Protestants, however, generally reject the intercession of the saints, worrying that it contradicts the biblical teaching that jesus Christ is … The intercession of the saints is sometimes looked upon as a violation of God’s soverneighty or Jesus right to be the only mediator, etc. They were human, exactly like us, so they completely understand our trials, tribulations and difficulties; at the same time, they are sanctified, thus being closer to God than we are, so He can listen to them better than He can listen to us. Intercession of the Saints. 2) Intercession of the Saints is merely a prayer on our behalf, it is a supplicatory intercession far removed from Christ’s propitiatory advocacy. Intercession to the Saints is practiced and encouraged by the Orthodox Church because physical death is not a defeat for a Christian.

It is a glorious passage into Heaven. In particular, we should ask the intercession of those Christians in heaven, who have already had their sanctification completed, because “[t]he prayer of a righteous man has great power in … Nevertheless, it is a huge part of the “ethos” of Orthodoxy, probably only … Hermas “[The Shepherd said:] ‘But those who are weak and slothful in prayer, hesitate to ask anything from the Lord; but the Lord is full of compassion, and gives without fail to all who ask him. Why do the Orthodox pray to saints? Below is a letter I wrote to a friend, which I felt may help others out as well: In regards to praying to saints, it is one of the most difficult things for Protestant Christians to understand. Thus the saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth. Orthodoxy teaches that the Saints can act as intermediaries between the believers and God. Intercession to the Saints is practiced and encouraged by the Orthodox Church because physical death is not a defeat for a Christian. Our Church believes in the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the Angels and the Saints. It is condemned as a christianized paganism, an example of the corruption of Christianity after the conversion of the Roman Empire under Constantine in 313 AD. Protestants often have a difficult time coming to terms with prayer to the saints. When this objection is raised, you should affirm that if praying to saints takes away from one’s devotion to God, then it is a practice that should end at once. In this post, we explain the meaning of this practice and what role it plays in our salvation. The Church is composed of all Christians who lived, who are living and who are yet to be born! Our Church believes in the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the Angels and the Saints. And the intercession of saints is believed to be especially effective, given their holy lives while on earth and their communion with God in heaven. It expresses a disposition that all Christians must have—refusing to do anything that takes away from the adoration that belongs only to God. It is a glorious passage into Heaven.

It bears absolutely no resemblance to asking intercession of the saints. As hard as it is for me to really accept the intercession of the saints, it is far more difficult for me to accept such a lonely and bleack picture, particularly when confronted with Isaiah’s description of heavenly worship. In old English, the word “pray” simply meant to ask or implore someone for something. The bible supports this kind of intercession: “pray one for another” (James 5:16). It is so linear: two dimensional and sterile to me. In this post, we explain the meaning of this practice and what role it plays in our salvation. In the same spirit, Orthodox Christians also ask the Saints to pray for them.

This entry was posted in Sayings from Saints, Elders, and Fathers, St. John of Kronstadt and tagged Apostles, Friends, Intercession, Intercession of the Saints, Lives of the Saints, Martyrs, Prayer, Saints, Salvation, Spiritual Tools, The Church, Theosis, Veneration of Saints on June 22, 2014 by Orthodox Church Quotes. On the Intercession and Invocation of the Saints by Reader Christopher Orr. Doubtless one of the less understood aspects of the Orthodox faith, particularly by Protestants, is the importance of the intercession of the saints. But one “deal breaker” for many interested in the Orthodox Church is our “praying” to saints. This would be blasphemous to us. I wrestled with it for a while. This objection to the intercession of saints is an honorable and sincere one. The Church is composed of all Christians who lived, who are living and who are yet to be born! Again, I can’t find a Protestant commentary that links this verse to the … Orthodox doctrine and teaching is quite clear that we do not treat saints as objects of worship, nor as worthy of worship.