𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗦 & 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗟𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗟𝗬 𝗔𝗙𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗦?

One of the most common Protestant objections against Catholic devotion is the claim that saints in heaven can no longer hear our prayers. According to this view, once believers die, they become unaware of what happens on earth—making any request for their intercession unbiblical or pointless.

But Scripture tells a different story! The Bible shows the righteous who have died are alive in God, aware of earthly events, and actively involved in His saving plan—always by His power, never apart from Him.

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𝟏. 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘𝐑𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 — 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Saints Presenting Our Prayers:

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘣, 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴.”

(𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 5:8)

“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭.” (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 8:3–4)

Here we see that prayers on earth reach heaven and are consciously presented before God.

Martyrs Know What Happens on Earth:

“𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥… 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, ‘𝘖 𝘚𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥… 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩?’”

(𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 6:9–10)

These martyrs are alive, speaking, and aware that justice on earth is still pending.

Saints Also Ask for Our Prayers:

“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦, ‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦?’… ‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘣.’” (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 7:13–14)

Saints in heaven are aware of earthly struggles and in Scripture, they are seen interceding for the living.

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𝟐. 𝐇𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝟏𝟐:𝟏 — 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐒

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 (𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘺𝘳𝘴), 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘯…” (𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 12:1)

The saints and martyrs are spectators, aware of the race we still run on earth. They are conscious and engaged, not asleep.

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𝟑. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 — 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

All knowledge comes from God

God shares His knowledge with the saints

Saints see God face to face in the Beatific Vision

“𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘮, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴.” (1 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 3:2)

Through the Beatific Vision, saints are aware of earthly affairs and can intercede for us. Angels also know what happens on earth, so the saints, glorified and united perfectly with God, are also aware.

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𝟒. 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 — 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐔𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒

The Rich Man and Lazarus:

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘮’𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘮… 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥… 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.” (𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 16:22–23)

• Both are conscious after death

• Abraham remembers earthly life

• The rich man knows his brothers are alive

“He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”

(Luke 20:38)

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𝟓. 𝐉𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐇 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐅 — 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐀𝐇 𝐏𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇

“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” (2 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘴 15:14)

Even centuries after death, Jeremiah prays for Israel, showing that righteous souls can intercede for the living.

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𝟔. 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

“Only God can hear prayers.”

True—but it is God who allows saints and angels to know and present our prayers.

“There is only one mediator: Jesus Christ.”

Jesus is the only mediator of redemption (1 Timothy 2:5). Yet Scripture commands Christians to pray for one another (1 Timothy 2:1). Heavenly intercession flows through Christ, never apart from Him.

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𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

Heaven is alive and active:

• Saints present our prayers to God