Orthodoxy through the Holy Bible
English Flowers of Orthodoxy 20
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY – MULTILINGUAL ORTHODOXY – EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH – ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ – SIMBAHANG ORTODOKSO NG SILANGAN – 东正教在中国 – ORTODOXIA – 日本正教会 – ORTODOSSIA – อีสเทิร์นออร์ทอดอกซ์ – ORTHODOXIE – 동방 정교회 – PRAWOSŁAWIE – ORTHODOXE KERK - නැගෙනහිර ඕර්තඩොක්ස් සභාව – СРЦЕ ПРАВОСЛАВНО – BISERICA ORTODOXĂ – GEREJA ORTODOKS – ORTODOKSI – ПРАВОСЛАВИЕ – ORTODOKSE KIRKE – CHÍNH THỐNG GIÁO ĐÔNG PHƯƠNG – EAGLAIS CHEARTCHREIDMHEACH – ՈՒՂՂԱՓԱՌ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆ / Abel-Tasos Gkiouzelis - https://gkiouzelisabeltasos.blogspot.com - Email: gkiouz.abel@gmail.com - Feel free to email me...!
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Saints & Holy Virgin Mary - Luke 9:30, Jude 9, Deuteronomy 3, etc.
We will look at some verses from the Holy Bible that show that the dead Saints live and understand and help us.
We pray every day to Holy Trinity, to Jesus Christ our Lord, to Holy Virgin Mary Mother of God, to Holy Angels, and to All Saints.
Holy Virgin Mary and All Saints are alive in the Heaven and they pray to God for us!
The dead Saints are alive in the Heaven and they can pray for us to God. Also they can appear on Earth like Prophet Moses in Luke 9:30.
Luke 9:30: "Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus".
Moses died in Old Testament times.
Death of Moses in Holy Bible:
Jude 9 (New Testament)
Deuteronomy 34:5-8, 31:16, 31:27, 31:29, 32:48-51, 33:1
Numbers 27:12-13
Joshua 1:2
Appearance of Moses on Earth after his death:
Luke 9:30
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Abraham who also died in about 1800 B.C., from heaven “saw it and was glad”(John 8:56).
He saw the Incarnation of Christ.
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About Saints and Holy Martyrs:
“Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”.
—Matthew 5:12
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The Eastern Orthodox Church call the Mother of Jesus Christ “Most Holy Virgin Mary” like the Holy Bible in Old Testament, in 4 Maccabees 7:4 call the Eleazar “most holy man”:
4 Maccabees 7:4 >
“No city besieged with many ingenious war machines has ever held out as did that most holy man. Although his sacred life was consumed by tortures and racks, he conquered the besiegers with the shield of his devout reason”.
Other one wrong of Protestantism is that the Protestants don't accept the 4 Maccabees (Book) of Old Testament and other 10 Books of Old Testament.
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Jesus Christ through the Holy Bible allows us to use the word “Saints” for virtuous people. 1 Corinthians 1:2 calls the faithful Christians to become Saints:
1 Corinthians 1:2:
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord theirs and ours”.
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Also, we know about their faithful Christian life of Saints before their death.
"Let your light shine before others"
About faithful Christians and Saints:
Matthew 5, 15-16:
"15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven".
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Jesus Christ and the Apostles used the Septuagint as their Old Testament
The Septuagint ("Translation of the Seventy") was and is the official and authentic Bible of the Orthodox.
In the New Testament we see that Jesus Christ and the Apostles used the Septuagint as their Old Testament.
Jesus in Matthew 4:10 uses Deuteronomy 6:13 from the Septuagint.
The Hebrews 11:35-36 is from 2 Maccabees 6:19-22.
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Christ said about His Church that it will exist FOREVER and will never be destroyed even if evil people fight against it with all their might and all demons:
Matthew 16:18: "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it".
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Christ in the New Testament tells His disciples that from among you there will arise scandals, so that you do not be scandalized, and woe to those who will cause scandals:
Luke 17:1: "Jesus said to his disciples: 'Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come".
This means that within the Church there are good and bad clergy. We must follow and listen to the good ones. Let us not forget that of the 12 Apostles, one was bad.
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About the salvation of non-Orthodox Christians
The New Testament in Romans 2:14 tells us that pagans who have never heard of Christ will be judged based on the law of conscience that God has placed in all people. That is, they will be judged on whether they were righteous, whether they committed murders, whether they had love, etc.
Romans 2:14:
"Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law."
Thus, according to Romans 2:14, heterodox Christians (heretical Christians) will also be judged if they have never heard of Orthodox Christianity, the Eastern Orthodox Church. If they have not heard anything about Orthodoxy, they will be judged based on the Gospel, based on the basic commandments of Christ, i.e. if they killed, if they were righteous, if they committed fornication, if they loved Christ, etc.
If a heterodox Christian heard about Orthodoxy but did not become Orthodox, then Christ, who knows his heart, will judge him justly.
But if someone who was baptized as an Orthodox Christian rejects Orthodoxy and becomes a heretical Christian (Protestant, Roman Catholic, etc.) or becomes a pagan (Buddhist, Hindu, etc.) or is initiated into another religion and does not return with the Sacrament of Holy Unction to Orthodoxy, then unfortunately he will not be saved because God deserved him to be born or baptized into 100% of the Truth and he rejected it.
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In order to receive Holy Communion, one must have confessed their sins to their Spiritual Father (personal priest) and have been given permission by their Spiritual Father to receive communion. If someone falls into major sins (e.g. carnal sins) then their Spiritual Father will tell them in confession to receive communion e.g. after 15 days or after a specific period of time. This is not a punishment, but medicine for the soul.
Every Orthodox Christian must confess 1-2 times a month and their Spiritual Father will tell them if they are allowed to receive communion. If we have not confessed or if we do not have the permission of our Spiritual Father, we cannot receive communion.
On this subject the New Testament says:
1 Corinthians 11:28-30:
"28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep".
Holy Communion is not a prize, but a medicine for the soul. That is why it is not advisable to commune without Divine Confession. Our Spiritual Father will tell us each time when we should commune.
In order to receive Holy Communion, our sins must have been erased. Christ in the New Testament tells us that our sins are forgiven when we tell them to the Apostles, i.e. to our Spiritual Father (priest) who has priesthood, i.e. the authority from Christ to forgive sins:
John 20:22-24:
"22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Also, in order to commune, someone fasts the day before, does not eat meat. His Spiritual Director will tell him what fast he will do one day before. We fast one day before for better spiritual preparation.
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As the New Testament says in 1 John 1:8-9, no man is sinless:
1 John 1:8-9:
"8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness".
Therefore, we all have sins and must confess them to our personal priest (our Spiritual Father) so that our sins can be forgiven and our soul can be cleansed.
Sins are divided into: thoughts, words and deeds.
e.g. angry thoughts, angry words, angry deeds
e.g. proud thoughts, proud words
e.g. carnal thoughts, carnal words, carnal deeds (sexual sins with thoughts, words or deeds).
etc. etc.
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Holy Confession / Repentance and Confession
Christ established the sacrament of repentance and confession after His resurrection. Directing Himself to His disciples, He said:
John 20:22-23:
“22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven”.
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The Holy Sacraments (Holy Mysteries)
Our Church has seven sacraments, and they are the following:
1. Baptism
(Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15-16)
2. Chrismation
(Acts 8:17, Act 19:6, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
3. Holy Eucharist
(Matthew, 26:20-9; Mark, 14:17-25; Luke, 22:14-38; John, 6:27-69; 1 Corinthians, 11:23-26)
4. Repentance and Confession
(John 20:22-24, Matthew 18:18, Acts 19:18)
5. Priesthood
(Acts 6:6, Acts 13:3, 1 Timothy 4:14, Acts 20:28)
6. Marriage
(Genesis 2:23-24, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:32, Matthew 5:32)
7. Holy Unction
(James 5:14-5)
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Holy Eucharist / Holy Communion
It can doubtlessly be said that the central sacrament of the Church is Holy Eucharist. It is the sacrament of sacraments. It was established by Christ Himself:
“When it was evening,” Jesus “took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, `Take, eat; this is My body, broken on behalf of all for the forgiveness of sins,’ and “He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, `Drink of it, all of you; for this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Christ added, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Matthew, 26:20-9; Mark, 14:17-25; Luke, 22:14-38; John, 6:27-69; 1 Corinthians, 11:23-26).
From these words of Christ we see that the Holy Eucharist is truly the body and blood of Christ. It is not a symbol. It is truly the body and truly the blood of Christ. Christ did not say that “this symbolizes My body” and “this symbolizes My blood.” He said, “this is My body” and “this is My blood.” Of course, even after the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, all we see with our human eyes is bread and wine. Even the taste on our tongues is that of bread and wine. In reality and in essence, though, that which we see and that which we taste is truly the body and blood of Christ. How does this happen? How does this change occur? No one can say. It is done in a mysterious way with the intervention of the Holy Spirit. As the celebrant says: “And make this bread the precious Body of Your Christ, and that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Your Christ.”
Therefore, from the above words of Christ we see that this sacrament was established by Christ “for the forgiveness of sins.” The main purpose of the sacrament then is the forgiveness of man’s sins. Along with the forgiveness, though, come the sanctification and glory, eternal life. This is why when the celebrant gives Holy Communion, he says to each person: “the Body and Blood of Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins and life eternal.”
Even from the words of Christ it appears that this sacrament of Holy Eucharist is preeminently the sealing of the New Covenant between God and man. It is the testament of reconciliation and friendship.
Beyond the above statements, the very words of Christ reveal that this sacrament has to be repeated “in remembrance” of Christ, of His incarnation, sacrifice on the cross, burial, resurrection, and of His ascension into Heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, and His second glorious coming.
In other places in Holy Scripture, Christ has assured us that His Body is “truly food” and His Blood is “truly drink.” Moreover, this is shown by the fearsome saying that “whoever does not eat My body and does not drink My blood, has no life in him.” This proves that the Holy Eucharist is the spiritual nourishment of man. Just as man cannot live without natural nourishment, so neither can he live without spiritual nourishment–the body and blood of Christ–without Holy Eucharist. Christ makes this very clear. He says that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life” (John, 6:53-54).
Holy Eucharist unites man with God. It deifies him. Since man unites with God, he also unites with other people. St. Paul says that “because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the One Bread” (1 Corinthians, 10:17). This unifying of the people among themselves into one body is like the unity of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We could say that the fruits of Holy Eucharist are the following: forgiveness of sins, cleansing, sanctification, justification, unity with God and with each other, spirituality, eternal life, glory, theosis.
In order for man to have all the fruits and benefits of the Holy Eucharist, he needs first to partake of it often. How often? Every time he attends the Divine Liturgy; and secondly, he needs to “approach with the fear of God, faith, and with love.” In other words, to approach worthily, with reverence and faith in God, and with total love towards God and man.
Holy Eucharist is celebrated in the Church, but it can be celebrated in an open space or anywhere for that matter in times of necessity. It can be celebrated once per day. It is performed during the Divine Liturgy. Bread and wine are offered. This bread and wine are sanctified and, though they are physical substances, through the intervention of the Holy Spirit they are transformed into spiritual things–into the body and blood of Christ. God created, out of nothing, the visible (physical) and invisible (spiritual) world. From physical things–bread and wine–He makes the body and blood of Christ.
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Baptism
The first of the seven sacraments of our Church is Baptism. It is sent from God. Christ Himself commanded it when he said to His disciples: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew, 28:19); elsewhere He said “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark, 16:15-16).
In these words of Christ we see firstly that He established baptism, and secondly that baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
It should be noted here that, even though He was sinless, Christ was baptized. He was baptized so that He could teach us in a practical way that we benefit from being baptized.
The command and example of Christ were applied by the Apostles, and are and will continue to be applied till the end of the world by the Church.
Actually, baptism should take place after catechism. The person who will be baptized is first of all catechized. He is taught the Orthodox faith. He accepts the faith and is then baptized. Infant baptism has prevailed, however, even from the first centuries of Christianity. Why? The reason is that no one should die unbaptized, since there is no salvation for him who is not baptized. You may ask what happens to a little baby that dies before it is baptized? We cannot answer this question. What we do know is that the baptized person is saved. What will happen to the person who apart from his own will, dies unbaptized is a matter for God and He will judge. We cannot know the will of God, nor can we become judges of God. What happens, though, with the catechesis of an infant? All the responsibility of the catechesis falls on the godparent and the parents of the baptized. They must catechize the baptized infant.
Baptism is performed with three immersions in water, just as Christ ordained, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Orthodox Church does not accept baptism by sprinkling or pouring of water, unless there is absolute need for it. It does not accept these other forms of baptism because the very word baptism means immersion, plunging in water. Christ said “baptized” not “sprinkled.”
He who is baptized is cleansed from original sin and from all other sins that he has committed up to the time of his baptism. His immersion in water symbolizes death. The sinful man dies. The baptized person is reborn and becomes a member of the Church, the mystical body of Christ. He puts on Christ. “Those who are baptized in Christ, put on Christ.” After baptism, or rather with baptism, he enters the Kingdom of God. He is saved. This creates a problem, however. Because he has entered the Kingdom of God, because he is saved, does this mean he will remain there? No. That will depend on the individual and the effort he puts into not soiling the new garment again with sin, and not dirtying the beauty of the soul. We say that it depends on the individual because “God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy, 2:4). Although with baptism he is cleansed from all sin and from original sin, the Christian does not cease to be free, and not unlike his forefathers who disobeyed God, so too after his baptism he may not follow God or do His will, but rather do his own will. St. Paul tells us “Do you know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans, 6:3-6). This is how it is. We should not be serving sin and working for the sake of sin after baptism. Unfortunately, though, many of us return to our old ways. Though we entered the Kingdom of God through baptism, it is possible to be driven out from the Kingdom of God by the sins that we commit, just as Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradise.
Baptism is also called illumination because with it man comes out of the darkness of sin and into the light of righteousness–the light of Christ. He is illumined. He becomes wholly light and life, and radiates divine light and spirituality. In the past, the catechumens were called the “illumined.” Baptism is also called the fountain of renewal because man is reborn through baptism.
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Chrismation
Chrismation is also known as Holy Chrism. As we said in the lesson on Baptism, the baptized person is cleansed from original sin and from all other sins that he has committed up until that time. He is reborn and becomes a member of the Church–the mystical body of Christ. He begins the new life. This new life, however, has its temptations. Satan does not stop working. The way Satan deceived Adam and Eve, so too does he try to deceive us everyday. Moreover, man does not cease to be free. He still has choice–the choice to follow God or to be deceived and follow the devil–the choice to do the will of God or to do his own will. The road is uphill and difficult. Man is a soldier who belongs, as we have already said, to the militant Church and so he struggles. For this battle he needs the armour of the Holy Spirit, and this is what chrismation provides. It gives the baptized person the armour, the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that he may continue his battle as a soldier.
Chrismation is a God-sent sacrament. It is based on the practice of the apostles whereby they would place their hands on those who had believed and had been baptized so that by the laying on of the Apostles hands these would receive the Holy Spirit. The two Scriptural passages that support this practice are as follows: “Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit,” and “when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them” (Acts 8:17;19:6). There is no doubt then that the sacrament of chrismation is God-sent and is an apostolic practice.
Chrismation is done immediately after baptism. In the past, in its attempt to closely follow the practice of the apostles, the Church practised chrismation performed by the Bishop. Because this was not always possible, the Church established the custom of preparing the Holy Chrism to be used by the priests. The Holy Chrism is prepared at the Ecumenical Patriarchate from forty different aromatic substances that symbolize the many gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is prepared with the participation of many hierarchs (many of whom are from the autocephalous Orthodox Churches) and is then distributed to all the Churches.
With this Holy Chrism the priest, immediately after baptism and having read the specified prayer, anoints the baptized person on all the members of his body and repeats the following phrase: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” And so the baptized person is anointed with the Holy Spirit in his renewed life and receives the gifts–the armour–of the Holy Spirit as he begins his spiritual battle. The phrase “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” that is repeated by the priest is based on the words of St. Paul when he says that “it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us His spirit in our hearts as a guarantee”(2 Corinthians 1:21-22). In other words, it is God who anoints us and seals us to remain faithful to Christ by putting in our hearts the Holy Spirit.
Even though chrismation is a God-sent sacrament, an apostolic practice, and is found in Holy Scripture, the Protestant churches have nonetheless done away with it, viewing it as non-sacramental and unnecessary for the salvation of man. The Roman Catholic Church accepts the sacrament of chrismation but performs it at a later age, between seven and twelve.
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Matrimony
The sacrament of matrimony is also established by God. As a matter of fact, its establishment was announced in the Old Testament. God created Adam and from the side of Adam He created Eve. When Adam saw the woman, He said: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh”(Genesis 2:23-24). God blessed the first-created and said: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it”(Genesis 1:28).
This divine establishment of the sacrament was reaffirmed by Christ by His presence at the wedding at Cana, and through what He said to the Pharisees who tested Him. Christ said to them: “Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh” (Matthew 19:4-6). With these words of Christ two things are reaffirmed. First, the physical unity of male and female gender supports the sacrament of matrimony. Secondly, no one should separate those whom God has joined.
This sacrament is an icon and likeness of the mystical unity of the bridegroom, Christ, with the bride, the Church, and this is how St. Paul presents it to us when he says: “This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church”(Ephesians 5:32).
Therefore, the Old and the New Testaments directly tell us of the sacrament of matrimony. Regarding Holy Tradition, it suffices to refer to the words of St. Basil the Great: “The nature of the bondage is a bond based on a blessing” and St. Photios says that “what makes the betrothal a leading into marriage acceptable by God is not the coming together, but the ceremony based on prayers.”
Our Church recognizes obstacles to marriage. In other words, it does not allow marriage between certain people. Specifically, it does not allow marriage between people related by blood and those related in spirit. Prohibited marriages are:
1. Parents with their own children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren.
2. Brothers-in-law with sisters-in-law.
3. Uncles and aunts with nieces and nephews.
4. First cousins with each other.
5. Foster parents with foster children or foster children with the children of foster parents.
6. Godparents with godchildren or godparents with the parents of godchildren.
According to the teaching of Christ, the sacrament of matrimony is indissoluble. For only one reason is marriage dissolved and divorce granted. Let us listen to Christ: “But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress”(Matthew 5:32).
For the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, two elements are required. First, it is required that there be free consent on the part of the groom and the bride. Secondly, a religious ceremony is required, performed by a bishop or priest with canonical, apostolic succession.
A civil marriage or one by common law is not recognized by the Church.
Christians should keep all the laws of our Church regarding the sacrament of marriage so that they do not sin, and so that they have the blessing of God for the betrothed to live honourably and happily, and to raise children in “the knowledge and teachings of the Lord.”
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The word "Mystery" is also mentioned in the New Testament for the Mystery (Sacrament) of Martimory (Wedding / Marriage):
"This mystery is great" (Ephesians 5:32).
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Many Protestants wrongly say that Holy Communion SYMBOLIZES the Body and Blood of Christ.
We Orthodox Christians, based on the words of Christ in the New Testament, say that Holy Communion IS the real Body and Blood of Christ (not symbolizes). While the Bread and Wine have the appearance and taste of bread and wine, in reality they are the real Body and Blood of Christ.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, what the priest gives with the spoon is Holy Communion, i.e. Bread and Wine that have become the Body and Blood of Christ.
During the Divine Liturgy the priest prays and the Holy Spirit descends invisibly and the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ.
“Take and eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).
“Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:27-28).
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Many Protestants ask: "But doesn't the Bible say, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5)? Why do we need to ask the saints to pray for us?".
We, Orthodox Christians, answer them:
Yes, Christ Jesus, both Man and God, is the only One who has reconciled fallen humanity to God the Father by His reconciling and redeeming life, death, and resurrection. But this does not mean that we never ask others to pray for us! We ask the departed saints for their prayers in the same way we ask our fellow Christians on earth to intercede for us. Since the departed remain alive in Christ, why should they cease to express their love and concern for us through prayer? Freed from the concerns of day-to-day survival on earth, unencumbered with the sinful tendencies of the flesh, and far more intimately knit together with Christ than we are, the departed are able to intercede for us much more frequently and powerfully than our friends on earth can pray for us. Those in heaven are able to do continuously what we on earth long to do, but usually only manage to do weakly and sporadically.
No wonder, then, that Christians from the earliest days have asked the departed for their prayers. This in no way means that we can only reach Christ by going through the saints, as if they are absolutely necessary intermediaries between us and God. Such an idea is completely foreign to Orthodoxy. Saint Paul clearly states, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God . . . let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).
But just because we pray, on our own, directly to God, does not mean that we never ask other people for their prayers! Indeed, we are commanded many times in the Scriptures to pray for one another. Saint Paul says to Timothy, "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1; see also Colossians 4:2-4, Ephesians 6:18, etc.). And we are taught by our Lord Jesus that the power of prayer is greater when more people are praying together: "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:19).
So, just as we feel comforted and strengthened when we ask friends, family, and Church members here on earth to intercede for us in a time of need, how much more can we feel comforted and strengthened when we also ask the Church in heaven for her prayers! (And we should not neglect to ask the angels for their prayers as well, since they are expressly sent to us as "ministering spirits" [Hebrews 1:14; also Psalm 91:11 and Isaiah 63:9]). Asking the saints, both those on earth and those in heaven, [***] for their prayers, and asking the angels, too, can all be understood simply as gathering the greatest amount of prayer support possible in a time of need!
[*** Just because the Orthodox Church canonizes certain people as "saints" (agioi) does not mean that Christ's followers on earth cannot also sometimes be referred to as saints (agioi), as by Saint Paul in Ephesians 6:18, Romans 1:7, etc. In the Divine Liturgy, the service done each Sunday in the Orthodox Church, shortly before the faithful receive the Holy Eucharist (communion), the priest proclaims, "Holy things are for the holy [ones] (agiois)"]
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We do not worship the Saints, we only honor them, remember them, and imitate them as much as we can.
Hebrews 13:7:
"7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith".
We also ask the Saints for their prayers to Christ because they are alive in Heaven like Moses in Luke 9:30 who appeared on Mount Tabor even though he was dead (Deuteronomy 35:5-8, Jude 2 etc.) and like Abraham in John 8:56 who saw the Incarnation of Christ from Heaven and he rejoiced!
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Most Protestants misinterpret 1 Timothy 2:5-6 by saying there is only one mediator between men and Christ.
1 Timothy 2:5-6
"5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time:"
1 Timothy 2:5-6 says that between God (the Father) and men there is one mediator, Christ (the Son).
But between Christ and men there are many mediators.
When we say to someone, pray for my child, that is mediation. It is mediation of men to Christ, not of men to God the Father.
God the Father is the First Person of the Holy Trinity and the Son-Christ is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity.
Between the Father and men there is only one mediator: Christ.
But between the Son (Christ) and men there are many mediators: all living men and all the fallen saints.
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Bible verses about prayers for the dead (Memorial service / Mnemosyno in greek)
Prayers for the dead are clearly seen in 2 Maccabees 12:41-46:
2 Maccabees 12:41-46
"41 Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.
42 And so betaking themselves to prayers, they besought him, that the sin which had been committed might be forgotten. But the most valiant Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forasmuch as they saw before their eyes what had happened, because of the sins of those that were slain.
43 And making a gathering, he sent twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection,
44 (For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead,)
45 And because he considered that they who had fallen asleep with godliness, had great grace laid up for them.
46 It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."
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In Nehemiah 9:2 we see that the Israelites confess their own sins and those of their ancestors in order to be forgiven.
The verses of Nehemiah 9:1-2 are in favor of fasting and in favor of memorials, that is, in favor of prayers for the dead.
In Nehemiah 9:1-2 we see that on the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month the Israelites gathered to fast, wearing sackcloth and ashes on their heads, and standing they confessed their own sins as well as the sins of their ancestors to God. In other words, they prayed for forgiveness, because when we speak to God, this is prayer.
We Orthodox Christians do this too with the memorial services and with the names of the dead that we give at the Divine Liturgy, but also in our individual prayer at home where we pray for our deceased relatives and for all the deceased.
Note: In the Divine Liturgy we give for prayer the names of living and deceased Orthodox Christians only.
But in our individual prayer at home we can pray for all living and deceased relatives, friends and strangers to us, whether they are Orthodox Christians or not.
Nehemiah 9:1-2
"On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors".
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Ruth 2:20 says that Boaz showed mercy for Naomi's deceased relatives.
In Ruth 2:20 Naomi told her daughter-in-law that Boaz is worthy of the Lord's blessings because he showed kindness and mercy both to us who are alive and to our relatives who have died.
This mercy of Boaz towards the dead is his prayer to God for them as we see it done in many other verses of the Bible where people prayed for their dead:
Ruth 2:20
" “The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” She added, “That man is our close relative; he is one of our guardian-redeemers".
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Sirach 7:33 also tells us to show mercy to the dead. We show this mercy through our prayers for the repose of the dead. After death there is no personal repentance, but God through the Holy Bible gives the Church the right to pray for the dead:
Sirach 7:33-35
"Be generous to every living soul, and be gracious to the memory of the dead".
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In 2 Timothy 1:16-18 we see that the Apostle Paul says that the Lord will show mercy to the family of the Apostle Onesiphorus and for Onesiphorus himself the Apostle Paul prays that the Lord grant that he may find mercy from God on that day.
The fact that the Apostle Paul says of Onesiphorus "may the Lord grant that he may find mercy from God on that day" shows that he had fallen asleep. Otherwise he would not have needed to say "on that day", that is, on the day of Judgment and the Second Coming of the Lord.
2 Timothy 1:16-18
"16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus."
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Another reason why we Orthodox Christians pray for all people, living and for the dead, is because in 1 Timothy 2:1 it says:
1 Timothy 2:1
"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people"
This "for all people" includes both the living and the dead.
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Saints do not replace Jesus Christ as the sole Redeemer, but rather intercede and pray for the faithful
In the Orthodox Church, saints do not replace Jesus Christ as the sole Redeemer, but rather intercede and pray for the faithful. Orthodoxy strictly distinguishes between worship/adoration (latreia), which belongs to God alone, and veneration/honor (timē), which is offered to the saints.
This theological stance is rooted in numerous biblical passages showing that the righteous pray for others and that the Church is one living body, spanning both earth and heaven.
1. Christ as the Unique Redeemer vs. Saints as Intercessors
The Bible states that Christ is the only Mediator who offered a saving sacrifice for humanity. The intercession of saints means supplication and shared prayer:
1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (Christ is the only mediator of salvation, but this does not invalidate the command for believers to pray for one another).
2. The Righteous Intercede for Others (On Earth)
Scripture shows that God often requires the prayers of His righteous servants to grant mercy or healing to others:
Genesis 20:7: God speaks regarding Abraham: "For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live".
Job 42:8: God commands Job's friends: "My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly."
James 5:16: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
3. Saints in Heaven Continue to Pray (The Church Triumphant)
Departed saints are not "dead" in non-existence, because "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:32). They retain consciousness and pray before the throne of God:
Revelation 6:9-10: The souls of the martyrs in heaven are fully aware and cry out to God: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood...?"
Revelation 8:3-4: "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand." (The prayers of the saints rise directly to God).
2 Maccabees 15:12-14: Judas Maccabeus sees a vision of the deceased High Priest Onias and the Prophet Jeremiah praying fervently for the people: "This is a lover of the brethren, who prayeth much for the people, and for the holy city, to wit, Jeremias the prophet of God."
4. The Unfailing Love of the Saints
The Church is the Body of Christ. Its members on earth and in heaven are bound by a love that does not end at physical death:
1 Corinthians 13:8: "Love never fails." (Since the saints loved us on earth, they continue to love and pray for us in heaven).
Ephesians 2:19: "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God."
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Aerial toll-house and Holy Fathers
References to the aerial toll houses (telonia) appear in numerous patristic texts, homilies, and hagiographies from the early centuries of the Church. While the specific imagery of "20 distinct custom stations" became popular later through medieval hagiography, the fundamental concept—that the soul ascends through the air and faces demonic scrutiny and accusation—is widely attested by early Eastern Fathers.
St. Justin Martyr (†165): In his Dialogue with Trypho, he interprets the prophetic words of Psalm 21:20–21 ("Save me from the lion’s mouth") as a prayer for the soul's departure. He notes that when we reach the end of life, we must ask God to "turn away every shameless evil angel from taking our souls."
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Aerial toll-houses and Holy Bible
In the Holy Bible, the specific word "toll houses" (telonia) does not exist in a demonological context, nor is there a detailed description of 20 distinct stations. However, proponents of this tradition base the teaching on several scriptural passages that speak of the spiritual warfare in the air, the role of demons as accusers, and the soul's immediate journey after death.
The primary Old and New Testament passages connected to this concept include:
1. The "Prince of the Power of the Air"
The most critical verse regarding the "geography" of the demonic realm is found in the Epistle to the Ephesians, where the Apostle Paul describes where fallen spirits dwell and operate:
"…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2)
In patristic commentary, the "air" represents the intermediate space between earth and heaven. Since demonic forces occupy this realm, the soul must pass through their territory upon leaving the body.
2. Spiritual Warfare in Heavenly Places
In the same epistle, Paul emphasizes that a Christian's ultimate struggle is not against human enemies, but against invisible cosmic rulers located in high places:
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)
3. The Devil as the "Accuser"
In the Book of Revelation, Satan is depicted not only as a tempter but primarily as a legal prosecutor who brings charges against believers before God:
"…for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." (Revelation 12:10)
The concept of an adversary presenting a record of a person's sins to claim custody over them is the exact theological foundation of the toll houses.
4. The Soul’s Escort Immediately After Death
In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Christ explicitly describes what happens to a righteous soul the moment it leaves the physical body:
"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom…" (Luke 16:22)
Church Fathers note that Lazarus required the protection and escort of holy angels to reach paradise safely, precisely because the journey through the air involves facing adversarial spiritual forces.
5. The "Ruler of This World" Has Nothing in Christ
Just before His Passion, Christ tells His disciples:
"…for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me." (John 14:30)
This verse is viewed as the ultimate spiritual standard. The devil approaches the departing soul to see if it holds any unrepented sin that belongs to his dark kingdom. Because Christ was entirely sinless, the devil found no legal claim over Him. Through repentance and confession, a Christian aims to ensure the devil finds "nothing of his own" in their soul at death.
6. Old Testament Precedents
Psalm 22:21 (LXX 21:21): "Save Me from the lion’s mouth and My congregations from the horns of the wild oxen." Early commentators like St. Justin Martyr interpreted the "lion's mouth" as the devil waiting to seize the soul at its departure.
The Book of Job (Chapters 1–2): Satan appears before God as a prosecutor, demanding permission to test, examine, and accuse Job regarding his righteousness and motives.
Also:
Hebrews 9:27
"Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment".
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What happens after death
With death comes the separation of the soul from the body. The body returns to the earth from which it was taken. It decomposes but it is not lost. The time will come when it will be resurrected, spiritualized and made incorruptible, at the time of the just judgement. And then it will be united with the soul to be judged along with the soul. In the meantime, the soul which was separated, through death, from the body, lives in a middle state. It undergoes the particular judgement. “It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes the judgement”(Hebrews 9:27). This means that immediately after death the soul is judged individually. It remains after this particular judgement until the final judgement, at the second Coming of Christ, having a foretaste of paradise or of hell.
At the final judgement, which will take place at the Second Coming of Christ, all people will be presented before Him to be judged. The evangelist Matthew tells us the following: “Before Him will be gathered all nations”(Matthew 25:32). At the final judgement, the souls will not be the only ones to be presented. We will be presented wholly, with our body and soul–with all our personhood. Body and soul will be judged. St. Paul tells us: “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
At the final judgement everyone will be judged according to their faith and their works. Christ will then separate the just from the unjust or sinners. “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34), and to the sinners He will say: “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). Then “they [sinners] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life”(Matthew 25:46). This will be the final judgement. After the final judgement, there will either be eternal life or hell–eternal punishment. There will be no changes after the final judgement. The just will be grounded in their righteousness and will always be righteous, and will live eternally. The sinners will be stabilized in their sin. They will not be able to change. They will live in hell. They too will live. They will not vanish, as some fools say. The above verse makes that vividly clear.
This will occur to man after death. In order for this to happen, two things must come first: the resurrection of the dead by which the soul will be reunited with the body, and the Second Coming of Christ.
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The resurrection of the dead
With death, the soul is separated from the body. It receives a particular judgement and remains separated until the Second Coming of Christ and the final judgement. At the final judgement, man will be presented before Christ as a full person, with a body and soul. For man to be presented like this, his body must be resurrected and be united with the soul. This will happen immediately before the final judgement. Holy Scripture absolutely assures us of this. Let us see some of its passages.
“The hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement” (John, 5:28-9).
St. Paul says “Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians, 15:51-52).
St. Paul says elsewhere, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians, 4:14-17).
From the above passages of Holy Scripture we are clearly taught beyond any doubt that:
a) The dead will be resurrected before the Second Coming of Christ and final judgement. “All who are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and come forth” (John, 5:28).
b) The resurrected body will be immortal. “The dead will be raised imperishable” (1 Corinthians, 15:52).
c) Before the Second Coming or during it, the living will be changed; in other words, their bodies, like those of the dead, will be spiritualized and made immortal: “The dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians, 15:52).
d) The living and the dead will proceed to eternal life or eternal hell. “And come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment” (John, 5:29).
With the resurrection of the dead and the final judgement, death is abolished. The end of the world also comes, but this does not mean the catastrophic end to the world but rather change and finality. Sin will disappear.
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Our Holy Guardian Angel - Holy Bible
In the Orthodox Church, the doctrine of the Guardian Angel is deeply rooted in the Holy Bible, spanning both the Old and New Testaments. Holy Scripture provides the foundation for understanding these heavenly protectors.
Key New Testament Passages
* Matthew 18:10: Jesus directly affirms personal angels, saying, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
* Hebrews 1:14: The Apostle Paul defines the purpose of angels: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
* Acts 12:15: When Saint Peter is miraculously released from prison and knocks at the door, the believers inside initially doubt it is him, saying, "It must be his angel." This reflects the early Church's active belief in personal guardian angels.
Key Old Testament Passages
* Psalm 90:11-12: "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone."
* Psalm 33:7: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them."
* Genesis 48:16: Jacob blesses his grandsons, referring to God as "the Angel who has delivered me from all harm."
* Exodus 23:20: God promises Israel, "See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared."
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Holy Bible & Holy Relics of the Saints
The veneration of holy relics is not a later human invention; it has deep roots in both the Old and New Testaments. The Bible demonstrates multiple times that God uses the physical bodies and personal belongings of holy people as instruments of His divine power and grace.
Here are the primary biblical events and verses that form the foundation for this tradition:
1. The Old Testament Roots
The Bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21)
This is the most direct scriptural proof of a miracle performed through the physical remains of a deceased holy person.
2 Kings 13:21:
"Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."
The Cloak of Elijah (2 Kings 2:14)
An example of a secondary relic (an object) carrying divine power. When Elisha took the cloak that fell from Elijah and struck the water, the Jordan River divided, allowing him to cross.
The Bones of Joseph (Exodus 13:19)
Moses took the bones of Joseph with him during the Exodus from Egypt. The Israelites carried these holy remains through the wilderness for 40 years before burying them in the Promised Land, showing extreme reverence for the physical remains of the Patriarch.
2. The New Testament Roots
The Hem of Christ’s Garment (Matthew 9:20-22)
The power of God transferred through the fabric of Jesus' clothing.
Matthew 9:20-22:
"Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, 'If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.' ... and the woman was healed from that moment."
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The Handkerchiefs of St. Paul (Acts 19:11-12)
This verse directly mirrors how the Orthodox Church treats secondary relics (cloths or items that touched a Saint).
Acts 19:11-12:
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them."
* * *
The Shadow of St. Peter (Acts 5:15)
Even something as intangible as a Saint's shadow, closely tied to their physical presence, became a vessel for God's healing power.
Acts 5:15:
"People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by."
* * *
3. The Heavenly Altar
The Martyrs Under the Altar (Revelation 6:9)
This New Testament vision directly inspires the Orthodox liturgical practice of placing relics inside the Altar Table.
Revelation 6:9:
"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained."
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Jesus Prayer and Holy Bible
In the Orthodox Church, the Jesus Prayer and the Holy Bible are completely inseparable, as the prayer is entirely built upon Sacred Scripture and fulfills the New Testament command to pray without ceasing.
The traditional form of the prayer is: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Every part of this sentence comes directly from the Bible:
* "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God" – This is the core confession of the New Testament. Philippians 2:11 states that "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." The title "Son of God" reflects Luke 1:35.
* "Have mercy on me, a sinner" – These are the exact words of the tax collector from Christ's parable in Luke 18:13 ("God, be merciful to me a sinner").
* The Cry for Help – It also echoes the blind man of Jericho who cried out: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38).
Orthodox spirituality uses the Jesus Prayer to put the teachings of the Bible into daily practice:
1. Praying Without Ceasing – Saint Paul instructs Christians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The short, repetitive structure allows anyone to pray it silently while working, walking, or resting.
2. The Power of the Name – Jesus promises in John 16:23: "Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you." Orthodox theology teaches that invoking the Holy Name brings God's immediate presence and grace.
3. The Inner Closet – Christ commands to "enter your closet... and pray to your Father who is in the secret place" (Matthew 6:6). Orthodox saints (Hesychasts) interpret this "closet" as the human heart, where the mind must descend to meet God.
Monks, nuns, and laypeople often use a prayer rope (chotki or komboskini) to maintain focus and count repetitions. The deep theology of this prayer is preserved in the Philokalia, a famous collection of texts written by Orthodox spiritual masters.
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