Sacrament of confession

Esdra

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Hi,

the Orthodox Church also has 7 sacraments as the CC has. So they also have the sacrament of confession, right?

How is this done in the EO, I mean confessing?
Do you also go to a confessional and confess your sins before the priest, or is it entirely different?
 

Knee V

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We'll often use the language of "7 Sacraments" out of convention, but that's not really how we see it. Rather, the entire life of the Church is sacramental, and that manifests itself in a lot more than just those 7.

Yes, we have confession. And, for the most part, it's just like Catholic confession. There are a few differences, and, not being a Catholic dogmatic scholar, I don't know exactly how different it is from the Catholics.

In the earliest days of the Church confession was done before the whole church. After some time, and due to various factors, that was no longer feasible. So now the priest stands in as a representative for the whole church, since when we sin we sin against the Church as well. But we also emphasize that we are confessing to Christ, and that it is Christ who absolves our sins. So our method is basically that we are confessing to Christ in the presence of the priest who also represents the whole church.

We don't tend to have a confessional in the sense that Catholics do. Rather, we normally confess in front of an icon of Christ or the Gospels or something. Sometimes it's somewhat formal, sometimes it's a little more casual.
 
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Esdra

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We'll often use the language of "7 Sacraments" out of convention, but that's not really how we see it. Rather, the entire life of the Church is sacramental, and that manifests itself in a lot more than just those 7.

Yes, we have confession. And, for the most part, it's just like Catholic confession. There are a few differences, and, not being a Catholic dogmatic scholar, I don't know exactly how different it is from the Catholics.

In the earliest days of the Church confession was done before the whole church. After some time, and due to various factors, that was no longer feasible. So now the priest stands in as a representative for the whole church, since when we sin we sin against the Church as well. But we also emphasize that we are confessing to Christ, and that it is Christ who absolves our sins. So our method is basically that we are confessing to Christ in the presence of the priest who also represents the whole church.

We don't tend to have a confessional in the sense that Catholics do. Rather, we normally confess in front of an icon of Christ or the Gospels or something. Sometimes it's somewhat formal, sometimes it's a little more casual.

Interesting, thank you.
Sound very similar though. I like the idea with confessing in front of an icon. :)
 
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Esdra

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Maybe you can answer me this question I've posted in the Catholic forum as there are not so many Eastern Catholics on CF?

Esdra said:
I've twice been in an orthodox divine liturgy, one was Serbian-orthodox and one was Russian-orthodox (in Russia - St. Petersburg, btw. :)).
I've seen that there are sellers in the church who sell icons and crosses and other things. Even during mass and that people are wandering around buying these things or kissing crosses and icons in the church. Some even left the church during mass and came back some time later.
Can you tell me why this is so?
 
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Knee V

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Maybe you can answer me this question I've posted in the Catholic forum as there are not so many Eastern Catholics on CF?

I've never seen vendors in church. We have a parish "book store" (as did my previous parish), but I've never seen any active vending going on.

As for people walking around and doing things during the Liturgy, that's fairly common, especially among the Slavs. It's common to venerate when we first walk in, and that's normally when we light candles as well. But sometimes people decide that they want to light another candle, and then they go and do it.

I don't know what to say about the vendors in church. Perhaps that's a local thing? It is certainly not part of my experience in Orthodoxy. But it's fairly common for people to be mobile during the Liturgy.
 
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Esdra

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I've never seen vendors in church. We have a parish "book store" (as did my previous parish), but I've never seen any active vending going on.

As for people walking around and doing things during the Liturgy, that's fairly common, especially among the Slavs. It's common to venerate when we first walk in, and that's normally when we light candles as well. But sometimes people decide that they want to light another candle, and then they go and do it.

I don't know what to say about the vendors in church. Perhaps that's a local thing? It is certainly not part of my experience in Orthodoxy. But it's fairly common for people to be mobile during the Liturgy.

I see. I was extremely surprised of the mobility of the people during liturgy started. In a Catholic Church you don't wander around in church during liturgy.

But you could be right that people bought the things at the vendor before the liturgy. It's been quite a long time ago since I was there.
 
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rusmeister

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There are important ways in which our Confession is NOT like Catholic Confession, from the general understanding of the nature of sin to the confession in front of, rather than "to" the priest, (even the lack of a booth matters), there are significant effects from those differences.
 
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Joseph Hazen

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Were you visiting 'tourist' parishes? That might explain vendors, though it doesn't excuse it. I'd be [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ed if I saw that.

I also think knee-v's point about the number of Sacraments is important, especially for Orthodox to remember.
 
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ArmyMatt

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I would add that Orthodox Liturgy is patterened after the heavenly Liturgy as seen in Revelation, and if we see that, we see that the angels and saints have differeng prayers and actions of piety that they do eternally. they do not stop, wait for the others to complete what they are doing, and then carry on, but they all eternally do their specific prayers. I heard from a priest that this is one of the reasons that Orthodoxy can kinda look chaotic at first from the outside.

welcome to TAW
 
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Esdra

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I would add that Orthodox Liturgy is patterened after the heavenly Liturgy as seen in Revelation, and if we see that, we see that the angels and saints have differeng prayers and actions of piety that they do eternally. they do not stop, wait for the others to complete what they are doing, and then carry on, but they all eternally do their specific prayers. I heard from a priest that this is one of the reasons that Orthodoxy can kinda look chaotic at first from the outside.

welcome to TAW

I know about the heavenly liturgy. Read it somewhere. :)
I don't know who, but someone once said, "A divine liturgy is like heaven on earth."
 
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ArmyMatt

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I know about the heavenly liturgy. Read it somewhere. :)
I don't know who, but someone once said, "A divine liturgy is like heaven on earth."

hahaha, tru dat! I was just showing a Biblical reason for why there are those personal devotions during the service. forgive me if I seemed patronizing
 
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Esdra

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hahaha, tru dat! I was just showing a Biblical reason for why there are those personal devotions during the service. forgive me if I seemed patronizing

mhm, okay, I don't know the EO so well nevertheless. ;)

I'd be interested in the biblical reasons. :)

personal devotions = venereting icons and crosses, right?
 
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ArmyMatt

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mhm, okay, I don't know the EO so well nevertheless. ;)

I'd be interested in the biblical reasons. :)

personal devotions = venereting icons and crosses, right?

yep, just saying that we see that in Revelation. those are the Biblical reasons. you see that personal stuff in heaven. martyrs are praying their prayers, the elders, the angels, the seraphim, etc.
 
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Esdra

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yep, just saying that we see that in Revelation. those are the Biblical reasons. you see that personal stuff in heaven. martyrs are praying their prayers, the elders, the angels, the seraphim, etc.

Ah, you mean that. Yes, I already know about that. ;)

I also believe to know to which passage in the Holy Bible you're referring to:

Revelation 7,9-12
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Am I right? ;)
 
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ArmyMatt

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Ah, you mean that. Yes, I already know about that. ;)

I also believe to know to which passage in the Holy Bible you're referring to:

Revelation 7,9-12
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Am I right? ;)

yep, that be one of them
 
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Esdra

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cool cool.

I like the Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox, or in my case rather Eastern Catholic.
What I have read so far, I could feel pretty well there.

Although a Latin rite Catholic mass is also beautiful, especially when incense and candles are used. :)
 
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Esdra

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Were you visiting 'tourist' parishes? That might explain vendors, though it doesn't excuse it. I'd be [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ed if I saw that.

I also think knee-v's point about the number of Sacraments is important, especially for Orthodox to remember.

The Russian Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg, Russia could well have been a "tourist" parish.

But with the Serbian Orthodox Church, I am pretty sure that that wasn´t a tourist parish.
 
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ArmyMatt

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cool cool.

I like the Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox, or in my case rather Eastern Catholic.
What I have read so far, I could feel pretty well there.

Although a Latin rite Catholic mass is also beautiful, especially when incense and candles are used. :)

hahaha, another reason to come East, we always use candles and incense.
 
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