Communions of Saints in Tradition

Praying to the Saints: A Florilegium

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One of the clearest breaks between Orthodox Christianity and Protestantism is the rejection of prayer to the Saints. Even so-called traditional Anglicans refuse the invocation of Saints, preferring the artificial distinction that Saints may pray for us, but must not be prayed to. As this florilegium will prove, such a distinction is utterly foreign to historic Christianity. From the beginning, the Church prayed to the Saints and sought their intercession in this very manner—a practice never disputed in the ancient Church, but consistently affirmed as apostolic.

2nd-3rd centuries: Shepherd of Hermas, St. Hippolytus of Rome, Sub Tuum Praesidium, Eusebius of Caesarea.
4th-5th centuries: 2nd Ecumenical Council, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil of Seleucia, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Asterius of Amasea, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Cyril of Alexandria.
6th-8th centuries: St. Paulinus of Nola, St. John of Damascus, St. Andrew of Crete, St. Germanos I of Constantinople, Pope St. Gregory II, Iconoclast Council of Hieria.

Shepherd of Hermas (2nd century):

I prayed [to the angel of repentance] much that he would explain to me the similitude of the field, and of the master of the vineyard, and of the slave who staked the vineyard, and of the sakes, and of the weeds that were plucked out of the vineyard, and of the son, and of the friends who were fellow-councillors… And he answered me again, saying, Every one who is the servant of God, and has his Lord in his heart, asks of Him understanding, and receives it, and opens up every parable; and the words of the Lord become known to him which are spoken in parables. But those who are weak and slothful in prayer, hesitate to ask anything from the Lord; but the Lord is full of compassion, and gives without fail to all who ask Him. But you, having been strengthened by the holy Angel, and having obtained from Him such intercession, and not being slothful, why do not you ask of the Lord understanding, and receive it from Him?¹

St. Hippolytus of Rome (3rd century):

Tell me, you three boys [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego], remember me, I entreat you, that I also may obtain the same lot of martyrdom with you, who was the fourth person with you who was walking in the midst of the furnace and who was hymning to God with you as from one mouth?²

Sub Tuum Praesidium (3rd century):

Beneath your compassion we take refuge, Theotokos. Our petitions do not despise in time of trouble, but from dangers ransom us, Only Holy, Only Blessed.³

Eusebius of Caesarea (3rd century):

[Quoting Plato]: “And for all time to come, believing them to have become daemons, we shall so serve and worship their tombs; and these same customs we shall observe, when from old age or any other cause any one dies of those who have been judged pre-eminently good in life?”

[Eusebius]: These customs also may fitly be adopted on the death of those beloved of God, whom you would not do wrong in calling soldiers of the true religion. Hence comes also our custom of visiting their tombs, and offering our prayers beside them, and honouring their blessed souls, believing that we do this with good reason.⁴

2nd Ecumenical Council (4th century):

May God by the prayers (εὐχαῖς τῶν ἁγίων) of the Saints, show favor to the world, that you may be strong and eminent in all good things as an Emperor most truly pious and beloved of God.⁵

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century):

Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth.⁶

St. Gregory Nazianzen (4th century):

But [St. Justina], as soon as she perceived the evil and was ware of the plot, what does she do and what counter-device does she employ against the artificer of evil? Abandoning as hopeless all other resources, she flees for refuge to God, and takes for champion against lewd desire her own Bridegroom—him who delivered Susanna and effectually saved Thecla… Rehearsing these things and more besides, and supplicating Mary the Virgin to succor a virgin in peril, she defends herself with the medicine of fasting and of sleeping on the ground(…)⁷

Yet, O thou dear and holy one [St. Athanasius], who yourself, with all your fair renown, so especially illustrated the due proportions of speech and of silence, do thou stay here my words, falling short as they do of your true meed of praise, though they have claimed the full exercise of all my powers. And may you cast upon us from above a propitious glance, and conduct this people in its perfect worship of the perfect Trinity, which, as Father, Son, Holy Ghost, we contemplate and adore. And may thou, if my lot be peaceful, possess and aid me in my pastoral charge, or if it pass through struggles, uphold me, or take me to you, and set me with yourself and those like you (though I have asked a great thing) in Christ Himself, our Lord, to whom be all glory, honour, and power for evermore. Amen.⁸

St. Basil the Great (4th century):

Bounteous benevolence, unsquandered grace, ready help for Christians, a church of martyrs, an army of trophy-bearers, a chorus of those giving praise. How much effort would you expend in order to find one who would importune the Lord on your behalf? They were forty, sending up a unanimous prayer. Where there are two or three gathered together in the name of the Lord, there he is in the midst of them (Matt 18:20). But where there are forty, who doubts the presence of God? The one who is in trouble takes refuge in the forty, the one who rejoices runs off to them – the former to find release from difficulties, the latter to protect his prosperity. Here a pious woman is found praying for her children, begging for the return of her husband who is away, for his safety because he is sick. Let your petitions be with the martyrs. Let boys imitate those of their own age; let fathers pray to be fathers of such children; let mothers learn the story of a good mother.⁹

St. Gregory of Nyssa (4th century):

For he [St. Ephraim’s friend], being in the greatest danger and expecting death (since the path was littered with barbarians), as soon as he remembered your name and called out: “Saint Ephraim help me,” he escaped unharmed the danger of getting lost and freed himself from fear, unexpectedly saved himself, and protected by your care returned to his homeland beyond expectation. Wherefore, I dared to expound at length what I had said, and with unclean lips I dared to utter his praise. If in this word we have achieved anything worthy of you, then we recognize your assistance as the culprit of this success and thank you; and if our praises are below your dignity, then in this discrepancy we recognize you as the culprit, although these words are somewhat impudent. Because you, wanting to avoid praise, as you did during life, so after death, out of love for humility of wisdom, prevented those who wanted to glorify you. But be that as it may, whether or not, as much as possible, we have fulfilled our holy duty and we believe that you [St. Ephraim] will not turn away from us, the ardent admirers of our father, but will accept our praises, like childish babble, kind to the father. But you, standing before the divine altar and together with the Angels serving the life-giving and most holy Trinity, remember us all, asking for the remission of our sins and for receiving the eternal kingdom, in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom be Glory with the beginningless Father and the divine and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.¹⁰

But first of all, let us not go through their number insensibly and ungratefully; for he who has so many intercessors will never leave without the fulfillment of his prayers and petitions, even if he is burdened with many sins. In favor of this thought and hope, the witness is himself God in conversation with Abraham. When He accepted the intercession for the Sodomites, He was looking not for forty, but only ten righteous people in order to spare the city, which was ready for destruction. But we, according to the Apostle, having “a fraction … a cloud of witnesses surrounding us” ( Heb. 12, 1), we recognize ourselves as blessed, rejoicing in hope, enduring in prayer and partaking of the memory of the martyrs; for the forty martyrs are strong defenders against enemies and reliable intercessors in prayer before the Lord.¹¹

St. John Chrysostom (4th century):

And the tombs of the servants of the Crucified are more splendid than the palaces of kings; not for the size and beauty of the buildings, (yet even in this they surpass them,) but, what is far more, in the zeal of those who frequent them. For he that wears the purple himself goes to embrace those tombs, and, laying aside his pride, stands begging the saints to be his advocates with God, and he that hath the diadem implores the tent-maker and the fisherman, though dead, to be his patrons. Wilt thou dare then, tell me, to 403 call the Lord of these dead; whose servants even after their decease are the patrons of the kings of the world? And this one may see take place not in Rome only, but in Constantinople also.¹²

When you see that God is punishing you, do not flee to his enemies, the Jews, so that you may not rouse his anger against you still further. Run instead to martyrs, to the saints, to those in whom he is well pleased and who can speak to him with great confidence and freedom.¹³

St. Basil of Seleucia (4th century):

“How shall I dare to sound the virginal gulf, and search into the abyss of so great a mystery, unless thou, O Mother of God, wilt teach me, unskilful diver, to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and filling with thy mercy the mouth of my mind, enable me to penetrate the deep secret of thy Son’s truth, that by the light of thy mercy I may find in thee the pearl of truth? And do thou assist my conception, that, being taught by thee, I may be enabled to speak concerning thee, not indeed so as to explain the Incarnation, which is impossible, but that thou becamest a mother yet didst remain a virgin.

Being bound together, therefore, in the bonds of charity, let us address to the Mother of God such words as these: “O most holy Virgin I whosoever shall say all great and glorious things concerning thee will not err from the truth, but he will come short of thy merits. Do thou look down propitiously upon us from above, and peacefully direct us now upon earth; and at the throne of judgment lead us forward full of confidence, and make us stand at the right hand of Christ.”¹⁴

St. Ambrose of Milan (4th century):

For you see that one bound by great sin is less fit to pray for herself, certainly less likely to obtain for herself. Let her then make use of others to pray for her to the physician. For the sick, unless the physician be called to them by the prayers of others, cannot pray for themselves. The flesh is weak, the soul is sick and hindered by the chains of sins, and cannot direct its feeble steps to the throne of that physician. The angels must be entreated for us, who have been to us as guards; the martyrs must be entreated, whose patronage we seem to claim for ourselves by the pledge as it were of their bodily remains. They can entreat for our sins, who, if they had any sins, washed them in their own blood; for they are the martyrs of God, our leaders, the beholders of our life and of our actions. Let us not be ashamed to take them as intercessors for our weakness, for they themselves knew the weaknesses of the body, even when they overcame.¹⁵

St. Asterius of Amasea (4th century):

[Responding to Eunomian heretics who deny the cult of Saints]: Thus fathers or mothers will take a sick child in their arms, neglecting medicine and physicians, and fly to an assistance unknown to art; and, coming to one of the martyrs, will prefer their prayer to the Lord through him—thus addressing their mediator: “Thou, who hast suffered for Christ, intercede for this suffering and disease. Thou who hast power with God, use thy intercession for thy fellow-servants. For although thou hast left this life, at least thou knowest the sufferings of humanity. Thou, too, hast invoked the martyrs, before thou wast a martyr. Seeking, thou hast then received; and now that thou hast, bestow upon us. By thy blood may we be healed, as the world is by that of Christ.” Another, about to be married, invokes the blessings of the martyrs on his nuptial chamber. No one undertaking a voyage sets sail before he has invoked the Lord of the sea through the martyrs.”

For as our prayers are not sufficient to propitiate God in a time of necessity and distress, we fly for succour to those of our fellow-servants who are beloved of God, that they, by their own merits, may remedy our delinquencies. What fault, then, is there if we desire to please God by honouring the martyrs? What harm, if we fly for succour to them as our patrons?

Let us, then, pray to God, but let us also invoke the martyrs, that they would obtain from our common Lord, that the spirit of repentance may be granted to those who are captive to heretical pravity, that all dissensions being destroyed we may join together in fraternal unity in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory throughout all ages.¹⁶

St. Augustine of Hippo (5th century):

As to our paying honor to the memory of the martyrs, and the accusation of Faustus, that we worship them instead of idols, I should not care to answer such a charge, were it not for the sake of showing how Faustus, in his desire to cast reproach on us, has overstepped the Manichæan inventions, and has fallen heedlessly into a popular notion found in Pagan poetry, although he is so anxious to be distinguished from the Pagans. For in saying that we have turned the idols into martyrs, he speaks of our worshiping them with similar rites, and appeasing the shades of the departed with wine and food… It is true that Christians pay religious honor to the memory of the martyrs, both to excite us to imitate them and to obtain a share in their merits, and the assistance of their prayers. But we build altars not to any martyr, but to the God of martyrs, although it is to the memory of the martyrs. No one officiating at the altar in the saints’ burying-place ever says, We bring an offering to you, O Peter! Or O Paul! Or O Cyprian! The offering is made to God, who gave the crown of martyrdom, while it is in memory of those thus crowned. The emotion is increased by the associations of the place, and love is excited both towards those who are our examples, and towards Him by whose help we may follow such examples. We regard the martyrs with the same affectionate intimacy that we feel towards holy men of God in this life, when we know that their hearts are prepared to endure the same suffering for the truth of the gospel. There is more devotion in our feeling towards the martyrs, because we know that their conflict is over; and we can speak with greater confidence in praise of those already victors in heaven, than of those still combating here. What is properly divine worship, which the Greeks call latria, and for which there is no word in Latin, both in doctrine and in practice, we give only to God. To this worship belongs the offering of sacrifices; as we see in the word idolatry, which means the giving of this worship to idols.¹⁷

We can see your fruits that came by the will of God: you [St. Paul] are read everywhere, chanted everywhere, everywhere you are converting to Christ the hearts that oppose him, everywhere as a good shepherd you are gathering huge flocks. You [St. Paul] are reigning with the one you stoned [St. Stephen], reigning with Christ. There you can both see each other, can both now hear my sermon; both of you please pray for us. He will listen to you both, the one who crowned you, one first, the other later on, one who suffered persecution, the other who did the persecuting. The first was a lamb then, the other was a wolf; now, though, both are lambs. May the lambs acknowledge us, and see us in the flock of Christ. May they commend us to him in their prayers, so as to obtain a quiet and tranquil life for the Church of their Lord.¹⁸

Filled with a feeling of confidence, [the mother] picked up the dead child and hurried off to the shrine of the blessed martyr Stephen, and began to demand her son back from him, saying, “Holy martyr, you can see that I have been left without any consolation at all. I mean, I can’t say my son has gone ahead of me, since you know very well he has perished. You at least can see why I am so grief-stricken. Give my son back to me, so that I may have him in the presence of the one who crowned you.” While she was praying in these and similar terms, and her tears were not asking but, as I said, demanding to be heard, her son came back to life. And because she had said, “You know why I want him,” God also wished to reveal what her real spirit was. She took him straightaway to the presbyters, he was baptized, sanctified, anointed, hands were laid on him; when all the sacraments were completed, he was taken from her. She, for her part, conducted his funeral with such a tranquil expression that it seemed she was laying him, not in the silence of the grave, but in the lap of the martyr Stephen. The woman’s faithful heart was tried and passed the test. So could not God have cured these two in a place where he performed such a miracle as that through his martyr?¹⁹

There was a fellow-townsman of ours at Hippo, Florentius, an old man, religious and poor, who supported himself as a tailor. Having lost his coat, and not having means to buy another, he prayed to the Twenty Martyrs, who have a very celebrated memorial shrine in our town, begging in a distinct voice that he might be clothed. Some scoffing young men, who happened to be present, heard him, and followed him with their sarcasm as he went away, as if he had asked the martyrs for fifty pence to buy a coat. But he, walking on in silence, saw on the shore a great fish, gasping as if just cast up, and having secured it with the good-natured assistance of the youths, he sold it for curing to a cook of the name of Catosus, a good Christian man, telling him how he had come by it, and receiving for it three hundred pence, which he laid out in wool, that his wife might exercise her skill upon, and make into a coat for him. But, on cutting up the fish, the cook found a gold ring in its belly; and immediately, moved with compassion, and influenced, too, by religious fear, gave it up to the man, saying, See how the Twenty Martyrs have clothed you. ²⁰

Eucharius, a Spanish priest, residing at Calama, was for a long time a sufferer from stone. By the relics of the same martyr [Stephen], which the bishop Possidius brought him, he was cured. Afterwards the same priest, sinking under another disease, was lying dead, and already they were binding his hands. By the succor of the same martyr he was raised to life, the priest’s cloak having been brought from the oratory and laid upon the corpse.²¹

St. Cyril of Alexandria (5th century):

Hail, Mary, Mother of God, venerable treasure of the universe, inextinguishable lamp, crown of virginity, scepter of orthodoxy, temple which cannot be destroyed, through whom the Holy Trinity is glorified, through whom the precious cross is celebrated and adored all over the world, through whom the churches are founded throughout the universe, through whom nations are brought to repentance… What mortal is capable of adequately celebrating the most glorious Mary?

Hail, Mary, Mother of God, through whom every faithful soul is saved! Hail, Mary, Mother of God, for through thee the waves of ocean have safely and peacefully carried our fellow-servants and brethren in the ministry [to Ephesus].²²

St. Paulinus of Nola (6th century):

O Father [Felix], O Lord, listen to thy unworthy servants… Make the paths through the waters easy, drive away the obstacles placed in our way, and give us a happy voyage… Under thy leadership [St. Felix] I have crossed the seas, I have felt thy protection, overcoming by the power of Christ the angry waters, and I go always in safety through thy succor, whether on land or by sea.²³

St. John of Damascus (7th century):

Hail, Mary, sweetest little daughter of Anna! For my desire draws me toward you again… Those who confess you as Theotokos have been blessed and those who deny you have been cursed! O holy couple, Joachim and Anna, accept from me this birthday oration! O daughter of Joachim and Anna and lady, accept an oration from one who is a sinful servant but who is on fire with love and reverence, and who has clung to you alone as hope of joy, supporter of life, mediator towards your Son, and firm pledge of salvation!²⁴

St. Andrew of Crete (7th century):

Let us also offer praise in harmony with these [words] to the one who was once called sterile [St. Anna], but who has now become mother of the virginal bridal chamber! Let us sing to her, along with Scripture, let us say how blessed is the house of David from which you have come forth! And also the belly in which God fashioned an ark of holiness which conceived him without seed! […] For indeed it is right and especially proper, as a result of divine thoughtfulness, for the one who has been deemed worthy of an [utterance] to be praised, having given birth to such a great fruit for us, from which sweet Jesus has come forth—Jesus who is himself entire sweetness and total desire, as well as the final object of all longings.²⁵

St. Germanos I of Constantinople (8th century):

But, O Mistress, who are alone my solace from God, divine dew for the burning heat within me, divinely-flowing drop for my withered heart, most far-shining torch for my darkened soul, guide for my journey, strength for my weakness, garment for my nakedness, wealth for my poverty, medicine for incurable wounds, banishment of tears, cessation of groans, alleviation of misfortunes, remission of pains, loosing of bonds, hope of my salvation! Hearken to my prayers! Pity my groans, and accept my lamentations! Having been moved by my tears, have mercy on me; as Mother of the benevolent God, be compassionate towards me. Look upon and assent to my supplication, fulfill my thirsty desire, and join me together with my kinswoman and fellow maid-servant in the land of the meek, in the tabernacles of the righteous, and in the company of the saints! And, protection and joy and radiant delight of all [human beings], deem me worthy, I beg you, to be happy with her in that truly inexpressible joy of God and the King who was born from you, and [to rejoice) in his incorruptible bridal chamber, and in unceasing and unending delight, as well as in the never-ending” and boundless Kingdom! Yes, Mistress! Yes, my refuge, life and succour, weapon and boast, my hope and my strength! Grant that I may enjoy with her the ineffable and incomprehensible gifts of your Son in the heavenly resting-place! For you, as Mother of the Highest, have, I know, the power that accompanies your wish, and it is for this reason that I take courage. May I therefore not be disappointed, wholly undefiled Lady, in my expectation! Instead may I attain this [expectation], Bride of God, who beyond reason bore the expectation of all things, our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God and Master, to whom is due all glory, honor, and veneration, along with the Father without beginning, and the life-giving Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.²⁶

Pope St. Gregory II (8th century):

But if it be the image of His Holy Mother, we say—“O Holy Mother of God, intercede with thy Son, Our True God, to save our souls.” Or it is of any particular martyr, as of St. Stephen, we say—“O Holy Stephen, who hast poured forth thy blood for Christ, having boldness, as the Proto-Martyr, intercede for us.” And so we say of any other martyr who hath borne testimony to Christ. Such are the prayers we offer by them: so it is not, as you say, that we call on our martyrs as gods. Turn from thine evil imagination, I entreat thee; and free thy soul from the scandals and from the curses which come upon thee from the whole world. Yea, the very children will make sport of thee. Go into any of the elementary schools and say, I am the opponent and destroyer of images, and they will throw their writing tablets at thine head: so that, if thou wilt not be taught by the wise, thou shalt by the foolish.²⁷

Iconoclast Council of Hieria (8th century):

If anyone shall not confess the holy ever-virgin Mary, truly and properly the Mother of God, to be higher than every creature whether visible or invisible, and does not with sincere faith seek her intercessions as of one having confidence in her access to our God… If anyone denies the profit of the invocation of the Saints… anathema!²⁸