Support for Angelic Prayers?

[lazuli]

I have someone questioning me about the validity of praying to angels and I’m struggling to back it up. I found this catholic.com/quickquestions/why-pray-to-angels but it’s not very helpful to be honest, it concerns itself with the duties of an angel and says nothing of praying to angels. There’s not much more information out there on this that I can find. My searches just keep throwing up the validity of prayers to Saints.

So, where does the idea of praying to angels come from?

How should we pray to angels? Prayers of petition, thanksgiving? Is it classified as dulia?

I’m going to need scriptural support and some historical support I think.

 

[JamesTheJust]

So, where does the idea of praying to angels come from?

From Scripture (the saints described are not members of the Church Triumphant, but of the Church Militant).

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; 4 and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God.

Prayers of petition, thanksgiving?

Just as you would pray to any other Saint.

Is it classified as dulia?

Yes.

 

[po18guy]

Sad fact: The Book of Tobit contains the most advanced angelology in the entire Old Testament, but “bible Christians” do not have this book!

Tobit 12:11-19
Come, let me tell you the whole truth of the matter, bring the hidden purpose of it to light. 12 When thou, Tobias, wert praying, and with tears, when thou wert burying the dead, leaving thy dinner untasted, so as to hide them all day in thy house, and at night give them funeral, I, all the while, was offering that prayer of thine to the Lord. 13 Then, because thou hadst won his favour, needs must that trials should come, and test thy worth. 14 And now, for thy healing, for the deliverance of thy son’s wife Sara from the fiend’s attack, he has chosen me for his messenger. 15 Who am I? I am the angel Raphael, and my place is among those seven who stand in the presence of the Lord. 16 Upon hearing this, they were both mazed with terror, and fell down trembling, face to earth. 17 Peace be with you, the angel said; do not be afraid. 18 It was God’s will, not mine, brought me to your side; to him pay the thanks and praise you owe.

 

[Ad_Orientem]

You might try contacting the Opus Sanctorum Angelorum, a Catholic association devoted to the holy angels.

 

[dmar198]

I have someone questioning me about the validity of praying to angels and I’m struggling to back it up. I found this catholic.com/quickquestions/why-pray-to-angels but it’s not very helpful to be honest, it concerns itself with the duties of an angel and says nothing of praying to angels. There’s not much more information out there on this that I can find. My searches just keep throwing up the validity of prayers to Saints.

So, where does the idea of praying to angels come from?

It is rooted in God’s Word. In the Bible, angels are agents of God who can help us and bless us with God’s authority. Psalm 20:2 says, “May [God] send you help from His sanctuary.” God is asked to send an angel to assist His people. Revelation 1:4 sends blessings “from [God] and from the seven spirits who are before His throne.” In Genesis 32:24-29, Jacob wrestles with an angel and says to him, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” That was a prayer to an angel.

Angels are spoken to in Psalms 103:20-21 and Psalms 148:1-2. In Psalms 29, the first two verses are directed to the saints and angels to ask them to pray with us: “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” (Psalms 29:1) But then after asking them to pray with us in this Psalm, it continues with a prayer for Israel: “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” (Psalm 29:11) Thus in the Psalms we see that we can ask the angels and saints to pray with us and even join in prayer for us when we need help from heaven.

The Church Father Gregory the Wonderworker cited Genesis 48:16 as proof that angels can be prayed to: “the Angel who has delivered me from all harm—may he bless these boys.”

How should we pray to angels? Prayers of petition, thanksgiving? Is it classified as dulia?

Pray to them the way the Bible does: in thanksgiving and in petition. And yes, this kind of prayer shows them the honor of dulia.

I’m going to need scriptural support and some historical support I think.

I’ve given you some Scriptural support. For historical support, I mentioned Gregory the Wonderworker above. He prayed to his guardian angel and cited Genesis 48:16 in his Panegyric Addressed to Origen, Argument 4 which was written around 238 A.D. Other historical examples of the intercession of angels in the Church Fathers can be found at this link: catholic.com/tracts/the-intercession-of-the-saints

I hope that helps. God bless!
-Dmar198