By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin (1807-1869)
Pray to God for us, the Holy and Foremost of the Apostles Peter and Paul, as we zealously hasten to you, quick helpers and intercessors for our souls.
We all have the custom on the day of our name day to mainly pray to the Saint whose name we bear: the one named with the name of the Apostle Peter prays to him, with the name of Saint Nicholas prays to Saint Nicholas. Why such a custom? Because this Saint, whose name we bear, is our special helper, our special intercessor. After all, the spiritual fathers give the name of a famous Saint so that this Saint would especially help us, would pray especially for us, would be our Guardian Angel in life. That is why we call them our Angel, and their day is called the day of our Angel.
There is also, if not for all, then for many, a different custom - the custom on a Saint's day to go mainly to the church whose name the church is dedicated to. Why? This is because the Saint of the church that is named after them is a special helper and intercessor; they mainly pray for those and help those who pray to them in their church, who resort to them. Yes, the Saint in that church, which is named after them, since they dwell in their dwelling, are invisibly present, acting within it with divine power and grace.
When we go to pray in some church, we sometimes say directly: "I will go to Peter and Paul," "I will go to Nicholas," "I will go to George." Where are they? In those churches that are named after the name of these Saints.
Therefore, on the day of your name day, pray - pray mainly to the Saint whose name you bear, because they are your special helper and intercessor. And on the day of the commemoration of other Saints, go mainly to those churches that are named after them, because there they are more likely to hear you and help you.
Christian listeners! Today is the day of the Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul, and the adjoining church in which you now stand is named after them. Consequently, they are now invisibly here, as in their home they pray for us. And you prayed to them, you asked them. Believe and hope: they have heard your prayers and will help you in what you asked them to do. Amen.
We all have the custom on the day of our name day to mainly pray to the Saint whose name we bear: the one named with the name of the Apostle Peter prays to him, with the name of Saint Nicholas prays to Saint Nicholas. Why such a custom? Because this Saint, whose name we bear, is our special helper, our special intercessor. After all, the spiritual fathers give the name of a famous Saint so that this Saint would especially help us, would pray especially for us, would be our Guardian Angel in life. That is why we call them our Angel, and their day is called the day of our Angel.
There is also, if not for all, then for many, a different custom - the custom on a Saint's day to go mainly to the church whose name the church is dedicated to. Why? This is because the Saint of the church that is named after them is a special helper and intercessor; they mainly pray for those and help those who pray to them in their church, who resort to them. Yes, the Saint in that church, which is named after them, since they dwell in their dwelling, are invisibly present, acting within it with divine power and grace.
When we go to pray in some church, we sometimes say directly: "I will go to Peter and Paul," "I will go to Nicholas," "I will go to George." Where are they? In those churches that are named after the name of these Saints.
Therefore, on the day of your name day, pray - pray mainly to the Saint whose name you bear, because they are your special helper and intercessor. And on the day of the commemoration of other Saints, go mainly to those churches that are named after them, because there they are more likely to hear you and help you.
Christian listeners! Today is the day of the Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul, and the adjoining church in which you now stand is named after them. Consequently, they are now invisibly here, as in their home they pray for us. And you prayed to them, you asked them. Believe and hope: they have heard your prayers and will help you in what you asked them to do. Amen.