[Adeniinteme]

Why are there so many Orthodox saints? Who makes the determination on who becomes or who is a saint?

Also, why does a baby have to be named after an Orthodox saint? I see many children in one family with the same name. Is this really necessary?

[DumbNelmcrece]

God does, or at least it is God, through the Holy Spirit, who reveals those whom He wants us to emulate. The Holy Apostle and Saint Paul teaches that we are ALL called to be saints. The Church simply officially recognizes what God has revealed.

The prayer to our patron saint answers WHY we have the names of saints:

"Pray to God for me, Holy Saint (name), well-pleasing to God. I place myself in your care as my intercessor to the Lord!"

As the Holy Apostle and Saint James teaches, the prayers of the righteous are of great effect!

[Kubasarika]

Why are there so many Orthodox saints? Who makes the determination on who becomes or who is a saint?

As Herman said, the Church only recognizes what God has already revealed. Here is a quote from Bp. Alexander's webpage article on saints:

Also, why does a baby have to be named after an Orthodox saint? I see many children in one family with the same name. Is this really necessary?

It is not necessary to have many children in the same family with the same name - but it is done in some families simply as a matter of custom. Even outside of Orthodoxy this is not uncommon. In my own family there are at least 4 other Davids as first names and quite a few more if you count the "middle names" - none of whom (other than my son and I) are Orthodox. David is a "family name" coming from my grandfather and a number of the grandchildren were named for him.

In Serb tradition children are not given saints names, but the whole family has a patron saint - their "slava" saint is the patron and protector of the whole family and is chosen as the saint on whose feast the family first became Orthodox.

Fr David Moser

[topbonusescod]

Thank you for starting this thread. I was hoping to ask a related question if it's okay. What if someone wishes to convert to Orthodoxy but their name is not a saint's name? There are so many glorious saints, how does one decide or maybe does someone else decide who will be the patron saint for the new convert?
And another question: how do I know which saint, with my Christian name, is the one that is my patron saint? I usually pray the "patron saint" prayer but don't know whom it's for. My kids were given patron saint icons with their saints so we know who they are, it's just me and my husband are a bit confused here...

Respectfully yours,
Maria Murray

[OvDojQXN]

What if someone wishes to convert to Orthodoxy but their name is not a saint's name? There are so many glorious saints, how does one decide or maybe does someone else decide who will be the patron saint for the new convert?

It really depends on the individual situation: with the guidance of the Spiritual Father an appropriate Saint will be chosen. Also, some who have a Saint's name already decide to take the name of a different Saint when they become Orthodox, one whom they feel close to as an intecessor before the Lord.

Once chosen, one should constantly ask the prayers of the patron, many say the troparion of the saint in their private prayers. Also, people often have the Icon of their Saint in their Icon Corner at home.

And another question: how do I know which saint, with my Christian name, is the one that is my patron saint? I usually pray the "patron saint" prayer but don't know whom it's for.

Most (not all) called Maria are named for the Mother of God and take one of her feasts as their name day, often the Feast of the Dormition (15th August).

My kids were given patron saint icons with their saints so we know who they are, it's just me and my husband are a bit confused here...

Speak to your Priest about this, with his help I'm sure you can get this sorted.

With love in Christ

Alex

[uphokyhuP]

Thank you for starting this thread. I was hoping to ask a related question if it's okay. What if someone wishes to convert to Orthodoxy but their name is not a saint's name? There are so many glorious saints, how does one decide or maybe does someone else decide who will be the patron saint for the new convert?

There are a number of ways that this can be determined. As a priest, I often encourage people to use a name they already have if there is any kind of Orthodox equivalent. Often, if there is not a first name, then the middle name can be used. I have one parishioner named "Carol" and she was baptized with her middle name "Ann" for the ancestor of Christ Anna. Another was "Linda" who was baptized "Susanna" after her middle name. If neither first nor middle names reveal a viable choice then there are "sound alikes" or the "birthday" method (the saint who is celebrated on or near your birthday, or on or near the day you are baptized). I have done this with convert parishioners on more than one occasion Some people just find a particular saint that in their journey to Orthodoxy becomes very close to them and so they take that name. When I was recieved into the Church I was given/chose the name David since my first and middle names didn't work out and David is a family name (as I mentioned previously). One thing I always emphasize however is to stay away from the unusual or exotic names that are difficult to use in "everday" situations. Also, you might want to try and gain an awareness of any odd or negative connotations that a particular ethnic name might have in the culture of the parish where you are (for example in Russian literature, some names are used frequently for "type" characters and so a person with that name might be "endowed" with those characteristics in the minds of those around them, even if they're not at all like that).

And another question: how do I know which saint, with my Christian name, is the one that is my patron saint? I usually pray the "patron saint" prayer but don't know whom it's for. My kids were given patron saint icons with their saints so we know who they are, it's just me and my husband are a bit confused here...

Again, this is a pretty "grey" area. If there is a saint with that name that stands out to you - then that is your patron. Otherwise, you might revert to the "birthday" method and choose the saint with that name closest to your birthday or day of baptism. Ask the priest who baptized you which St. N. he had in mind and that might enlighten you as well.

Fr David Moser

[ENCOSEARRALIA]

I originally asked this question because my son, who is not Orthodox and his wife, who is Orthodox are expecting a baby. Of course, the baby will be baptized in a Greek Orthodox church. My son, would like to pass his name down, if it is a boy, was told that he could not, because it is not the name of a Greek saint (?). His middle name is Michael, which would be fine, except that my daughter's husband is named Michael, and she would like to use that name for any boy babies they might have.

I know that this may sound silly to some, but this is a real problem because my daughter and her husband were kind enough to change their wedding date, because my daughter-in-law said that siblings should not get married in the same year, bad luck or something. While I don't believe it was an Orthodox thing, her family is Greek and it was more of a family thing. My daughter had to give up a lot to go along with this.

Now, if my daughter-in-law uses the name Michael if she has a boy, that means I would have two grandsons with the same name! This is just unacceptable. I believe that my son and daughter-in-law should choose a different name, and should not expect my daughter to have to make another compromise again.

[Gymnfacymoota]

I originally asked this question because my son, who is not Orthodox and his wife, who is Orthodox are expecting a baby. Of course, the baby will be baptized in a Greek Orthodox church. My son, would like to pass his name down, if it is a boy, was told that he could not, because it is not the name of a Greek saint (?). His middle name is Michael, which would be fine, except that my daughter's husband is named Michael, and she would like to use that name for any boy babies they might have.

A couple of suggestions - why not let your son's child carry Michael as his middle name and baptize him with that name, but have his "first name" be whatever? As I mentioned before, that is something that I do with converts frequently. Also, what is your son's name - it may not be a Greek saint, but perhaps there is a Russian saint, an Arabic saint, a British saint, etc of that name. Greeks can be a bit "ethnocentric" sometimes (aren't we all?) but in the end Orthodox is Orthodox.

my daughter-in-law said that siblings should not get married in the same year, bad luck or something. While I don't believe it was an Orthodox thing, her family is Greek and it was more of a family thing. My daughter had to give up a lot to go along with this.

Now, if my daughter-in-law uses the name Michael if she has a boy, that means I would have two grandsons with the same name! This is just unacceptable. This isn't a particularly Orthodox observation but I've got to ask, who's running this family? Sounds like the daughter in law has usurped control over everyone's life. You and your children need to take your lives back.

Fr David Moser

[OEMCHEAPSOFTDOWNLOAD]

Fr. Moser,
Thank you so much for the suggestion about using Michael as a middle name and baptizing him with that name. I don't know if they will go for it, but it is worth a try. I wonder if her family would call him by his birth name or his baptismal name?

It really isn't my daughter-in-law, it is her family. They have very strict rules that they adhere to. Whenever we talk to her about something that isn't Greek or Orthodox, like with picking a name, she'll just say "you don't understand", and she's right, we don't. The Greeks are very ethnocentric, and I don't think I've ever encountered anything like this before.

Please don't misunderstand me. Her family is wonderful, very kind and generous and we love them, but we just don't understand all of this, and I'm sure it is because we are not Orthodox (or Greek), and like you said in the end, Orthodox is Orthodox.