Prayers for the Saints

 

At the close of the Pentecostal season the Church celebrates the memory of the saints of God, our shining models of virtue and the benefactors of the human race.

Every saint has his own proper feast at some time in the course of the year; but since the number of saints is ever increasing and will increase continually to the end of the world, the Church designates one day in the year on which the memory of all the saints may be celebrated.

The liturgy exhorts us to pay honor to these models of virtue, asking them to intercede with God to have mercy on us.

“Come, O believers, let us today stand in order and rejoice with true worship. Let us extol with praises the memory of the all-honored, all-revered saints, saying aloud: Rejoice, O glorious apostles, prophets, martyrs, and bishops! Rejoice, O company of the righteous and just! Rejoice, O rank of honored women…!”

(stichera of vespers)

Your Church throughout the world, O Lord, is clothed with the blood of Your martyrs as with fine linen and purple robes. And so, the Church cries out to You, O Christ our God: “Send down Your goodness upon Your people; grant peace to Your Church and great mercy to our souls.”

~Troparion

To You, O Lord, Author of the whole creation, the universe offers the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. Through their prayers and the intercession of the Mother of God, preserve Your Church, Your dwelling place, in perfect peace, O Most Merciful One!

~Kondakion