Dionysius saw the relation between God and human beings as a ladder on which angels ascend and descend

In the middle ages Dionysius was falsely thought to have been a writer of the apostolic period and wielded immense influence on the development of medieval theology. The writings of Dionysius are an attempt to interpret Christianity on the basis of neo-platonic categories. Dionysius teaches that the individual can be unified with God and progressively deified. This is accomplished through a process of unknowing which is then to be penetrated by divine wisdom. The mystical life according to Dionysius has three stages. Purgation is a period of cleansing. This is followed by illumination, a period of insight or enlightenment. The stage of unification brings oneness with God. The work of Dionysius is also notable for its construction of the relation between God and humankind as a ladder on which angels descend and ascend through the process of the human ascent to God. The works of Dionysius were highly regarded in both East and West during the middle ages, especially in monastic circles. In the West they became widely known in the Latin translation of John Scotus Erigena.