The saints, their memory, and intercession
Orthodox Christians honor saints as living members of Christ's body, commemorate them, and ask their prayers. The saints' holiness and intercession depend wholly on Christ; adoration is offered to God alone.
Historical context
Christians remember exemplary witnesses to Christ. The churches disagree over requests for the prayers of departed saints, while all three traditions affirm that Christ is the source of salvation and that worship belongs to God.
Key points
- The Theotokos has a distinctive place among the saints because she bore the incarnate Son.
- Requests for intercession are part of Orthodox prayer and worship, not an alternative source of salvation.
Scripture
- Hebrews 12:1-2 — The cloud of witnesses is set beside the command to look to Jesus; the text does not itself prescribe invocation of departed saints.
- 1 Timothy 2:1-5 — The passage calls for intercessory prayer and names Christ as the one mediator; traditions interpret its implications differently.
- Revelation 5:8 — The heavenly elders present prayers in John's vision; its application to requests for saints' intercession is debated.
Primary sources
The Martyrdom of Polycarp explains:
The church of Smyrna distinguishes adoration of Christ from love and honor shown to martyrs as disciples.
For Him indeed, as being the Son of God, we adore; but the martyrs, as disciples and followers of the Lord, we worthily love
Passage context and translation
The Smyrnaean church answers the charge that recovering Polycarp's body would mean worshipping him. It describes love for martyrs and, in chapter 18, the keeping of Polycarp's remains and martyrdom anniversary. It does not here describe prayers addressed to departed saints.
Before the excerpt
it is neither possible for us ever to forsake Christ ... nor to worship any other.
After the excerpt
on account of their extraordinary affection towards their own King and Master