What About Praying to Saints?

I grew up Catholic — baptized as a baby, confirmed, had my first Holy Communion — the whole thing. But if I’m honest, I never really paid attention to the theology beyond the main parts: Jesus died for our sins, He rose from the dead, and faith in Him means salvation. It wasn’t until high school, when I became Protestant, that I started really asking deeper questions. One of those questions was about the Catholic practice of praying to Mary and the saints. Shouldn’t prayer be directed to Jesus alone?

As I mentioned in my previous post about praying to Mary, this isn’t something I bring up to cause division or negativity, but because I believe it’s worth thoughtful discussion. My hope in writing this is to look honestly at what the Bible says, how history shaped this practice, and how different Christian traditions understand it. Let’s dive in deeper . . .

What does the Bible teach about intercession?

The Bible consistently teaches that Jesus Christ is the one mediator between humanity and God:

• “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

• “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

At the same time, the Bible encourages believers to pray for one another here on earth:

• “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

The distinction is that intercessory prayer is something believers do for one another during their earthly lives. Scripture does not provide examples of asking those who have died to intercede.

What does the Bible says about talking to the dead?

The Old Testament is clear that seeking to communicate with the dead was forbidden:

• “There shall not be found among you… a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead.” (Deuteronomy 18:10–11)

The prohibition had to do with seeking knowledge or guidance apart from God. The New Testament also directs prayer only to God the Father, through Jesus, by the Spirit (Matthew 6:9; Ephesians 2:18).

This is why many Christians argue that prayers directed to Mary or saints fall into a gray area — even if the intent is to ask for intercession, the act of addressing them directly looks like prayer to the dead, something Scripture warns against.

The Catholic Response:

Catholics agree: necromancy is absolutely forbidden. Practices like séances, fortune-telling, or summoning spirits are condemned in Scripture. But they make a distinction:

• Necromancy = trying to conjure the dead for secret knowledge or power (forbidden).

• Intercession = asking saints, who are alive in Christ, to pray with us to God (permitted).

From the Catholic perspective, saints in heaven are not “dead” in the way Deuteronomy speaks. Jesus said, “He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:38). Revelation portrays saints and angels offering prayers before God (Revelation 5:8; 8:3–4). Hebrews describes us as being “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). And in 2 Maccabees 15:14 (a book Protestants don’t include in their canon), the prophet Jeremiah, long dead, is shown praying for God’s people.

So Catholics would say: asking saints to intercede is not communicating with the dead in a forbidden way — it’s simply continuing the fellowship of the Body of Christ, across heaven and earth.

Protestants, however, counter that while these passages show saints are alive and worshiping God, Scripture never instructs believers to pray to them. They see intercession as something meant for believers still on earth.

Catholic Practice:

Catholics make a distinction between worship and veneration:

• Latria: worship — adoration due to God alone.

• Dulia: honor — respect given to saints.

• Hyperdulia: a special veneration reserved uniquely for Mary, because of her role as the mother of Jesus.

The Hail Mary prayer is a good example of this distinction:

1. “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28).

2. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus” (Luke 1:42).

3. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

The first two lines come directly from Scripture (Gabriel’s and Elizabeth’s greetings). The final request — “pray for us” — is not found in the Bible, but reflects the Catholic belief that saints in heaven can intercede just as believers on earth can.

Protestants, however, point to 1 Timothy 2:5 and argue that this practice risks blurring the unique role of Christ as mediator.

👉 If you’d like to dive deeper into the topic of Mary specifically, I’ve written another blog post you can read HERE.

What About Revelation and the Prayers of the Saints?

Catholics often point to Revelation as evidence that saints intercede in heaven:

• Revelation 5:8 — The twenty-four elders present bowls of incense, “the prayers of the saints,” before God.

• Revelation 6:9–10 — Martyrs cry out to God for justice, showing awareness of earth’s struggles.

• Revelation 8:3–4 — An angel offers incense “with the prayers of all the saints” before God.

Catholics read this as showing that those in heaven actively participate in prayer.

Protestants respond differently: they agree these passages show God treasures the prayers of believers and that heaven is aware — but argue it never says Christians on earth should pray to the departed. To them, Revelation affirms that God Himself honors our prayers, not that we must ask saints to carry them.

History shows us that:

• 1st–3rd centuries: No record of early Christians praying to Mary or the saints. Prayer was directed to the Father, Son, and Spirit.

• 4th century: Mary received more honor as Theotokos (“God-bearer”).

• 3rd/4th century: The earliest known prayer to Mary (Sub Tuum Praesidium) appeared, asking for her protection.

• Middle Ages: Marian devotion expanded; the Hail Mary took shape with “pray for us sinners” added later.

• Reformation (16th century): Protestants rejected prayers to saints as going beyond Scripture.

Catholics justify asking Mary and the saints for prayer through the doctrine of the Communion of Saints: the belief that all believers — living and dead — are united in Christ. From this perspective, asking a saint to pray is like asking a friend here on earth.

Protestants counter that while believers are indeed united in Christ, Scripture never gives an example of praying to departed believers. All prayers in the Bible are directed to God.

The Bible affirms:

• Jesus is the only mediator.

• Believers can and should pray for one another while alive.

• Prayer is always directed to God.

• Seeking communication with the dead is forbidden.

Catholics argue that asking saints for prayer is not “communicating with the dead” in the forbidden sense, because saints are alive in Christ. Protestants argue that even so, Scripture never instructs believers to do it, and all prayer should be directed to God.

History shows that praying to Mary and the saints was not part of the earliest church but developed gradually over centuries. Catholics view it as a natural extension of Christian fellowship and heavenly intercession. Protestants view it as an unbiblical addition that risks overshadowing Christ’s unique role.

Ultimately, all Christians agree that prayer is extremely important, that Mary is “blessed among women,” and that Jesus alone saves. The question is whether directing petitions to Mary or the saints aligns with — or goes beyond — the example set in Scripture.

For me personally, as I’ve wrestled with this topic, I find myself leaning toward the Protestant perspective — that prayer should be directed to God alone, through Christ, and that while the saints are alive in Him, Scripture never commands us to seek their intercession.

That’s where I’m at today. I grew up Catholic and knew the basics of the faith, but it was only after becoming Protestant that I started really wrestling with questions like this. Again, I don’t raise them to divide but to think carefully, to study, and to keep seeking truth in love.

If you’d like to read more about Mary specifically, I’ve written another post you can check out HERE.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.