Why do we pray to the Father?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-08

In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, we pray to the Father because Jesus Christ, our Teacher and Lord, specifically taught us to do so. However, the way we pray to the Father is the key to understanding our Orthodox faith.

1. Christ Commanded It (The "Our Father")

When the disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray," Jesus did not say, "Pray to Me." He said: "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father who art in heaven..." (Matthew 6:9).

Because we are "in Christ," His Father has become our Father. We pray to the Father as children who have been adopted into the Divine family through the Son.

2. The Order of the Trinity (The "Movement" of Prayer)

In the Coptic Church, our prayers usually follow a specific "direction." We call this Trinitarian Prayer:

• TO the Father
• THROUGH the Son
• BY the Holy Spirit

When we pray the Divine Liturgy (like the Liturgy of St. Basil), almost all the prayers are addressed to the Father. We approach Him because He is the Source and the Origin. But we can only stand before Him because the Son is standing there with us, representing us.

3. The Role of the Mediator

Think of it this way: If you were to go to a Great King, you would go with the Prince.

• The Father is the King.
• The Son (Jesus) is the Prince who is also your Brother.
• By praying to the Father, you are using the "access" that Jesus gave you. If we didn't pray to the Father, we would be ignoring the greatest gift Jesus gave us: the right to call the Creator "Abba" (Dad).

4. It Acknowledges the Sacrifice of Christ

Every time we pray to the Father, we are implicitly thanking the Son. Why? Because without the Cross and the Resurrection, a human being could never dare to speak to the Father.

• By saying "Our Father," we are acknowledging that Jesus successfully bridged the gap.
• We are saying: "Father, I am standing here only because Your Son brought me here."

5. We also pray to the Son and the Spirit!

While the "official" direction of the Liturgy is toward the Father, the Coptic Church also prays directly to the Son and the Spirit.

• To the Son: In the Liturgy of St. Gregory, we address the Son directly: "Thou who art, who wast... the Word co-essential..." We also pray the "Jesus Prayer" ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner").
• To the Holy Spirit: We pray to Him at the start of the Third Hour of the Agpeya and during the "Invocation" in the Liturgy, asking Him to descend upon us.

Sometimes people think of the Father as "the scary/judging God" and Jesus as "the nice/loving God." This is a mistake.

We pray to the Father to remind ourselves that He is the one who loved us so much that He sent His Son in the first place. The Father isn't someone we need to hide from; He is the "Bosom" where we belong.

Summary:

We pray to the Father because we are following Christ’s lead. We are participating in the conversation that has been happening between the Father and the Son for all eternity. When you pray "Our Father," you aren't just saying words; you are stepping into the heart of the Holy Trinity.

As we say in the Introduction to the Creed: "We exalt thee, the Mother of the true Light... for He has come and saved us." Everything leads back to the Father's plan to save us through His Son.