Radonitsa-related questions

[AMM]

I saw on my calendar that today is radonitsa and was reading about the practices a bit. I read an article on pravmir and it sparked some questions, related to praying for the departed.

1. Can we ask any departed Orthodox Christian to pray for us?
2. What about those who departed while catechumens, before they were baptized or chrismated?
3. Should we ask non-canonized saints to pray for us?
4. Is it acceptable to ask departed non-Orthodox (Christians of other fellowships) to pray for us?
5. Should we pray for all the dead?
6. How long should we pray for a departed person? Until they are canonized? Or (relating back to question 3) do we stop praying for them when we start praying to them?
7. Or do we just pray for a departed person a few times, and then "move on"?

 

[Goodhuman]

If it is not God's angel, virgin Mary, saints or God, don't pray to them.

 

[WanderedHome]

Number 6 reminds me of a time at St. Tikhon's Monastery they were serving a panikhida for the departed and they brought out the stacks of cards that people have submitted for prayer and several priests/deacons read through every single name on the list, which continued to go on after the service was over. I asked someone, "how far back do these cards date?" and he said, "from the beginning". I assume they only do this once a year.
Edit: I have been informed by a graduate of St. Tikhon's that they do this at every commemoration of the departed.

 

[peregrinus2017]

I'm definitely not qualified to answer your questions, but I will share my own personal experience. I regularly pray for my grandparents, and my brother who died when he was six. I don't know of anyone else that would be praying for them, and it seems like the loving thing to do. Of course I also pray for my parents, brothers and others that are still here. I don't expect that this is something I will ever stop doing. We are all in need of God's mercy and grace.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Number 6 reminds me of a time at St. Tikhon's Monastery they were serving a panikhida for the departed and they brought out the stacks of cards that people have submitted for prayer and several priests/deacons read through every single name on the list, which continued to go on after the service was over. I asked someone, "how far back do these cards date?" and he said, "from the beginning". I assume they only do this once a year.
View attachment 275586

as someone who went to St Tikhon's and was ordained there, those stacks are brought out for every time we commemorate the departed. they are read from Matins until the end of the stack.

 

[AMM]

I'm definitely not qualified to answer your questions, but I will share my own personal experience. I regularly pray for my grandparents, and my brother who died when he was six. I don't know of anyone else that would be praying for them, and it seems like the loving thing to do. Of course I also pray for my parents, brothers and others that are still here. I don't expect that this is something I will ever stop doing. We are all in need of God's mercy and grace.

That makes sense, I think I can identify with that thinking. I have a little notebook where I keep a list of commemorations (living and departed), and I can't imagine ever taking a name off the list once I put it on... if we pray because we love, then why would we stop praying for someone?

At the same time, at some point the Church does stop: we don't pray for the saints anymore, now that they've been canonized, we don't pray for people who have been anathematized after their death, etc.

If I remember correctly, one early church father (St Ambrose maybe?) said something along the lines that, we pray for everyone except the martyrs, who have no need for our prayers because of their perfection through martyrdom. Instead, we ask the martyrs to pray for us

 

[Not David]

I wonder if I can pray for Plato, Hegel, and Evola.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I wonder if I can pray for Plato, Hegel, and Evola.

yes, you can.

 

[AMM]

I guess this is a bit of a personal question, but how do I determine who I add to my daily commemorations? Should I go now and add Hegel, Plato, and Evola (as they were just mentioned), and add everyone I hear about who is dead? I'm not saying that wouldn't be the loving thing to do - it doesn't hurt to pray for them, and it may help, in God's mercy. But I could see that getting overwhelming pretty quickly to pray for everyone whose name I come across in every morning and evening prayer. (As opposed to just saying a prayer once when someone mentions a departed individual)

Not sure if my question makes sense or not

 

[peregrinus2017]

I guess this is a bit of a personal question, but how do I determine who I add to my daily commemorations? Should I go now and add Hegel, Plato, and Evola (as they were just mentioned), and add everyone I hear about who is dead? I'm not saying that wouldn't be the loving thing to do - it doesn't hurt to pray for them, and it may help, in God's mercy. But I could see that getting overwhelming pretty quickly to pray for everyone whose name I come across in every morning and evening prayer. (As opposed to just saying a prayer once when someone mentions a departed individual)

I think who we pray for is determined in the same way as who we ask for prayer. I don't specifically ask every individual saint for their prayers, but those I have a relationship with, or want to develop a relationship with. It's the same with those who we pray for.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I guess this is a bit of a personal question, but how do I determine who I add to my daily commemorations? Should I go now and add Hegel, Plato, and Evola (as they were just mentioned), and add everyone I hear about who is dead? I'm not saying that wouldn't be the loving thing to do - it doesn't hurt to pray for them, and it may help, in God's mercy. But I could see that getting overwhelming pretty quickly to pray for everyone whose name I come across in every morning and evening prayer. (As opposed to just saying a prayer once when someone mentions a departed individual)

Not sure if my question makes sense or not

only you know who to add and when. I would just say ask for God to have mercy on them and leave it at that.

 

[AMM]

only you know who to add and when. I would just say ask for God to have mercy on them and leave it at that.

thanks!

 

[ArmyMatt]

no problem!