Intercession of the Saints and the Theotokos..

Greetings to all in the name of the Holy Trinity

I pray that this question does not come off wrong or insult anyone, I am very interested in joining the Orthodox Church but as a present protestant church christian I have lots of questions that I hope to get clarification on, I trust that with Gods grace these issues will be resolved in His time.

I understand the theoretical basis for asking intercession from the Theotokos and saints in heaven... and at first I think it's a beautiful concept. But my question is... By asking intercession from the saints in heaven are we not presuming that they are somehow omnipresent? Being that they are able to be in a position to hear the prayers of all people on earth? Isn't that an attribute only God has? I don't understand how that works...

Thankyou in advance and again I hope not to offend anyone's sensibilities.

Antony in Tx said:

I've framed this up in my mind as follows...If God exists outside of time and space, and we presume and hope that the saints are resurrected and already in God's presence, then they, too, exist outside of time and space. Thus they should be able to hear our requests for them to pray for us, and they can then intercede to God for us. It is not by their nature that they can hear our prayers and intercede for us, but by the fact that they have achieved Grace and a place in the presence of His Uncreated Light. So it is not so much who they are, but where they are that makes them effective intercessors for us.

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I like this explanation, makes sense Thankyou [emoji4]
By resurrected do you mean like their spirit is in heaven with God? Or an actually resurrected in a uncorrupted body? Like the one the righteous get at the second coming?

Thankyou @ArmyMatt for your answers too
Do you know what writings from the church fathers or where this tradition came from in the church? Or any possible links to scripture and intercession?

Thank you Dialogist for your reply, I apologise for my delay I thought I had responded!

I will definitely check out those books you recommended and get in touch with a priest to help me, I have seen a priest but my request for a meeting hasn't been answered yet, God willing soon I hope.

In the interim though I also found St John of Kronstadt's introduction in his book My Life in Christ really interesting.

"How is it that the saints see us and our needs and hear our prayers? Let us make the following comparison: Suppose that you were transplanted to the sun and were united to it. The sun lights the whole earth with its rays, it lights every particle of the earth. In these rays you also see the earth, but you are so small in proportion to the sun, that you would form, so to say, but one ray, and there are an infinite number of such rays. By its identity with the sun this ray takes an intimate part in lighting the whole world through the sun. So also the saintly soul, having become united to God, as to its spiritual sun, sees, through the medium of its spiritual sun, which lights the whole universe, all men and the needs of those that pray." My Life in Christ, Kronstadt pg 1-2

I really like that quote what do you guys think? It's kinda similar to Antony's explanation

Ooh and I should mention Dialogist I'm a female! I accidentally set my gender wrong haha

prodromos said:

St John of Krondstant experienced something along the lines of the saints being able to hear our many prayers simultaneously. During the liturgy when it came time for people to confess their sins before holy communion, St John was able, by the grace of God, to hear what each person was confessing despite them all speaking at the same time, but on top of that, he was able to look at different individuals in his congregation and tell them that they had other things they had neglected to confess.

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Wow that's amazing

buzuxi02 said:

If you are refering to intercessory prayers of the heavenly saints, it is foreshadowed in Luke 1.8-13. There was a prayer service called the 'Hour of Incense" where the priest would burn incense inside the altar on behalf of the prayers of the people who were on the "outside"; So Zacharias was burning incense inside the altar (symbolic of the heavenly church) while all the people were praying outside the temple (symbolic of the earthly church). The scripture says:

he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the peoplewere praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard...(Luke1.9-13)

The angel Gabriel then says the following to Zechariah:

8 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I amGabriel. I stand in the presence of God...(Lk 1.8)

So the angels are intercessors:

3 And another 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; (Rev 8.3)

12 And so, when you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, I brought a reminder of your prayer before the Holy One; and when you buried the dead, I was likewise present with you. .. 14 So now God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah.15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One. (Tobit 12.12-15)

Then the angel of the Lord said, ‘O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these seventy years?’ 13 And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. (Zech 1.12-13)

This now includes the martyrs and saints (the twenty four elders) in heaven as they are the closest to God and stand before his altar (remember how in Luke the priest was the one standing before the altar of God offering incense on behalf of all the prayers of the multitude gathered on the outside. He was the nearest to God like the angels and heavenly saints who play the same priestly role offering our prayers as we are on the other side of the grave, on the outside. As the saints are on the inner part

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders 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)
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^^ this was great! Thankyou

Wow Great article Kylissa Thankyou!