You can submit names by writing them down and giving them to the church office or your priest. Most parishes have a form or email system for this. It’s that simple.
But there’s more going on here than just logistics. When you submit a name for prayer, you’re asking the whole Church to lift that person before God during the Divine Liturgy. This isn’t like a prayer request announcement before the sermon at First Baptist. These names get woven into the liturgy itself.
Two Lists, Not One
You’ll need to keep two separate lists: one for the living and one for the departed. This matters. The prayers are different.
For the living, we pray “for the health and salvation” of the person. You might write “For the health and salvation of John” or “For the health and salvation of my daughter Sarah.” We’re asking God to heal them, guide them, save them. If someone’s a catechumen preparing for baptism, you can note that. If they’re traveling (which matters when your cousin’s working offshore for two weeks at a stretch), mention it.
For the departed, we pray “for the repose” of their souls. “In memory of Mary” or “For the repose of my father Thomas.” We’re asking God to grant them rest with the saints, to remember them in His kingdom. We believe death doesn’t end our connection to each other. The Church includes both the living and the dead, and we can still pray for those who’ve gone before us.
This throws some folks coming from Baptist backgrounds. Didn’t everything get decided at death? Well, we trust God’s mercy more than we trust our ability to map out exactly how His judgment works. We know He’s merciful. We know He wants all people saved. So we keep praying.
When the Names Get Read
Your priest will commemorate these names during the proskomedia, which happens before the main part of the Liturgy while people are still arriving. He takes the bread that will become the Eucharist and removes particles for the Theotokos, the saints, the living, and the dead. Each name gets a particle. Later, after communion, those particles go into the chalice. Your loved ones are literally being lifted up to God.
Some names also get read aloud during the litanies. You’ll hear the deacon or priest say “For the servants of God…” and then a list of names. That’s your list.
Memorial services for the departed happen on specific Saturdays and after funerals. If you want a full memorial service (we call it a panikhida), talk to your priest. You’ll need to arrange that ahead of time, and there’s usually a koliva offering involved. But that’s another article.
How to Actually Do This at St. Michael
Check with the church office about the specific system we use. Some parishes want names emailed by Wednesday before Sunday. Some have a basket in the narthex where you drop a written list. Some keep a parish prayer book where you can add names yourself.
When you write the names, use baptismal names if the person’s Orthodox. If they’re not Orthodox yet, their regular name is fine. God knows who you mean.
You can also keep your own prayer list at home. Get a small notebook and divide it into sections: family, friends, people who are sick, people you work with at the plant, the departed. Write a prayer at the top of each section. “Grant, O Lord, health and salvation to Thy servants” for the living. “Grant, O Lord, repose with the saints to Thy departed servants” for those who’ve died. Then list the names underneath. When you pray at home, read through your list. Add people. Cross them off when they’re healed or when situations change. It becomes a living record of your prayer life.
This practice roots you in something ancient. Christians have been praying for each other by name since the beginning. We’re not just thinking good thoughts or sending positive energy. We’re standing before God as His priestly people and asking Him to act. The whole congregation does this together every Sunday, and you’re part of it now.
Talk to Fr. Michael if you’ve got questions about specific situations. Sometimes people wonder whether they can submit a non-Orthodox name, or whether it’s okay to pray for someone who died outside the Church. He’ll help you figure out the right way to pray for the people you love.
