About Praying to the Saints

 In Orthodox theology, the Church is seen as a single, united body that includes not only the faithful on earth but also the saints in heaven. The saints are not "dead" in the sense of being cut off from the living; rather, they are alive in Christ, who is "not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:32). Since Christ has conquered death, those who are in Christ, including the saints, are also alive in Him.

The communion of saints means that all members of the Church, whether on earth or in heaven, are connected through Christ. Praying to saints is thus understood not as necromancy or invoking the dead, but as asking for the intercession of those who are fully alive in the presence of God.

A key distinction in Orthodox practice is that praying to saints is not the same as worshiping them. Worship is due to God alone, but asking the saints for their prayers is akin to asking a fellow Christian on earth to pray for you. It’s an acknowledgment that the saints, being close to God, can intercede on our behalf.

The saints are seen as elder brothers and sisters in faith who, because of their holiness and closeness to God, are powerful intercessors. This practice is supported by the understanding that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective (James 5:16).

The practice of asking saints to pray for us is rooted in the biblical concept of intercession. In the Book of Revelation, the saints in heaven are depicted as offering the prayers of the faithful to God (Revelation 5:8). This imagery supports the idea that the saints are actively involved in the spiritual lives of those on earth.

Additionally, the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-3) provides a picture of the living presence of Moses and Elijah, who appear and speak with Christ. This event illustrates that those who have passed from earthly life continue to live and have a role in the divine economy.

Necromancy, as condemned in Scripture (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:10-12), involves attempting to conjure or manipulate the dead through occult practices. This is fundamentally different from the Orthodox practice of asking saints to intercede for us. Necromancy is about seeking forbidden knowledge or power through communication with the dead, often bypassing God’s will.

In contrast, praying to saints is about seeking their intercession before God, in humility and within the context of the Church’s life. It is done in faith that the saints, being alive in Christ, hear our requests and pray for us in accordance with God’s will.

The Orthodox Church places significant emphasis on the lived experience of the Church throughout history. The veneration of saints and the practice of asking for their intercessions have been part of Christian practice since the early Church. This tradition is seen as a continuation of the apostolic faith and is supported by the consistent witness of the Church Fathers and the lived experience of countless Orthodox Christians throughout the centuries.

From an Orthodox perspective, praying to saints is not about invoking the dead in the sense of necromancy, but rather about participating in the communion of the Church, which includes both the living and those who have passed into eternal life with God. The saints are viewed as alive in Christ and capable of interceding for us. This practice is deeply rooted in the Church’s understanding of the body of Christ and the intercessory role of the saints, which has biblical support and is a longstanding tradition within the Christian faith.

How to Answer the Question About "Penal Substitution"

This is not part of the Orthodox view of atonement or salvation. Christ died to show us the way to our resurrection and union with Him with eternal life in His kingdom.. We have free will so to be saved we must learn to use this in harmony with His will. It’s a process of growing into His likeness by following all He has commanded. No substitution. We are responsible for our sins. His Crucifixion opened the door in His Resurrection, even more importantly in the Incarnation, for us to become worthy, perfected, to enter His kingdom.

In Orthodox theology, the understanding of Christ’s work on the cross is not as a penal substitution but as a healing act. Christ’s death is seen as the ultimate act of love and self-sacrifice, through which He heals the broken relationship between God and humanity. Sin is understood as a disease or corruption that needs to be healed rather than a legal debt that requires punishment. The cross is the means by which Christ restores human nature, freeing it from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Through His death and resurrection, Christ conquers death and offers new life to all humanity.

The Orthodox Church emphasizes Christ as Victor model of atonement, where Christ’s death and resurrection are viewed as His victory over the powers of sin, death, and Satan. The cross is not primarily about satisfying divine justice in a legal sense but about defeating the enemies of humanity and restoring us to communion with God. This victory is not just a legal transaction but a cosmic event that transforms all of creation, liberating it from the bondage of sin and death.

Another element of Orthodox soteriology is the concept of theosis, or deification, which teaches that Christ became man so that humans might become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). The cross is the culmination of the Incarnation, where Christ unites Himself with our fallen humanity to heal, restore, and elevate it to union with God. This understanding shifts the focus from legal satisfaction to the transformative and relational aspects of salvation. Christ’s suffering and death are seen as the ultimate act of love, inviting us into a restored relationship with God, where we are called to grow in holiness and participation in the divine life.

Prayer as Love

Saint Porphyrios teaches that continual prayer without effort where grace overshadows bringing unexplainable joy, requires divine Eros, a burning love for Christ. The relationship between God and the believer must become one of mutual desire: God, the Lover, desires the beloved, and the beloved strives to reach the Lover. This love is most profound when expressed as thanksgiving. our efforts in prayer should not be done out of duty but as a necessity and selflessness, similar to the need to eat. To prepare for such prayer we read the divine offices with love filling our hearts with gladness.

Our task in prayer is to find a way to enter into the love of Christ which is experienced as divine light, allowing our soul to awaken our love in the embrace of  Christ’s love and become holy. We abandon ourselves to divine Eros. Our primary aim is love: for Christ, the Church, and our neighbor. prayer based on this love and craving for God creates a union that is Paradise on earth. It is expressed through love for our neighbor and the desire for everyone's salvation, even our enemies.

The efforts made in prayer should be driven by the love of Christ, aiming to experience His love more deeply.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios, on prayer

Engaging in True Prayer: Guidance from Saint Porphyrios

When Saint Porphyrios advises, "let the Lord himself teach us to pray. Don’t try to learn it on our own," he emphasizes that true prayer is a gift from God and should be guided by Him. It is not merely a technique or a set of words to be learned but a relational and spiritual practice that deepens through God's grace. Acknowledging that we cannot perfect our prayer life solely through our efforts requires humility and openness to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

We must remember that prayer is about a personal relationship with God. Allowing the Lord to teach us means engaging in a dynamic and responsive relationship where God leads and we follow. Saint Porphyrios underscores the importance of seeking God’s direct instruction and inspiration in the journey of prayer.

Saint Porphyrios also advises us to "make entreaty to receive the divine light of divine knowledge." This divine light refers to the spiritual insight and understanding that comes from God, allowing one to perceive and comprehend spiritual truths more deeply. By asking for this light, a person opens themselves to the transformative grace of God, which enlightens the mind and heart, leading to a more profound and genuine relationship with Him. It is a call to humble oneself and recognize the need for God's guidance and wisdom in one's spiritual journey.

This divine light he refers to is the same divine light mentioned by Saint Symeon the New Theologian, who often spoke about the experience of the divine light as a tangible encounter with God’s uncreated energies. He described it as an overwhelming, transformative experience that brings profound spiritual enlightenment and union with God.

This divine light is understood in Orthodox theology as the uncreated energy of God, through which believers can experience His presence and grace. Both saints emphasize the importance of seeking this light through prayer, humility, and a deep commitment to living a holy life, as it is through this light that one comes to a true knowledge of God and is transformed in His likeness.

Saint Porphyrios, in his unassuming way, shows the path of humility and calls us to a prayer life that is mystical, opening ourselves to the uncreated energies of God. When we experience these in the form of light, we are experiencing true prayer and a direct relationship with God. This should be our aim in prayer.

Reference: Wounded by by Love, Saint Porphyrios, pg 114

Prayer before prayer

Saint Porphyrios recommends that we recite a prayer from the Divine Liturgy that comes before the reading of the Gospel before we pray. Here is my interpretation of this prayer:

Lord, enlighten my heart with Your divine light, illuminating the innermost part of my soul. 

I acknowledge Your authority and deep love for humanity, Your compassionate and benevolent nature. Enlighten me with Your divine truths, holiness, and wisdom. Transform me and lead me to a deeper relationship with You. 

Give me spiritual insight and perception to discern Your spiritual truths. Help me comprehend the teachings of the Gospel to understand how to live a life in accordance with Your will. I stand in awe and respect of Your commandments, recognizing their divine origin and authority. 

Help me struggle against my passions and sinful inclinations, attaining a decisive victory over these desires through Your help and my personal effort, so that I may lead a life guided by the Holy Spirit in harmony with Your will. 

Orient both my thoughts and actions towards pleasing You, maintaining a holistic approach to my spiritual life. 

I acknowledge You as the ultimate source of light and enlightenment for both my soul and body, embrace Your divine presence, desiring Your guidance, and sanctification.  

Have mercy on me.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyrios,  pg 114

How Do We Make Prayer?

True prayer comes from our cooperation with the Holy Spirit.:

John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Romans 8:26-27: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Our church fathers teach this as well:

St. Basil the Great: “It is especially important to teach those who pray how to ask from the Holy Spirit for those things which are absolutely necessary for the soul. For He is the source of sanctification and spiritual enlightenment; He gives the inner strength necessary for the soul’s health, and transforms the spirit.” (On the Holy Spirit, Chapter 26)

St. John Chrysostom: “The Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. This means that the Spirit, by means of the inexplicable groans of prayer, suggests to us what we should pray for, what it is right to request in prayer.” (Homilies on Romans, Homily 15)

St. Seraphim of Sarov: “The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. Prayer, fasting, vigil, and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, do not constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of attaining this aim.” (Conversation with N. A. Motovilov)

St. Symeon the New Theologian: “When a man’s mind is perfectly united to God and receives the energy of the Holy Spirit, he prays to God in the Spirit and is fully aware of what he is saying and of the prayer’s content, having been illumined by the divine light.” (The Discourses, Chapter 25)

Prayer requires humility to be aware of the voice of the Holy Spirit. Our petitions should reflect this humbleness. The most powerful prayer for Orthodox Christians is the Jesus prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.” As we quiet ourselves and emerge our soul in His love reciting this prayer, divine grace will flow into our heart. We will see the world with new eyes and find it effortless to do the will of our God.

It all happens through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is through Him we make true prayer.

Reference: Wounded by Love: Saint Porphyios, pg 113

Turn Your Mind to God Continually

To experience the love and joy of God in our life we must make a continual effort in prayer. God’s love is always present no matter where we are or what we are doing. We must live every moment in a way aware of His loving presence and embrace This love. 

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul exhorts "pray without ceasing."[2] This is a direct call for continual, unceasing prayer. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of continual, persistent, devoted prayer as a vital spiritual discipline for believers. Jesus, Paul, and the early church all modeled this practice.

How is this possible? This requires a passionate love of Jesus Christ. His life provides us with an image we should desire to copy. It is based on love. Our soul longs for His love and is not seeking an intellectual understanding. It desires much more, something that only comes from a deep place in our heart. This we find when we desire to fulfill all He asks of us out of our pure love. This is not a simple obedience based on any sense of obligation. Where obligation is involved there is not the fulness of love. We follow Him only because we love Him. In this way we become worthy of His love, always seeking to follow what he taught. Then continuous prayer becomes effortless and natural.

It’s is through continuous prayer based on our love in Him that we will find the Kingdom He promises.

Reference: Wounded by Love, Saint Porphyios, pg 113