm can befall him in heaven.

Next Beatrice directs his attention to some descending spirits, the most radiant of which is St.Benedict, who explains how blissful spirits often leave the heavenly abode "to execute the counsel of the Highest." He adds that Dante has been selected to warn mortals, none of whom will ever be allowed to venture hither again.

Then St.
Benedict describes his life on earth and inveighs against the corruption of the monks of Dante's time.
His speech ended, St.Benedict vanishes, and Beatrice wafts Dante up the mystic stairs, through the constellation of the Gemini, to the eighth heaven, that of the Fixed Stars (revolved by the Cherubim).
Declaring he is so near "the last salvation" that his eyes should be unclouded, Beatrice removes the last veil from his sight, and bids him gaze down at the spheres through which they have passed, and "see how vast a world thou hast already put beneath thy feet." Smiling at the smallness of the earth left behind him, Dante, undazzled by the mild light of the moon or the glow of the sun, gazes at the seven revolving spheres until all the scheme of creation is "made apparent to him." _Canto XXIII._ Beatrice, who is still standing beside him, finally tears him away from his contemplation of what is beneath him, and directs his glance aloft, where he catches his first glimpse of Christ, escorted by his Mother and by the Church triumphant.

Too dazzled and awed at first to grasp what he sees, Dante feels heart and mind expand, as he listens enraptured to sweeter music than was ever made by the nine muses.

Meantime the spirits escorting Christ crown the Virgin with lilies, and all sing the praises of the Queen of Heaven.[19] _Canto XXIV._ Beatrice and Dante are now joined by the spirit of St.
Peter, who examines Dante on faith, receiving the famous reply: "Faith is the substance of the thing we hope for, and evidence of those that are not seen." Not only does St.Peter approve Dante's definition, but he discusses theological questions with him, leading him meanwhile further into this sphere.
_Canto XXV._ Presently a spirit approaches them which is designated by Beatrice as St.James.After greeting St.Peter and smiling upon Beatrice, St.James reveals he has been sent hither by Christ to examine Dante upon hope, whereupon our poet, lifting his eyes "to the hills," gains courage enough to answer thus: "Hope is the certain expectation of future glory, which is the effect of grace divine and merit precedent." St.James is so pleased with this answer that he glows even more brightly, as St.John, "who lay upon the breast of him, our Pelican," appeared, shining so brightly that Dante, turning to ask Beatrice who he is, discovers he can no longer see her although she is close beside him.
"I turn'd, but ah! how trembled in my thought, When, looking at my side again to see Beatrice, I descried her not; although, Not distant, on the happy coast she stood." _Canto XXVI._ Dante now ascertains he has merely been temporarily blinded by the excess of light which emanates from St.John, who proceeds to examine him in regard to Charity.