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Praying through the intercession of Saints

angeloazarangeloazar
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Hi All,
Im new to Tasbeha.Org and think its an absolute awesome website. Anyway, im not sure if this topic has already been covered but its something i need a little help with. I have a friend who says that it is not worthwhile praying through the intercessions of Saints or praising Saints as that time is better spent just praising God himself.
I know we have to praise Saints, etc. as it states it in Revelations firstly, but im sure it would say it elsewhere and there would be other strongholds in our faith regarding this.
Anyway help or advice, please throw it myway!
Regards And God Bless
Angelo

Comments

  • PrincessMaryPrincessMary
    ya..a similar topic with this question and some others was posted earlier...

    St. Paul asks the Christian Ephesians, Thessalonians, Colossians and Romans to pray for him (Ephes. 6:19, 1 Thesal. 5:25; Colos. 4:3, and Rom. 15:30-31). We say in the liturgy of St. Basil, "By the command of your only-begotten Son we communicate with the memory of your saints . . . by whose prayers and supplications have mercy upon us all, and deliver us for the sake of your holy name"

    -"An angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God" (Rev. 8:3-4).

    -“the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 5:8)

    -"But not the high priest [Christ] alone prays for those who pray sincerely, but also the angels . . . as also the souls of the saints who have already fallen asleep" St. Origen

    -"You victorious martyrs who endured torments gladly for the sake of the God and Savior, you who have boldness of speech toward the Lord himself, you saints, intercede for us who are timid and sinful men, full of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us, and enlighten the hearts of all of us so that we may love him" St. Ephraim the Syrian

    -"You say in your book that while we live we are able to pray for each other, but afterwards when we have died, the prayer of no person for another can be heard. . . . But if the apostles and martyrs while still in the body can pray for others, at a time when they ought still be solicitous about themselves, how much more will they do so after their crowns, victories, and triumphs?"
    St. Jerome

    -"A Christian people celebrates together in religious solemnity the memorials of the martyrs, both to encourage their being imitated and so that it can share in their merits and be aided by their prayers” St. Augustine

    -"There is an ecclesiastical discipline, as the faithful know, when the names of the martyrs are read aloud in that place at the altar of God, where prayer is not offered for them. Prayer, however, is offered for the dead who are remembered. For it is wrong to pray for a martyr, to whose prayers we ought ourselves be commended" St. Augustine

    -"At the Lord’s table we do not commemorate martyrs in the same way that we do others who rest in peace so as to pray for them, but rather that they may pray for us that we may follow in their footsteps" St. Augustine

    We do not pray to the saints, but we, as all being members together in the body of Christ, need to pray for one another, so that God may have mercy and compassion on us and hear our prayers and supplications. If we who are in the flesh and live in this world pray for one another, and ask for each others prayers, then wouldnt we also ask the saints and martyrs who are already in heavenly Jerusalem with God, to intercede on our behalf before our Lord Jesus Christ, for us sinners?
  • ShamasShamas
    Hi PrincessMary

    Wow, how you collect all of this verses?It's really amazing. Do you usually do a lot of study in bible?

    I hope I and all chrsitians could be able to be ready for those who ask us about the reason of faith inside us at any time.
    do you have any advise about this subject?
    God bless, Pray for me

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