Should Christians pray to Mary or the saints?

This is a question that goes to the heart of what prayer is and who mediates our access to God. My answer is no — and not because I am dismissing Catholic tradition carelessly, but because of what Scripture clearly teaches about the exclusive mediation of Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5 is the foundational text: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." One mediator. Not one of many — one. The entire New Testament system of access to God is through Christ alone, on the basis of His finished work on the cross.

Hebrews 4:14-16 reinforces this: "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God... Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace." The invitation is direct — you, coming with confidence, to the throne of grace, through your great High Priest. No human intermediary is required or appropriate.

Hebrews 7:25 adds: "He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." Jesus is right now, at this moment, interceding for you before the Father. The intercessory role is His — living, active, perfect.

The concern with praying to Mary or the saints is not that these were not godly people — Mary was extraordinarily blessed and is rightly honoured. The concern is that prayer is an act of worship directed to one who can hear and respond — an omniscient being. The saints who have died are not omniscient. They cannot hear the prayers of millions simultaneously. Only God can.

There is a meaningful place for asking living brothers and sisters to pray for us — that is mutual intercession within the body of Christ, and it is entirely biblical (James 5:16). But directing prayer to those who have died, as a means of accessing God, has no New Testament support and bypasses the one Mediator Scripture consistently points us to.