Icxypion wrote:Recently, an Orthodox person who attends the MP churches in Russia told me if you read the entire Psalter 20 times, and on all Father, Son and Holy Spirit mention all those who are dead from your family, then God forgives all their sins. They read this in one of their books in Russia and so now they are going to do this.
I have never heard of this kind of promise from God among Orthodox believers. However, I have heard of dozens of this kind of contractual promise from the "Mary" the Roman Catholics worship who in her visions and revelations makes all kinds of promises like that if you do so many hail marys and rosaries and so many services attended for 9 consecutive months and masses etc etc then "thus and thus" will be done for you.
It doesnt sound Orthodox to me. but then I am new to Orthodoxy and quite limited in my knowledge. Have any of you come across such promises from God? Or is it more Catholic poison and infection taking over the Pseudo Orthodox world who have joined themselves to the Roman Catholic Church?
Symeon, there is an Orthodox tradition to read the whole Psalter before a person is buried. Perhaps your friend is muddled in his understanding about how many times. But, there is no guarantee about all loved ones being forgiven of sins. The only promise that Jesus Christ offers is that repentance is the path to salvation. I worry about your influences of all these non-Orthodox sources because you are not able to focus on what is the traditional Orthodox teachings.
Are you still wavering about your Orthodox convictions? How long have you been Orthodox?
