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INTERCESSORS!

Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
in Coptic Orthodox Church
Could everyone please write out a clear list of PROBLEMS and the INTERCESSORS that specialize in those cases, please?
Example below:

  • St Wanas: Retrieves lost things

Comments

  • ItalianCopticItalianCoptic
    Don't you think some responses may be a bit subjective? We don't usually have specified Saints like in the Roman church. I'm curious to see how these responses are going to be!
  • Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
    That’s not true! We have lots of Saints who are known to help in certain situations!
  • George27George27
    Interesting topic...
    I've never liked this interpretation of Saints, i.e. that there is a Saint that helps with specific things, but it may be a matter of misinterpretation on my part. Maybe as this discussion proceeds, I'll learn something that gets me to accept it more.
    It sounds to me like the idea of having a Saint specializing in a particular purpose is to pray to that Saint to help with that particular thing. The big problem here is that we don't pray to Saints. We remember Saints. We honor them. We Commemorate them. The story of certain Saints may inspire one person more than another for any particular reason, but we never idolize them.
    If the idea is to ask a specialized saint to intercede for us for a particular purpose, that seems like it has less of a religious problem, but it makes no logical sense. Our only source of help is God. Why would you ask St Wanas to ask God to help you find something, but ask a different Saint to ask God for a different thing? It seems to me like we are reducing the station of St Wanas to nothing more than that of a gofer. 
    The story of St Wanas is about a child with such natural faith that he served in the church during Roman persecution and accepted death before leaving his faith. How could you sincerely honor him and care about a lost thing?
  • Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
    If anyone can help, please do.
    If anyone cannot, then don’t.
  • [Deleted User]
    @Jojo_Hanna
    There’s this website: https://www.wataninet.com/2015/05/بالصور-كل-مشكلة-ولها-قديس/301079/

    There’s also: http://avakarasgergs.ahlamontada.com/t10860-topic

    They are in Arabic, so I hope you can read Arabic, if not let me know I can translate.

    There’s also Saint Abba Samaan el Akhmimi the martyr and he is the intercesor of those who are in pain or “el mota2aleemen”. There’s a great movie about him.

    God bless.
  • [Deleted User]
    @George27
    We are definitely not praying to the saints as you know we are only seeking their intercession. The reason why they “specialize” in certain distresses can be for either of two reasons. First, God may have promised them with that either before their departure or afterwards. For example, the martyrs, God has promised many of the martyrs before their Martyrdom that whoever names their child after them or builds a church after them, in the day of that person’s distress, God will save him. Second, they sympathy certain events. For example, Pope Kyrillos is known for his intercession with the students because he has always been even when he was still a monk, many students came to him and he was known especially for that. That doesn’t mean that God would not accept his intercession for anything else but that simply he is more known for it and he sympathizes with students more.
    God bless.
  • Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
    Thank you very much @msmekhaeel
    (I wouldn’t mind having those translations ;)
  • George27George27
    @Jojo_Hanna
    Was that comment directed at me?
    "If anyone can help, please do.
    If anyone cannot, then don’t."
  • [Deleted User]
    edited August 2019
    @Jojo_Hanna
    Anba Wanas: intercesor those who are in distress and lost things.
    Anba Terbo or Abo Terbo: intercesor for monitoring dogs or “controlling them”
    Saint Tetas: intercesor for those who have osteo or bone diseases
    Anba Barsoum el 3eryan: intercesor for monitoring or “controlling” snakes
    Saint Abou Sefen or Philopateer Merkorios: intercesor for incurable diseases
    Saint Abanoub: intercesor of children and women in labor
    Saint Abouna Yassa Mikail: intercesor for those who have kidney diseases
    Saint George the Prince of the Martyrs: intercesor for getting rid of the devils
    Anba Methaous el fakhory or “the potter”: intercesor for monitoring the hyenas
    Anba Shenouda the Archimandrite or ra2es el motawahedeen: intercesor for monitoring scorpions
    H.H. Pope Kyrillos: intercesor for cardiac or heart diseases and students
    Saint Abo Lonia: intercesor for dental diseases
    Saint Marina the martyr: intercesor for women in labor
    Saint Rita of Constantinople: intercesor for incurable distresses
    The Holy Saint Virgin Mary: intercesor for all diseases and those who are in distress
    Saint Abaskhayron el-kelyne: intercesor of students, brides, marriage and their problems, and of ladies.
    Saint Mar Asya the wise: intercesor for all diseases
    Saint Abouna Samaan St. Paul the monk: intercessor of the way and travelers
    Saint Jacob the Apostle: intercessor of Spain, workers, chemists, sellers of smaller objects, and soldiers. He is also an intercessor for those who have rheumatism.
    Saint Demetrius: the Orthodox church commemorates him on 10/26 of every year, he is an intercessor for those at war.
    Saint Joseph the Carpenter the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: intercessor for workers.
    Saint Valentine the Martyr: intercessor of love
    Saint Samaan of Akhmeem the martyr: intercessor of those in distress
    Saint Bereghan: intercessor for those who have cancer around the world.
    Saint Abakgron: intercessor for those in repentance
    Anba Abraam bishop of Fayoum and Giza: intercessor of those who are needy
    Anba Karas: intercessor for the angry that he may bring them peace and calmness
    Archangel Rafael: brings joy to the hearts
    Saint Mina: guides the way to his monastery
    Abouna Faltaous: intercessor for the impossibilities

    @George27 It is really incredible to see that another reason why those saints intercede for these certain situations is because they were a part of it when they were on earth and through their prayers, those miracles were performed through them. For example, Anba Barsoum as he controlled a snake that was in the church once and he spent many years with him. Anba Methaous once found a hyena when he was coming back from work with his friend and through his prayers, the hyena did not harm them but led them back to the village, along with many more saints who had similar situations. May their holy blessings be with us all.

    My Arabic is not too good so feel free to correct me on anything.
  • Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
    Thank you sooooooo much @msmekhael
    This is a golden thread!!
  • Jojo_HannaJojo_Hanna
    Where is the term "INTERCESSION" mentioned in the scriptures?
  • George27George27
    This is a copy of a related answer...

    Forms of the word shows up, but I don't think it ever refers to speaking to saints to have them pray for us.

    For Example Isaiah 53:12:
    "Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors."

    1 Timothy 2:1:
    "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,"
  • George27George27
    What it actually does say is this (1 Timothy 2:5):
    "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,"

    I think protestants take the interpretation of that too far in that they are against honoring/commemorating Saints at all, but it does make me a little uneasy about some things being said in this thread.

    Learning about the lives of the Saints is wonderful. Honoring them is wonderful. I think there is no debate here.

    I think asking for the prayer of the Saints in a very simple and direct way is a great way to honor that Saint. It acknowledges that Saint in a way that does not draw any attention away from God. I think this practice is also healthy for us. If we identify with a Saint because we identify with something in their life story and we acknowledge that their victory is in their union with God, it encourages us to follow in their footsteps. I don't think this violates 1 Tim 2:5 (et. al.).

    On the other hand it seems wrong to try to "converse with" (I think this is a euphemism for "pray to") a Saint at length and think that it is that Saint who is helping you. This does draw attention from God and seems wrong to me.

    In addition it implies things about the afterlife that we simply don't know from revelation or Church Tradition. There is no way we can know what Saints are praying for, we simply have faith that they are with God. If we project our assumptions about what they "must be thinking" we are giving ourselves too much credit.
  • [Deleted User]
    Hello @George27,
    You do make very good points and I agree with most of them. Yes identifying with saints helps our spiritual life grow and does and should not draw from our prayers with God. You also make a point that it may seem wrong to converse with saints and ask them to help us, if I understood you correctly. What I found interesting though is that you used “pray to” as a synonym to “converse with” which I can not find a relation. Earlier you said that it is okay to speak to those saints and learn from their lives which is what conversing is, having a conversation and it is a 2-way relationship. Praying to, on the other hand, is a 1-way relationship so I am not sure why you used them to mean the same thing. With this being said, in unhealthy ways, it can draw our attention from God but we need to keep our conversations with the saints in check. The main reason we converse with the saints is that so they may teach us how to be closer to God as they were and for them to intercede for us in front of God. Forgive me I am limited in understanding but God is feared and fear His judgement but He is compassionate and we Love Him with all our hearts, minds, and understandings. Saints and Martyrs were human like us and fought the good strife so we ask them to pray for us so that God may help us on our journey just as He helped them reach Him. On the day of judgement, I think of it as God is the Eternal Judge and they are the conquers and our attorneys, we ask them to intercede and pray for us that God may forgive us our many sins and that we may be able to enjoy eternal life with Him. Yes if we only talk to the saints that’s a big problem but the conversations we have with the saints should facilitate our relationship with God and make it grow as we apply what we learn from the saints and their holy lives on earth. For your last comment, we do know that the saints pray for the world and for the sins of the world that God may have mercy upon us. For example, the four incorporeal creatures ask God on our behalf as a humanity and also as the earth. We also ask for St. Mary’s intercessions and for all the saints for their prayers for the earth and all the church and everyone in the world.
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