The Intercessions
After the Epiclesis, in the presence of Jesus Christ in his Body and Blood,
we pray to our heavenly Father for all of our daily cares and concerns.
The Prayer lists them one by one. These subsidiary requests of the
Divine Liturgy are called "Intercessions." We pray for
peace in the world, for the stability of the Armenian Church, for our
Catholicos, Bishops and clergy, for civil leaders, for travelers, prisoners,
captives, for the sick and suffering, for temperate weather and sufficient
food, for those who help the poor, for all the living and all the dead
[35, 37,38-39].
We should never underestimate the power of prayer. Jesus said, "If
two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for
them by my Father in heaven." [Matthew 18:19]. There is no
better time to ask our heavenly Father for whatever we need than during
the Badarak, when we are assembled in the presence of Christ as the Church.
While the priest silently makes these intercessions in the Eucharistic
Prayer [35, 37, 38-39], the deacons chant a litany in which they recall
the names of the great saints of the Church [34-37]. We remember
that the saints already live in the presence of God in heaven. But
they also invisibly participate in our liturgy. We ask them to intercede
with God -- literally, to put in a good word for us -- so that He may
hear our prayers and answer them. All of this is expressed in the
refrain, Heeshya Der yev voghormya, "Be mindful, Lord, and have mercy."
>> The Conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer
