Intercessions in hell

[jechenaudrey]

Will souls in hell at the moment be able to receive intercessions from us living? will God here people in hell? even if all of those people whom we thought were "saints" or "Agion"
were locked in a prison somewhere in another plane of existence are able to listen to our prayers or memorial services.

[Pravoslavnik]

Audrey,

Code: Select all

 I would suggest that you read a text like [i]Orthodox Dogmatic Theology[/i] by Father Michael Pomazansky (St. Herman's Press) regarding your various questions.  Better yet, consult with an Orthodox priest in your community, and/or attend a catechism class at an Orthodox Church.  I suspect that even a Protestant [i]sola scriptura-ist[/i] would consider it inappropriate to engage in "doubtful disputations" with those outside of the faith.  We have learned this directly from St. Paul, haven't we?

[mmcxristidis]

Audrey,
Orthodox Dogmatic Theology can be found online at
http://www.intratext.com/X/ENG0824.HTM
There is a section on prayers for the dead in chapter 9

[jechenaudrey]

I am just asking a simple yes or no question whether or not souls in hell will be able to intercede to God on our behalf. This is not outside of Orthodoxy isn't it?
This catechism in the english does not explain anything about orthodoxy rather is still resembles a vatican catechism written by St Thomas Aquinas(Aristotlian)
with it's point to point answers.

[jechenaudrey]

Are not the Rudders and anathemas of all nine ecumenical councils along local synods Orthodox part of the Orthodox phrema? was not St Constantine baptized by an Arian bishop? did not the Orthodox bishop at that time made an extreme act of economia by glorfying him? Jeff C.

[mmcxristidis]

[quote="jechenaudrey"]I am just asking a simple yes or no question whether or not souls in hell will be able to intercede to God on our behalf. This is not outside of Orthodoxy isn't it?

I would say no , the souls in hell will not be able to intercede for us to God on our behalf. The saints may intercede for us and it is possible our prayers may be of benefit to those departed who are in hell until the end of days when Christ will make His final judgement.
St. John Chrysostomos says in his 4th sermon on Lazarus and the rich man...
"In the chasm which separates the righteous from the sinners. For when the rich man said, "SendLazarus," Abraham said to him, "a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, in order that those who wish to pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to here" ( Luke 16:26 ). We were showing at great length that, after God's loving-kindness, we must have our hope of salvation in our own righteous deeds, without counting up our fathers, grandfathers, family and neighbors; for a brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? ( Psalm 48(49):8 ) But whatever petitions and supplications they make who have departed from this life with their sins, from that time on they will ask everything to no purpose and in vain".
Later in this same sermon he says...
" From all these parables it is clear that nothing will help us hereafter if we do not have good deeds; but whether we make supplications and petitions or whether we remain silent, all the same the sentance of punishment and retribution will come upon us. Hear therefore, how this rich man also made two requests of Abraham but failed in both. First he made his supplication for himself, when he said, "Send Lazarus," and afterwards he made a pentition no longer for himself but for his brothers; but he obtained neither request. The former was impossible; but the second, on behalf of his brothers, was superfluous".

[mmcxristidis]

[quote="jechenaudrey"]Are not the Rudders and anathemas of all nine ecumenical councils along local synods Orthodox part of the Orthodox phrema?

As far as I know and believe there were only 7 Ecumenical Councils of the Church. The Roman Papists held several more that they hold as "ecumenical", but their not Orthodox.