631. [verse 8] 'And another angel followed saying, It has fallen, that great city Babylon has fallen' signifies that the Roman Catholic form of religion as to its dogmas and doctrinal tenets has now been dispersed. By 'another angel' is signified a new thing now from the Lord, as above (n. 626). By 'the great city Babylon' is signified the Roman Catholic form of religion as to its dogmas and doctrinal tenets. By 'to fall' is signified to be dispersed, for 'to fall' is said of a city, but 'to be dispersed' is said of the form of religion and the doctrine thereof which is signified by the 'city Babylon'. That by 'a city' doctrine is signified may be seen above (n. I94). These things are now said of Babylon, because after the Christian New Heaven was made by the Lord, a new one was made at the same time with those who were of the Roman Catholic form of religion. This is because the Christian heaven that was gathered together out of the Reformed makes the core (meditullium), and the Papists (Pontifficii) are around it; and therefore when the core is new, then at the same time there is what is new in the surroundings. For the Divine Light, which is Divine Truth, spreads out all around from the middle as a centre into the surroundings and brings the things that are there also back into order. For this reason these few things are now related of Babylon, but it is treated of specifically in chapters xvii and xviii. That the Reformed Christians constitute the core and that around this the Papists form a large surrounding zone, and that spiritual light, which is Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, spreads out as from its centre around into all the surroundings even to the last, may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE (n. 104-113); also in the little work concerning THE LAST JUDGMENT (n. 48). From these considerations it can be seen that these [words] about Babylon follow in order after [the Word] has treated of the Christian New Heaven and evangelisation. This indeed is signified by 'followed'.