The Prayers of the Saints

[Guineverelyndy]

Don't worry, I will be asking my priest about this. ;) I just thought this was really cool.

Yesterday, I asked a saint to pray for me to avoid temptation in this one area and then I promptly forgot about it. Well later, I was slipping into that old habit and immediately I saw this picture of that saint walking up to Jesus and asking Him, "Will you please help her not to do that?"

I have never stopped doing something so fast in my entire life!

Just the thought that this person didnt' just pray that once, but remembered and followed through kind of blows my mind.

[NyssaTheHobbit]

Yeah, I've been seeing more effective prayers, myself, since I started using Orthodox prayers and prayers for saintly intercession. I've even seen my menstrual cycles go from being extremely irregular to being normal. Sure, that could've been related to being on the Pill for a few years, which also regulated my mom. But I wasn't expecting it, and it was timed well--right after I prayed for a saint's intercession. :) I'm no longer worried about being perimenopausal at an early age, and I can go ahead and have a child or two more. :)

[nikostheater]

Tha'ts true.
Sometimes you can see saints in front of you conforting you or listening to you.
Stories like that are fairly common here.
Sometimes is a little bit scary though..

[NyssaTheHobbit]

Ever since I started praying Orthodox prayers, I've seen a friend's potential cancer turn out to be an infection; another acquaintance was at death's door and wound up only losing his leg. (However, maybe a year later, he finally succumbed to diabetes. I didn't know to pray because nobody told me he was sick. Still, he had a reprieve for a while.) I've also asked for the intercession of the Theotokos for a toddler wounded by a gunshot, only to read in the paper a few days later that she "miraculously recovered." I think the same thing happened with somebody else I prayed for, though I don't recall details.

[EmperorConstantine]

Orthodox folks experience miracles like this. We just don't like the press!;)

[davidoffinland]

From Finland.

Since I am reading more and more on Orthodoxy, I am divided about this. Question:

1. If you are praying to a saint doesn´t this divert you from praying to Christ who is our Mediator? (I understand there are saints who are now alive in the church and we ask them to pray for us; but this addresses those who are not with us anymore)

Thanking you in advance.

In Him, david.

[Prawnik]

Only if you let it.

[eoe]

If you are praying to a saint doesn´t this divert you from praying to Christ who is our Mediator?No.

Counter question:

Does speaking with your mother divert you from praying to Christ? Why not? How is speaking to a saint any different?

[Guineverelyndy]

From Finland.

Since I am reading more and more on Orthodoxy, I am divided about this. Question:

1. If you are praying to a saint doesn´t this divert you from praying to Christ who is our Mediator? (I understand there are saints who are now alive in the church and we ask them to pray for us; but this addresses those who are not with us anymore)

Thanking you in advance.

In Him, david.
Definitely didn't have that effect on me. :) In fact, it encouraged me to pray more.

[Sothron]

From Finland.

Since I am reading more and more on Orthodoxy, I am divided about this. Question:

1. If you are praying to a saint doesn´t this divert you from praying to Christ who is our Mediator? (I understand there are saints who are now alive in the church and we ask them to pray for us; but this addresses those who are not with us anymore)

Thanking you in advance.

In Him, david.

I love Finland, would love to go visit it. To answer your question we are technically praying *through* a saint. We are simply asking for their prayers and their help as well as praying to Christ. One does not preclude the other.

If you ask family or friends or your pastor to pray for you then you are asking for intercession. It is what praying "to" the saints is, nothing more or less.

[nikolayalexandroff]

From Finland.

Since I am reading more and more on Orthodoxy, I am divided about this. Question:

1. If you are praying to a saint doesn´t this divert you from praying to Christ who is our Mediator? (I understand there are saints who are now alive in the church and we ask them to pray for us; but this addresses those who are not with us anymore)

Thanking you in advance.

In Him, david.
Usually it looks like this:
Prayerful Invocation to the Saint whose Name we bear Pray for me Saint.... (name), for with fervour I come to thee, speedy helper and intercessor for my soul.
We believe, that their prayers to Christ for us will be heard out.

[RestoreTheRiver]

All those who are alive can pray. Who is more alive than those who dwell in the heavenlies with our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ; together with the Father, the fountain of all, and the blessed Holy Spirit!

Thank you for sharing your vision. I believe it happened, just as you saw it.

Michael