Catechism 9: Prayer, Saints, Mary, and Icons (2022)

[@Athonite]

Thank you, father. I have severe social anxiety, yet am drawn to the church. I like people, but have a hard time getting along with them. Blessings to you!

[@philipeconomou7039]

I am a 56 year old cradle Orthodox and love listening to your catechisms!

[@BubbaJ18]

This video has made me tenfold more confident in this topic, thank you Father 🙏

[@logangriffith4950]

Thanks for these videos. I was chrismated in December and seeing there was no Saint with a name similar to mine i chise St Moses the Ethiopian, his story always makes my eyes tear up

[@parkbear2370]

Glory be to God

[@philipeconomou7039]

Wonderful lesson! Thank you Father Paul for all your hard work!

[@mitchelljimeno3564]

Praise God

[@birdlynn417]

Thank you, teacher, Father. I need to hear these talks and instructions, they do help me, as long as I apply them. 🧡

[@antoninospitale4646]

Thanks ❤

[@sethtrey]

18:50 as a person who has written songs, the amount of times I go back and listen to a song I worked carefully on, and improve a lyric, or realize a bad lyric, tells me to pray Psalms, not originals

[@jacobshepard654]

the more i ask, not even ask just wonder i’ll get confirmation because what i was talking to God about will happen either right in front of my eyeballs or the next day or im reading one of the Nevi’im (Hebrew for Prophets) its like God is saying “remember this conversation that only you and i had?”

[@NfindaMalongo]

I try to sing my prayers But after awhile I song like I'm talking into a fan and it sounds like a robot

[@EricTheYounger]

1:00:20 icons

[@142ANDRE]

Hello father, thank you so much for this videos. I am from Colombia and I started to go to an Orthodox Church here but everything is new for me, I am seeing and reading information about it and your videos have helped me a lot. I just want to ask you: The choice of a Saint is made before the baptism or when ? And, if I am a woman, is it necessary to choose a Saint that is a woman too ? Thanks again and God Bless you 🙏

[@frpaul]

May Christ be with you on your journey! You would use the name of your patron Saint at the baptismal service, so you would choose him/her beforehand. And no, you do not have a pick a female Saint. You can feminize a male name. For instance, a girl in my parish recently chose the name "Siluana" after St Silouan of Mount Athos.

[@juandavidguarnizogutierrez4566]

You go to The Dormition of the Theotokos one? The one at Bogota? Its beautiful!

[@juandavidguarnizogutierrez4566]

I Saw your profile and i Saw The Unal, I Study there as well!

[@mariebo7491]

Father, what did you mean of someone who had passed away that they weren’t glorified yet? Also, in regard to the saints, with so many asking them to pray on their behalf, they aren’t all knowing, so how are they hearing all our petitions? It makes sense if my dearly departed grandmother is paying attention to me, but what about these well known saints? Thank you so much for this series. Learning a lot and slowly understanding 😊

[@frpaul]

When a holy figure reposes, it takes many years before the person will be officially recognized - or "glorified" - as a Saint. So by "glorified," we could use the word "canonized." Regarding the other question, we have examples of holy figures who were aware of people seeking their intercessions from thousands of miles away even while they were still alive... people they had never met. When Christ dwells inside of us, we - because of Him and the Grace He brings - transcend space and time... not to the extent that God does, but in a similar manner. Hence, many Saints have been in two places at one time. St Porphyrios answered a phone call even after he reposed. These are mysteries of the Grace of God. There is little we could explain it with, but we know it happens. So, due to the Grace of God within them, the Saints are aware of all who seek their intercessions, and they respond!

[@mariebo7491]

@@frpaul that’s amazing. Thank you so much 😊

[@juandavidguarnizogutierrez4566]

God bless you Father, and thanks for all the information, i have a question, how can someone talk to another Persons about this? What can I do if I want to take Family and Important persons with me to the Orthodox Church, they dont like anything about the Saints or the Theotokos?

[@juandavidguarnizogutierrez4566]

I live in Colombia and most Christians here are Evangelical and really dont like anything that looks for them as too Catholic...

[@frpaul]

Frederica Mathewes-Green has some very good, short introductory videos called “Welcome to the Orthodox Church.” Maybe find a few relevant ones to have them watch before they attend. Definitely don’t get into arguments. Let them know that, if they have questions, you will do your best to answer them, and if you don’t know, you will find the answers for them.

[@juandavidguarnizogutierrez4566]

Thanks Father!

[@birdlynn417]

Invite them, invite them to come to a visit with you, and let them think for themselves if their experience is the same as what they felt or thought before. We can't force or make anyone to come with us, but an invitation is a great way to help someone else enter through the door which only seems so mysterious to them that they would not do alone.

[@midnightmcguire9897]

forgive me father if I missed you answering this; can I put icons in every room? or should it be restricted to the prayer corner? I don't feel it's too many, and I am always reminded of the presence of God, but is it too many? please help father.

[@frpaul]

I think there's a balance to be found here. On the one hand, icons should never be "mere" decorations; they are meant to be utilized in prayer. At the same time, to have one in a room because you want to have something in each room to direct you to prayer, to Christ, to the ascetic life makes for good reminders and helps to bring peace to that room. So if the icons serve that function and aren't there just to "look pretty," I think it's not just ok but a good thing to do.

[@midnightmcguire9897]

@@frpaul thank you father