Intercession of
the Saints:
Definition of Terms:
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The intercession of the saints is the belief that Christians may ask saints, who are considered to be in heaven, to pray on their behalf to God. The saints are seen as spiritual advocates who can intercede and present the prayers of the faithful to God. This practice is based on the belief in the communion of saints, which is the spiritual bond between the living members of the Church and those who have passed away. Intercessory prayers offered by saints on behalf of others are seen as expressions of love and support within the Christian community. The belief in the intercession of Saints can be illustrated through a few key points;
- That the more righteous can intercede on behalf of the less righteous.
- That this does not diminish Christ’s role as the One Mediator, but rather it is through Christ’s role as mediator that the members of His Body are able to act as mediators and pray for one another.
- That this can continue even after death.
Intercession:
The concept of seeking the intercession of holy individuals can be traced back to Jewish tradition, where figures like Moses and Elijah were revered for their closeness to God and their ability to intercede on behalf of others. In the Old Testament, there are instances where individuals like Abraham (Genesis 18:22-33) and Moses (Exodus 32:9-14) interceded on behalf of others, demonstrating the idea of mediation between God and humanity. In Genesis 18:26, when questioned by Abraham, God says that He will spare the wicked on account of the righteous. In Exodus 32:30-33, Moses is seen interceding on behalf of Israel. In Job 42:8, God tells the wicked that Job will offer their sacrifice on their behalf. 2 Kings 13:21 recounts a miraculous event involving the bones of the prophet Elisha. God’s power is seen here working through a holy person’s relics, thereby supporting the idea of invoking saints for their intercession.
The New Testament also reflects the idea of intercession. For instance, in Matthew 5:44 and James 5:16, believers are encouraged to pray for one another, indicating the practice of intercessory prayer. Paul strongly encourages Christians to intercede for each other in his letter to Timothy (1 Tim 2:1-4). Paul also directly asks others to pray for him (Rom. 15:30–32, Eph. 6:18–20, Col. 4:3, 1 Thess. 5:25, 2 Thess. 3:1), and he assured them that he was praying for them as well (2 Thess. 1:11).
If believers on earth can pray for each other, it is plausible that saints in heaven could also intercede through prayer on behalf of the living. Throughout the Bible, there are instances of angels acting as messengers and intercessors between God and humans. For instance, in the Old Testament, the angel Raphael is portrayed as an intercessor for Tobit and Sarah in Tobit 12:12. Hebrews 12:1 refers to the “great cloud of witnesses,” which implies the presence and influence of departed believers as witnesses to the living, encouraging and supporting them in their faith journey. Luke 15:7 reminds us of the joy in heaven over even one repentant sinner. The saints in heaven therefore are aware of our hearts, rooting for our genuine repentance, and offering prayers on our behalf. Revelation 5:8 and Revelation 8:3-4 even depicts heavenly beings offering the prayers of the living to God in the form of incense.
The Communion of Saints:
To fully understand the concept of the Communion of Saints, one must first understand exactly how human intercession is possible. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 explicitly states that Christ is the one mediator between God and man. The Church also emphasizes that Christ remains the one mediator between God and humanity. The saints’ intercession does not replace or undermine Christ’s role but rather complements it. Christ’s unique mediation is the foundation for all prayers, including those directed to the saints. We, as Christians, are called to pray for one another, evangelize, and spread the Good news, which are all acts of mediation. It is through participation in the Body of Christ that Christians share in the role of Christ’s mediation THROUGH Christ’s unique mediation.
The ability of the Saints to intercede for us is tied closely to the concept of the Body of Christ. The Bible teaches the unity of believers as one body in Christ, known as the “Communion of Saints” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), which includes the Church on earth (militant), the Church in purgatory (suffering), and the Church in heaven (triumphant). The Communion of Saints recognizes that all Christians are part of one spiritual body, with Christ as the head. This interconnectedness means that the saints in heaven and the believers on earth are not separated but rather united in their devotion to God. Scripture indicates that those have died in Christ are not “dead” but are spiritually alive in Christ. Christ makes it clear in Mark 12:27 that God is the God of the living, not the dead and Ephesians 2:5 reaffirms that we are alive in Christ. The concept that the saints in heaven can indeed interact with the living is witnessed in Matthew 17:3 where Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus.
This concept emphasizes the unity and interdependence among all members of the Church. 1 Cor 12:21-26 demonstrates the dependence that all Christians have for one another as one cannot say to another “I have no need of you”. Our need of our brothers and sisters in heaven to intercede for us goes back to the concept of the more righteous interceding for the less righteous. James 5:16 states that the “prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective,” highlighting the efficacy of the prayers of righteous individuals. Saints, who are exceptionally righteous, have a greater ability to intercede effectively before God. They are thus powerful intercessors before God due to their close relationship with Him. As a result, believers can ask for the intercession of those in heaven, just as they might ask for prayers from fellow Christians on earth.
The Early Church:
The belief in the intercession of saints has been an integral part of Christian tradition since the early centuries of Christianity. Early Church Fathers like St. Ignatius of Antioch and St. Clement of Alexandria spoke of the intercession of saints as an important aspect of Christian belief and practice. Early Christians also had a strong reverence for the martyrs who died for their faith. Christian writings frequently mention the practice of asking deceased Christians, especially martyrs and saints, to intercede with God on behalf of the living.
The early Church developed a “martyr’s cult” where the memory of the martyrs were celebrated, and their tombs became places of pilgrimage and prayer. The relics of martyrs were venerated and were often kept in special containers known as reliquaries. Countless stories of miraculous healings and deliverances were associated with the veneration of relics during this period. Many early Christian basilicas and churches were built over the graves of martyrs. For example, the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City was built over the tomb of Saint Peter, who is considered one of the earliest martyrs of the Christian faith.
These practices, along with the writings of the early Christian theologians and Church Fathers, point to a strong and widespread belief in the intercession of Saints in the early church. While there was not a fully developed doctrine as it exists today, there are clear indications of the veneration and invocation of saints for their intercession.
Common Misconceptions:
Necromancy vs. the Communion of Saints;
Necromancy, which is strictly prohibited in Deuteronomy 18:10-11, involves attempting to communicate with the dead or summoning spirits to gain information or power. An example of this is given in 1 Samuel 28:3-25 where King Saul seeks out a medium to summon the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel for the purpose of gaining insight and guidance. Intercession of the Saints, on the other hand, is the belief that the saints in heaven can pray on behalf of the living, acting as intercessors before God. The distinction lies in the intent and nature of the act, as asking for the prayers of souls in heaven does not involve supernatural communication with the dead for the intention of gaining arcane knowledge that God Himself did not wish to impart.
Prayer vs. Worship;
When Catholics pray to the saints, they use the word “pray” in a specific context. The term “pray” in this context does not mean they are worshiping the saints as deities, but rather they are making a request or seeking intercession from the saints to pray for them or on their behalf.
The Webster Dictionary defines prayer as:
- To address a Supreme Being, as in worship, or
- To petition; to plead; or to ask, as for a favor.
While prayer can be a form of worship when it is directed towards God, it can also simply mean “to ask”. It is in this sense that Catholics use the term “pray” when speaking of “praying to the Saints.”
In Early Modern English (circa 1500-1700) and Victorian English (circa 19th century), the use of the word “pray” as a polite and formal request became common usage. It was commonly used by writers like Shakespeare to denote respectful inquiries or by authors like John Milton, Jane Austen, and Charles Dickens to indicate polite requests or questions. Examples of this can be found in phrases like “pray tell” and “pray, give me assistance” as used by Shakespeare or “pray proceed” or “pray, enlightenment me” or “pray, take a seat” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, or even in the King James Bible when Bathsheba says, “I pray thee, sir, say me not nay” (1 Kings 2:20, KJV).
Language is dynamic, and meanings can shift based on usage and cultural factors. While “pray” still retains its original meaning of “to ask” or “to request,” its connotations might vary depending on the context and the prevailing cultural norms. The development of the usage of “pray” in relation to worship and prayer is influenced by various historical and religious factors, including the Protestant Reformation. During the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, one of the central theological differences between Protestantism and Catholicism was the understanding of worship and the concept of the Mass.
Protestants rejected certain Catholic practices, such as the belief in the sacrificial nature of the Mass. The importance of individual worship and personal relationship with God became central to Protestant practices. As a result, the act of prayer itself became a more significant aspect of worship. Consequently, the association of “pray” with “worship” became more prominent in Protestant contexts, resulting in a tendency to understand the word “pray” specifically as worship. In recognition of the evolution of language, the Church has began to move away from the phrase “praying to the Saints” and has instead began to adopt the phrase the “invocation of the Saints intercession” in its place.
Bible Verses:
Job 42:8
“Now therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.”
2 Kings 13:21
“So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.”
2 Maccabees 15:14–17
“Thus having gone through the whole army with his invincible word, this was the manner of his prayers: When he had ended these words, there came a fire out of the rock, and consumed the sacrifices toward the altar, and the light shone from the rock, so that all wondered.”
Tobit 12:12
“I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
Luke 15:7
“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 16:19-31
The parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Mark 12:27
“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken.”
Ephesians 2:5
“even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”
Matthew 17:3
“And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
The analogy of the body of Christ, with each believer as a part of the body.
Church Father Quotes:
The Epistle of Barnabas (Written ca 70 A.D.)
“Thou shalt remember the day of judgment night and day, and thou shalt seek out day by day the persons of the saints, either laboring by word and going to exhort them and meditating how thou mayest save souls by thy word, or thou shalt work with thy hands for a ransom for thy sins.” – The Epistle of Barnabas 19:10
The Shepherd of Hermas (Written ca 90 A.D.)
“The Shepherd said: ‘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, [Hermas,] having been strengthened by the holy angel [you saw], 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?’” (The Shepherd 3:5:4 [A.D. 80]).
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 A.D.)
“In this way is he [the true Christian] always pure for prayer. He also prays in the society of angels, as being already of angelic rank, and he is never out of their holy keeping; and though he pray alone, he has the choir of the saints standing with him [in prayer]” (Miscellanies 7:12 [A.D. 208]).
Origen of Alexandria (184-253 A.D.)
“But not the high priest [Christ] alone prays for those who pray sincerely, but also the angels . . . as also the souls of the saints who have already fallen asleep” (Prayer 11 [A.D. 233]).
Cyprian of Carthage (200-258 A.D.)
“Let us remember one another in concord and unanimity. Let us on both sides [of death] always pray for one another. Let us relieve burdens and afflictions by mutual love, that if one of us, by the swiftness of divine condescension, shall go hence first, our love may continue in the presence of the Lord, and our prayers for our brethren and sisters not cease in the presence of the Father’s mercy” (Letters 56[60]:5 [A.D. 253]).
Sub Tuum Praesidium (Prayer ca. 250 A.D.)
“We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers,O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.” – Sub Tuum Praesidium Prayer
Funerary Inscription of Atticus (ca 300 A.D.)
“Atticus, sleep in peace, secure in your safety, and pray anxiously for our sins” (funerary inscription near St. Sabina’s in Rome [A.D. 300]).
Funerary Inscription of Matronata Matrona (ca 300 A.D.)
“Pray for your parents, Matronata Matrona. She lived one year, fifty-two days” (funerary inscription near St. Sabina’s in Rome [A.D. 300]).
Ryland’s Papyrus (Written ca 350 A.D.)
“Mother of God, listen to my petitions; do not disregard us in adversity, but rescue us from danger” (Rylands Papyrus 3 [A.D. 350]).
Methodius of Olympus (Martyred 311 A.D.)
“Hail to you for ever, Virgin Mother of God, our unceasing joy, for to you do I turn again. . . . Hail, you treasure of the love of God. Hail, you fount of the Son’s love for man” (Oration on Simeon and Anna 14 [A.D. 305]).
“Therefore, we pray [ask] you, the most excellent among women, who glories in the confidence of your maternal honors, that you would unceasingly keep us in remembrance. O holy Mother of God, remember us, I say, who make our boast in you, and who in august hymns celebrate the memory, which will ever live, and never fade away” (ibid.).
“And you also, O honored and venerable Simeon, you earliest host of our holy religion, and teacher of the resurrection of the faithful, do be our patron and advocate with that Savior God, whom you were deemed worthy to receive into your arms. We, together with you, sing our praises to Christ, who has the power of life and death, saying, ‘You are the true Light, proceeding from the true Light; the true God, begotten of the true God’” (ibid.).
Ephraim the Syrian (306-373 A.D.)
“You victorious martyrs who endured torments gladly for the sake of the God and Savior, you who have boldness of speech toward the Lord himself, you saints, intercede for us who are timid and sinful men, full of sloth, that the grace of Christ may come upon us, and enlighten the hearts of all of us so that we may love him” (Commentary on Mark [A.D. 370]).
“Remember me, you heirs of God, you brethren of Christ; supplicate the Savior earnestly for me, that I may be freed through Christ from him that fights against me day by day” (The Fear at the End of Life [A.D. 370]).
Hilary of Poitiers (310-367 A.D.)
“To those who wish to stand [in God’s grace], neither the guardianship of saints nor the defenses of angels are wanting” (Commentary on the Psalms 124:5:6 [A.D. 365]).
“There are, as Raphael told Tobias, angels assisting before the majesty of God, and carrying to God the prayers of suppliants. . . it is written: ‘For they are ministering spirits, sent for service, for the sake of those who will inherit salvation’ (Heb. 1:14). It is not the nature of God, but the weakness of men, which requires their service. For they are sent for the sake of those who will inherit salvation. God is not unaware of anything that we do; but in our weakness we are impoverished for a minister of spiritual intercession in the matter of beseeching and propitiating.” –Commentary on Psalm 129 [130]: 7 (Written 365 A.D.)
Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386 A.D.)
“Then [during the Eucharistic prayer] we make mention also of those who have already fallen asleep: first, the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition” (Catechetical Lectures 23:9 [A.D. 350]).
The Liturgy of St. Basil (Written 373 A.D.)
“By the command of your only-begotten Son we communicate with the memory of your saints . . . by whose prayers and supplications have mercy upon us all, and deliver us for the sake of your holy name” (Liturgy of St. Basil [A.D. 373]).
Epitaph of Pectorius (375 A.D.)
“Aschandius, my father, dearly beloved of my heart, with my sweet mother and my brethren, remember your Pectorius in the peace of the Fish [Christ]” (Epitaph of Pectorius [A.D. 375]).
Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 A.D.)
“May you [Cyprian] look down from above propitiously upon us, and guide our word and life; and shepherd this sacred flock . . . gladden the Holy Trinity, before which you stand” (Orations 17[24] [A.D. 380]).
“Yes, I am well assured that [my father’s] intercession is of more avail now than was his instruction in former days, since he is closer to God, now that he has shaken off his bodily fetters, and freed his mind from the clay that obscured it, and holds conversation naked with the nakedness of the prime and purest mind” (ibid., 18:4).
Gregory of Nyssa (335-395 A.D.)
“[Ephraim], you who are standing at the divine altar [in heaven] . . . bear us all in remembrance, petitioning for us the remission of sins, and the fruition of an everlasting kingdom” (Sermon on Ephraim the Syrian [A.D. 380]).
John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.)
“He that wears the purple [i.e., a royal man] . . . stands begging of the saints to be his patrons with God, and he that wears a diadem begs the tentmaker [Paul] and the fisherman [Peter] as patrons, even though they be dead” (Homilies on Second Corinthians 26 [A.D. 392]).
“When you perceive that God is chastening you, fly not to his enemies . . . but to his friends, the martyrs, the saints, and those who were pleasing to him, and who have great power [in God]” (Orations 8:6 [A.D. 396]).
Ambrose of Milan (340-397 A.D.)
“May Peter, who wept so efficaciously for himself, weep for us and turn towards us Christ’s benign countenance” (The Six Days Work 5:25:90 [A.D. 393]).
Jerome of Stridon (347-420 A.D.)
“You say in your book that while we live we are able to pray for each other, but afterwards when we have died, the prayer of no person for another can be heard. . . . But if the apostles and martyrs while still in the body can pray for others, at a time when they ought still be solicitous about themselves, how much more will they do so after their crowns, victories, and triumphs?” (Against Vigilantius 6 [A.D. 406]).
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 A.D.)
“A Christian people celebrates together in religious solemnity the memorials of the martyrs, both to encourage their being imitated and so that it can share in their merits and be aided by their prayers” (Against Faustus the Manichean [A.D. 400]).
“At the Lord’s table we do not commemorate martyrs in the same way that we do others who rest in peace so as to pray for them, but rather that they may pray for us that we may follow in their footsteps” (Homilies on John 84 [A.D. 416]).
“Neither are the souls of the pious dead separated from the Church which even now is the kingdom of Christ. Otherwise there would be no remembrance of them at the altar of God in the communication of the Body of Christ” (The City of God 20:9:2 [A.D. 419]).
Pope Celestine I (376-432 A.D.)
“I exhort you, most blessed brethren, that love alone be regarded in which we ought to remain, according to the voice of John the Apostle whose relics we venerate in this city. Let common prayer be offered to the Lord. For we can form some idea of what will be the power of the divine presence at the united intercession of such a multitude of priests, by considering how the very place was moved where, as we read, the Twelve made together their supplication.” –The Letter of Pope Cœlestine to the Synod of Ephesus 17, May 8th, 431 A.D.
John Cassian (360-435 A.D.)
“Sometimes too the pardon of our sins is obtained by the intercession of the saints, ‘for if a man knows his brother to sin a sin not unto death, he asks, and He will give to him his life, for him that sins not unto death (1John 5:16)”; and again: ‘Is any sick among you? Let him send for the Elders of the Church and they shall pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him (James 5:14).’” –Conference 20: Chapter 8
“But if you cannot secure perfection in goodness by the eradication of all your faults, you can show a pious anxiety for the good and salvation of another. But if you complain that you are not equal to this service, you can cover your sins by the affection of love. And if in this also some sluggishness of mind makes you weak, at least you should submissively with a feeling of humility entreat for remedies for your wounds by the prayers and intercession of the saints.” –Conference 20: Chapter 8
Balai of Qenneshrin (Died ca 450 A.D.)
“O Mother of our Lord, we place our trust in you truly, for your majestic Son listens to you kindly. To you be glory on the day of your mother’s memorial, O Son of God, who strengthens His martyrs. O blessed Mary, come and be the protection of our weakness, that we may live in grace with you through your prayers. O holy ones, be our companions, with mercy. Persevere in prayer and righteousness before God. Help us fervently with prayer, martyrs, and expel the Evil One, for behold, he constantly harms us. Call the departed and raise them by way of command, Son of God, for You are truly the Resurrection. May the commemoration of [Saint] Thomas bring blessings to us, and his prayer be a bulwark to our souls. O departed, tomb-dwellers, be comforted. The Good News is upon you, for Resurrection is standing at the door. Glory be to the Father, who chose Mary among all generations, and worship be to the Son, whose hidden power dwells in the holy ones. The one who has always loved fasting and rejoices in it, their lives are joined to God, and they delight in Him. May the Church worship the Father, who crowned her with the crown of fasting, and may her children give thanks to the Son, who fasted for our sake. Pray on our behalf to your Lord, who is pleased with you, that through your prayer we may rejoice in your gladness. We beseech the martyrs and entreat them earnestly to implore with us the Lord, who crowned them.” – The Book of Hymns (also called the “Sliba” or “Sliba d-Mari”) of Balai: Hymn on the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. The Liturgical texts of the Syriac Orthodox Church
Jacob of Serugh (451-521 A.D.)
“O Son of God, by her prayers make your peace to dwell in heaven, in the depths, and among all the counsels of her sons. Make wars to cease, and remove trials and plagues; bestow calm and tranquility on seafarers. Heal the infirm, cure the sick, fill the hungry; be a Father to orphans whom death has left destitute. In your piety, drive out devils who harass mankind, and exalt your Church to the four quarters of the globe, that it may sing your praise. Watch over priests and purify ministers; be a guardian of old age and youth. O Bridegroom Christ, to you be praise from every mouth, and on us be mercy at all times. Amen.” –On the Death and Burial of the Virgin Mother of God. S. Martyrii, qui et Sahdona quae supersunt omnia [Paris and Leipzig: Harrassowitz, 1902], 709–719. tr. Mary Hansbury, On the Mother of God. Jacob of Serug, with an introduction by Sebastian Brock [Crestwood, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1998], 89–100, here 99–100). See also Puthuparampil, Mariological Thought, 343–344.
Severus of Antioch (459-538 A.D.)
“We implore her who is the birthgiver of God and pray her to intercede for us, she who is honored by all the saints.” -Ottoeco, hymn 118, Patrologia Graeca (PG) Volume 89
Romanos the Melodist (Died ca 560 A.D.)
“Cease your laments; I will make myself your advocate in my Son’s presence. Meanwhile, no more sadness, because I have brought joy to the world. For it is to destroy the kingdom of sorrow that I have come into the world: I, full of grace. Then curb your tears; accept me as your mediatrix in the presence of him who was born from me, because the author of joy is the God generated before all ages. Remain calm; be troubled no longer: I come from him, full of grace.” –On Christmas 2, IO-II.
Modestus of Jerusalem (Died 630 A.D.)
“For he truly saves from all tribulation those who confess you to be Mother of God- the God who has initiated you into his mysteries, that you might be with him to intercede for us.” –Encomium on the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady, Mary, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin, chap 10
“Since you abide in his presence with full freedom of access, pray to him for his Church, that it may be preserved forever in this reverent state of mind. Hail, venerable, immaculate Mother of God! The Lord God came from on high to dwell in your womb as his earthly homeland, without being limited and without leaving heaven behind; now he deems you worthy to come from this earthly, temporal homeland into a better land in heaven, a place also given- through your mediation- to the saints as their longed-for goal.” –Encomium on the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady, Mary, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin, chap 10
“Hail, divine altar erected on God’s foundation! Through you the atoning and saving sacrifice for the whole world came forth, Christ our God. For from you, holy Mother of God, he put on that vestment of flesh prepared for him by the Holy Spirit, and came forth as “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek’ (Ps 109:4 LXX]; cf. Heb 5:6), as Scripture says; and he has decreed that he will take you as his partner, in order to provide forever a propitiatory sacrifice for all humanity, as you intercede for them Hail, Mary, resplendent spiritual Paradise!” –Encomium on the Dormition of Our Most Holy Lady, Mary, Mother of God and Ever-Virgin, chap 10
Theoteknos of Livias (550-650 A.D.)
“She [Mary] has free access to God, and so bestows on us spiritual gifts; she gives grace to our words, and teaches us wisdom, for she is the mother of wisdom.” –Encomium, Section 9
Maximus the Confessor (580-662 A.D.)
“She is the ardent intercessor with her son, Christ God, for all those who entreat her. She is the calm harbor of all those buffeted by waves, who rescues them from spiritual and fleshly waves. She is the guide on the way of life for all who have gone astray.” –The Life of the Virgin: Maximus the Confessor, Chapter 9, translation by Stephen J. Shoemaker
Germanus I of Constantinople (634-733 A.D.)
“May the Ever-Virgin – radiant with divine light and full of grace – Mediatrix first through her supernatural birth and now because of the intercession of her maternal assistance -be crowned with never-ending blessings. . . we should make our way honestly, seeking balance and fittingness in all things, as sons of light.” -Homily for the Liberation of Constantinople 23 (Written in 717 A.D.)
“For, just as in your Son’s presence you have a mother’s boldness and strength, do you with your prayers and intercessions save and rescue us from eternal punishment, for we have been condemned by our sins and do not dare even to lift our eyes to heaven above.” -Homily on the Cincture (Written ca. 700 A.D.)
Andrew of Crete (650-740 A.D.)
“O, how marvelous it is! She acts as Mediatrix between the loftiness of God and the lowliness of the flesh, and becomes Mother of the Creator.” –Homily 1 on Mary’s Nativity (Written ante 740 A.D.)
John of Damascus (675-749 A.D.)
“Jacob contemplated heaven joined to earth by the two ends of a ladder and saw angels going your up and down upon it and saw himself symbolically wrestling with the Strong One, the Invincible. So you have assumed the role of a mediatrix, having become the ladder by which God comes down to us, assuming the weakness of our nature, embracing it and uniting himself to it, and thus making man into a mind that can see God. Thus O Mary you have reunited what had been divided.”-Homily I on the Dormition 8 (Written ca. 730 A.D.)
“Through her, the reconciliation between us and him was ratified. Grace and peace were granted us, so that men and angels are united in the same choir, and we, who had been deserving of disdain, have become sons of God. From her we have harvested the grape of life and have cultivated the seed of immortality. For our sake she became Mediatrix of all blessings; in her God became man, and man became God.” –Homily II on the Dormition 16 (Written ca. 730 A.D.)
Theodore the Studite (759-826 A.D.)
“In addition, I follow the six holy and ecumenical councils and reject every error of heretical association. I also follow the Second Council of Nicaea which was recently assembled against the accusers of Christ. I accept and revere the sacred and holy images of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Mother of God, of the apostles, prophets, martyrs, and of all the holy and just. Moreover, I ask for their undefiled intercessions to propitiate the Godhead. With faith and awe I embrace their all holy relics as full of divine grace.” –Testament: Concerning Faith 1
“At this moment her natural form, radiant as the sun, is hidden; yet her light shines through her painted image, and she offers it to the people for the life-giving kiss of relative veneration, even if the heretics are unwilling. The holy dove has flown to her home above, yet she does not cease to protect those below; …gathered up to heaven, she banishes demons by her intercession with the Lord.” – Encomium on the Dormition of’ Our Holy Lady, the Mother of God (Written 747 A.D.) Patrologia Graeca: The Greek Fathers of the Church Vol 99. Edited Jacques-Paul Migne. 1857–1866
“Now the Mother of God shuts her material eyes, and opens her spiritual eyes towards us like great shining stars that will never set, to watch over us and to intercede before the face of God for the world’s protection. Now those lips, moved by God’s grace to articulate sounds, grow silent, but she opens her [spiritual] mouth to intercede eternally for all of her race. Now she lowers those bodily hands that once bore God, only to raise them, in incorruptible form, in prayer to the Lord on behalf of all creation.” –Encomium on the Dormition of’ Our Holy Lady, the Mother of God (Written 747 A.D.) Patrologia Graeca: The Greek Fathers of the Church Vol 99. Edited Jacques-Paul Migne. 1857–1866
Non-Catholic Quotes:
Martin Luther, Father of the Protestant Reformation
Such is the right interpretation and understanding of John’s expression, “We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren.” Here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that no man may boast of life unless he has love. . . . One who knows the wretchedness and misery of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain, such a person will desire for others the same blessing.” –Sermons of Martin Luther, ed. John Nicholas Lenker, Baker Book House, 1988, vol. 8, 52-54
Roy H. Schoeman, a Jewish convert to Catholicism
“The burial site of the three patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has been venerated continually by Jews since their deaths about four thousand years ago. As Catholics make pilgrimages to the tombs of “dead” saints (sometimes enclosed in churches) to pray, so do Jews, both in biblical times and still today. . . . Other tombs of Old Testament saints to which Jews go to pray include those of Joseph, Rachel, King David, and the prophets Haggai, Malachi, and Samuel, all of which have been venerated for millennia.” –Catholic Devotion to the Saints, in the light of Jewish Scripture and Tradition, available at www.salvationisfromthejews.com