If you are not familiar with Orthodox prayer, there are several steps you can take in order to learn how to pray to the saints. These include learning how to pray the intercession of the saints, the Way of the Pilgrim, and the study of the prayers. You can also find a quiet, private space where you can pray in silence.
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The Way of a Pilgrim
The Way of a Pilgrim is a book that takes the approach of treating prayer like a talisman. It starts by having a woman tell a story of how she repeated the Jesus Prayer over to protect herself from harm. Next, the pilgrim asks the woman to tell a story in praise of the Jesus Prayer. Unfortunately, the pilgrim puts too much emphasis on praying in certain ways. This can lead to prelest.
The Way of a Pilgrim is a book written in the nineteenth century. The author is not known. However, this work is considered to be written between 1853 and 1861. It is a popular guide in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Intercessory prayer
Intercessory prayer to saints is a tradition that is common to most Christian communities. It is practiced by the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches as well as the Roman Catholic Church and many Protestant and Reformed communities. The practice dates back to the earliest Christian communities.
Intercessory prayer to saints is not a substitute for prayer to God. While the vast majority of Orthodox prayer is directed to God, some are also directed to saints, asking them to intercede on our behalf. Hence, Orthodox believers often turn to the saints as their mascots.
However, Protestants have a hard time accepting the practice of praying to saints. They see it as a distorted form of Christianity. Some Protestants consider it a paganism that was corrupted by Christianity.
Studying the prayers
Studying the prayers to saints is not only an important practice to maintain your Christian faith, but it has many other benefits. For one, the prayers have proven to be helpful in a variety of situations. Whether you are studying for an exam or for a long term project, Orthodox prayers can provide the boost you need to succeed.
Orthodox Christians believe in the sanctification of their bodies and souls and seek to imitate God through their daily lives. As St. Maximos the Confessor writes, “Saints have attained theosis, total union with God through the Holy Spirit.” They have fought the good fight for the faith and applied scriptural virtues to their lives.
Setting up a quiet private place
The first step in setting up a quiet private place for prayer to your favorite saints is to pick a place in your home that is quiet. This space can be a family prayer area or a quiet place to pray alone. It should be easily accessible, and away from noise and high traffic.
Reasons to pray to saints
In some cases, the prayers to saints are used to solve a particular problem. While this practice is not forbidden, some Protestants object to it, saying that it is necromancy. In addition, they point out that prayers to saints are not according to Biblical standards. This second objection is more compelling, given that prayers to saints do not appear in the Scriptures or in the history of the early Church.
Orthodox Christians should know about the life of their heavenly protector in order to appeal to the saint in prayer. They should also mark the day on which the saint’s memory is commemorated with Holy Mysteries. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate this day more than their own birthday.
