Heavenly Best Friends: Are the Saints Dead, or More Alive Than Ever?

—and How the Communion of Saints Leads Us Closer to Jesus

I used to stumble a bit when people asked, “Why do Catholics pray to saints? Aren’t they dead?” The tone was often accusatory, but behind it was a genuine misunderstanding. I don’t blame them—if you look at it from the surface, it might sound odd.

But as I dove deeper into my Catholic faith, something clicked.

And let me tell you this with all honesty: I’ve never been more in love with Jesus Christ than when I started understanding the role of His saints—our heavenly friends who cheer us on as we journey home to Him.

Are the Saints Dead? Not Even Close.

Let’s start with this common claim: “You’re praying to the dead.”

But Scripture says otherwise.

“He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”

— Luke 20:38

Those who have died in Christ are not gone. They are alive—in fact, more alive than we are. They’ve finished the race. They’re fully united with Christ. (Hebrews 12:1 calls them the “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us.) Not ghosts. Not disconnected souls. Witnesses—watching, present, and in communion with us in Christ.

So no, Jesus isn’t alone in heaven. And we don’t believe saints are omniscient or omnipresent. But we do believe that by God’s grace, they are aware of us—just like Abraham was aware of the rich man in the afterlife (Luke 16:22–31). If souls in the afterlife could recognize and even dialogue with others, it’s not a stretch to believe God allows His saints to hear our whispered prayers.

“But Why Not Go Directly to Jesus?”

We do. Every day.

But asking someone to pray for you doesn’t take away your direct relationship with God—it enhances it. Think of it like this:

Sometimes, when someone needed something from their dad, they’d ask their mom to help explain. Or if they knew a sibling had a stronger connection in a certain situation, they’d ask them to vouch for them. That’s not weakness. That’s family. That’s love.

Praying with the saints is like that. It’s not about going around Jesus—it’s about going through His Body. Because we believe the Church is one Body—those on earth, in purgatory, and in heaven.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

— Romans 8:38–39

If death doesn’t cut us off from Christ, then the saints—alive in Him—are still connected to us. And Scripture encourages intercession:

“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…”

— 1 Timothy 2:1

If you ask for intercession from people on earth, why stop asking once they’re in heaven?

A Biblical Glimpse of Heavenly Intercession

Here’s one of my favorite visuals:

“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

That’s a clear image of heavenly beings presenting our prayers before God. Revelation 8:3–4 echoes this, describing the prayers of the faithful rising before God with the help of an angel.

No, the Bible doesn’t use the exact word “intercession by saints”—but the theology is there. Just as the word “Trinity” isn’t used but its reality is clearly revealed.

What the Early Christians Believed

This isn’t some late invention. The earliest Christians—the disciples of the apostles themselves—believed in the Communion of Saints.

Saints like:

• St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. ~107 AD)

• St. Polycarp (disciple of John the Apostle)

• St. Irenaeus

• St. Augustine

• St. Athanasius

• St. Jerome

Their letters and teachings reflect a Church that honored the martyrs, asked for their prayers, and viewed them as part of the living Body of Christ. Long before there were denominations, this was Christianity.

Okay, But What About Michael Bublé?

(Here comes my favorite analogy.)

Imagine this: You are captivated by Michael Bublé's voice (don’t we all?). You want to meet him. You could try writing him directly, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll get a reply.

But what if you had a close friend who actually knows Michael Bublé, hangs out with him, and has his ear? Wouldn’t you be thrilled to have that friend bring your message straight to him? Not because you can’t reach him yourself—but because it’s beautiful to be vouched for by someone close to him.

That’s how I see the saints. Not replacing Christ. Just amplifying our connection to Him.

The Saints Always Lead Us to Jesus

Every true saint has one mission: to point us back to Christ.

Their lives—marked by sacrifice, holiness, courage, and unwavering love for Jesus—are not meant to distract us from God, but to draw us closer to Him.

They’re not divine. They’re not idols.

They are reflections of God’s glory and living proof that holiness is possible.

And here’s the truth we often forget:

Sainthood isn’t reserved for a chosen few. It’s the mission of every human soul.

You were made to be a saint—not by perfection, but by saying yes to grace, over and over again.

The saints don’t just inspire us—they walk with us, cheer for us, and remind us where we’re going: Home, to Jesus.

In Closing…

So are the saints dead? No. They are fully alive in Christ.

Is asking for their prayers biblical? Yes—in the theology, the practice, and the family of faith.

Do they replace Jesus? Never. They magnify Him.

The Communion of Saints is one of the most beautiful gifts in Catholicism—an unbroken link between heaven and earth, reminding us that no one prays alone in the Body of Christ.

Because love doesn’t end at death. It only deepens.