The prayers of the saints have become controversial in the church since the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Some Christian denominations view prayers of the saints as idolatrous and a distraction from God. Others believe there is value in asking the saints for prayers. Regardless, prayers of the saints are part of our Christian history (as are the saints themselves).
The saints are described as the church’s very members throughout the Gospels and Epistles. The saints included martyrs, messengers, leaders, preachers, healers, and more. The saints are the church and still are to this day.
What Bible Verse Mentions Prayers of the Saints?
Whether in this life or the next, the Bible has much to say about the prayers of the saints.
In this life, we see the importance of prayer for one another. We are to pray for one another as we confess our sins to each other (James 5:16). We are called to be in prayer at all times (Ephesians 6:18), to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We are told that prayers should be made for all people (1 Timothy 2:1-2), to pray for those that persecute us (Matthew 5:43-44), and how to pray to God our Father (Matthew 6:9-13).
The Bible also refers to prayers of the saints in the afterlife:
“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 golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (Revelation 5:8)
“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” (Revelation 6:9-11)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
A quick note about the Revelation passages: In high churches traditions (such as Anglo-Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern and Coptic Orthodoxy), incense is used highly, symbolizing the bowl of incense or prayers in Revelation 5:8. This passage can be referenced back to Ancient Israel using incense in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:12-13). It was pleasing to the Lord then, and it is pleasing to the Lord now, as are our prayers.
What Defines a Saint?
According to the website Catholic Education, saints are “the standard operating model for human beings.” Paul describes all believers as saints (Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Colossians 1:2). In Protestant and Roman Catholic traditions, we are all saints and should view and treat each other as saints.
In the high churches of Christianity (specifically Eastern and Coptic Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Anglo-Catholicism), the communion of the saints is a big deal. The saints are meant to be seen as wonderful examples to learn about and follow. In high church traditions, Christians ask the saints for prayers.
The common misconception about high church Christians is that we believe or view the saints as sinless or holier than we could ever attain. In reality, they are set apart from us. Those who have run the race are great saintly examples for us.
Why Does God Value the Prayers of the Saints?
As James stated, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James. 5:16). We are constantly called to pray for one another (James 5:16) and to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). God highly values the prayers of his children, the saints. When we pray for others, we rely on God’s care, love, and provision for them (Psalms 66:17-20). He loves hearing our prayers and seeing our humility in caring for one another through our prayers for each other. This is a common belief among Christians of all backgrounds. In the high church Christian traditions, prayers of the saints have a greater meaning.
What Traditions Use Prayers of the Saints?
High church denominations use prayers of the saints, although they may differ on which saints they mention. What each tradition has in common is a belief that they maintain the saints are not only praying for us right now, but that we can go before them and ask for prayers. This tradition of asking the saints for prayers goes back as early as the first and second centuries, as evidenced by the early church fathers.
“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]” — St. Clement of Alexandria, Miscellanies 7:12 [A.D. 208]
“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..” — St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 23:9 [A.D. 350]
“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” — St. Ephraim the Syrian, Commentary on Mark [A.D. 370], quoted in Finding God in Sin City by Richard Brodhagen
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High church denominations also have patron saints. Just as we would wholeheartedly ask a priest, close friend, or spouse to pray for us, we do so with a patron saint of our choosing. The choice typically depends on the understanding, inspiration, or life experience someone has with the saint. For example, I chose St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland. She is the Patron Saint of children, orphans, mothers, large families, learning, and queens. I come from a large family and have a love for teaching and working with youth. Consequently, she is near and dear to me in my prayers.
Before going forward, I should point out that this may be either confusing or even concerning to some Protestant evangelicals, which is okay. I came from an evangelical background and was an evangelical for 20 years. For years, I disbelieved that the saints could hear our prayers and pushed back repeatedly. Upon a closer look at Scripture, early church commentaries, and the guidance of the early church fathers, that belief has changed to where I believe we can ask them for prayer. This process was not an easy one, nor a quick one. It was a gradual process that came with a renewing of the mind and heart to where I was confirmed as an Anglican Catholic (also known as an Anglo-Catholic) during Holy Week earlier this year.
The belief in asking the saints for prayers can be boiled down to the following. If the saints are aware of the events on earth (Revelation 6:9-11), and they are praying for us (Revelation 5:8), and if we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1-2), then it is safe to assume that asking for their prayers is both biblical and edifying. As Roman Catholic theologian Dr. Jeremy Holmes puts it:
“If I know that [the saints] are aware of me and that they’re still interested, how weird would it be if I tried not to act on that in any way, to try not to acknowledge that fact in my own life…if the assumption is off the table, that [the saints] are out of communion with me, then wouldn’t it be an odd behavior towards someone who’s watching you, is witnessing you, is cheering you on, who’s praying for you to pretend that’s not happening, something would have to come out of that.”
Where Can We Read Prayers of the Saints?
Prayers of the saints can refer to asking the saints for prayer, or meditating on or using a prayer that a past saint has written. There are various books that one may find for this purpose. Below are some starting suggestions with prayers from multiple saints and devotionals for different hours of the day.
For Roman Catholics, there is the Catholic Book of Hours and Devotions, which has a variety of prayers from the saints, devotional hours, and more. Another is St. Gregory’s Prayer Book, which contains ordinates, hymns, devotions, and prayers and is geared toward Roman Catholics.
The Coptic Orthodox Church uses a prayer book called the Apeya. Here, they also have hours of the day for prayers, Gospel readings, the Psalms, and more.
Anglo-Catholics use the St. Augustine Prayer Book, filled with prayers for different situations and prayers of the saints. A classic book is the Book of Common Prayer, preferably an earlier edition like the 1622 original or the well-known 1928 edition. Written by the English Reformers, including Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, the Book of Common Prayer comes with morning, afternoon, and evening prayers, plus blessings, ordinations, the Bible in a year, and more.
5 Classic Prayers of the Saints
A classic and easy prayer that anyone can learn is “The Jesus Prayer,” written by the Coptic Christian monks of the fourth Century. Rooted in Scripture, the “Jesus Prayer” is a beautiful way to start the morning, endure temptations or anxieties, prepare the mind and soul for upcoming events, and more.
Another is the St. Francis Prayer by St. Francis of Assissi. It is a beautiful and poetic prayer of relying on the Lord for all moments of difficulty through humility and love.
There is also the prayer of St. Ethelworld, which is a fantastic prayer that calls on the holy trinity for guidance, wisdom, and discernment.
Another is the Prayer of St. John Chrystostom, which is a helpful way to start the day before having devotions and times of prayer.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Jasmin Awad
Trey Soto holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Biola University and an M.A. in Communication Management from the University of Denver. He is a photographer, a writer, and a podcast host at T.V. Trey Podcast. You can see more of his work on his Wix portfolio.
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