Did the Early Church pray to saints and angels? NO!

I know 'technically' my Roman Catholic and Orthodox friends will say they don't "pray TO saints and angels", but for millions of Christians in those traditions that is truly a distinction without a difference. The role of dead saints and angels in these traditions is extremely important.

The million dollar question of course is this, "Did Christ and His Apostles teach the church to do this"? And if so, we would find evidence of this practice in the 2nd and 3rd century church. But is that what we find? 

Actually, we find just the opposite! And one voice that is perhaps the clearest is the great theologian of the 3rd Century, Origen.

What does he say?

"Having thus learned to call these beings “messengers” [i.e., angels] from their    duties, we find that because they are divine, they are sometimes called “god” in the sacred Scriptures. But this is not said in the sense that we are commanded to honor and worship them in place of God—even though they minster to us and bear His blessings to us. For every prayer, supplication, interces­sion, and thanksgiving is to be sent up to the Supreme God [the Father] through the High Priest [Jesus]—the living Word and God, who is above all the angels."  Origen (c. 248, E), 4.544.

Origen was condemned in the 6th Century at the 2nd Council of Constantinople in AD553. To be sure, he was not condemned as such during his lifetime. He did have some speculative opinions. But as for his faith and practice, he was considered entirely orthodox by the 3rd Century Christians.

There are many opinions about why he was condemned as a heretic. I believe it was because by the 6th Century practices had crept into the Church that the earliest Christians condemned. And what exactly were some of these doctrines? The intercessory role of the saints and angels were one and related to that was the development of use of icons. Both practices that Origen condemned in his writings.

It truly helps to know the faith and practice of the earliest Christians. It assures us of what was in fact "Apostolic" which is what we are bound to teach, preserve and pass on.

From Origen's teaching above, we know that our prayers, our supplications and our intercession are to be made to God the Father THROUGH Christ and He alone. Not through the angels and/or saints.

This is the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3)