Orthodox Confession

[Cary.Melvin]

Greetings Eastern Orthodox Brothers and Sisters,

When, Where and How is the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) performed in your church? Do you call it the sacrament of reconciliation? How often do you go? Why do you go? Are you obligated to go for the forgiveness of sins?

Thanks,

 

[Reader Nilus]

Confession is a must, and should be used frequently. We stand before the Gospel and confess our sins as the priest listens, he will ask a question now and then and afterwards give some thoughts about how to gain victory over our sins, and then he reads the prayers of absolution and asks forgiveness for himself from us.
Sermons on Confession by Met ANTHONY (Bloom) of Blessed Memory.
Jeff the Finn

 

[Photini]

This reminded me of a story in Elder Paisios' life...

"A young man, who hadn't been to confession for many years, went to Father Anastasios who resided at the cell of Dionysiou Fourna from Karyes of Koutloumousiou Monastery. While they were discussing, Father Anastasios told him he should go to confession, as it would help him find solutions to his problems. However, the young man was not convinced, even though Father Anastasios was trying gently to make him realize that he must go to confession. Then, Father Anastasios talked to him about Father Paisios; he told him that he is a contemporary saint and suggested they go together to visit and listen to what he has to say.
So, they went to see the Elder. When they arrived at his cell, he was out in the garden digging in order to plant some vegetables.

Father Anastasios greeted him and asked him:
--Father, what are you doing?
The Elder, with the characteristic charming look on his face, said:
--Well, I decided to "confess" my garden!
Father Anastasios replied:
--Well, Father, does the garden also need confession?
--I have noticed that when I confess my garden and take off everything useless, such as stones, cans, roots, thorns and then I till the soil a little bit, it works wonders. So, I reached the conclusion that once in a while my garden needs confession.

Leaving the hoe aside, he let them in and treated them to a sweet.
When Father Anastasios and the young man left, they were pleased the Elder had answered their question regarding confession, without even bothering to ask him beforehand. Needless to say, the young fellow went straight to confession after this incident!"

--Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain by Priestmonk Christodoulos

 

[Philip]

When, Where and How is the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) performed in your church? Do you call it the sacrament of reconciliation?

I have heard it called both, but confession is far more common in my experience.

How often do you go?

I've been going about once a month lately. I don't know if there is a canon specifying how often one must go. I think it is up to the believer and his spiritual father to determine how often is proper.

Why do you go?

To confess my sins. More importantly, at least to me, is to seek guidence on how to avoid the sins in the future.

Are you obligated to go for the forgiveness of sins?

You are obligated to go to remain in communion with the Church.

 

[Moros]

Mine has vespers and confession saturday evenings, liturgy sunday morning.

A Brief Confession before One's Spiritual Father
(From the Full Confession of St. Demetrius of Rostov)
I confess to the Lord my God and before thee, venerable father, all my countless sins, committed by me unto this very day and hour, in deed, word and thought. I sin daily and hourly by mine ingratitude toward God for His great and countless blessings and benevolent providence over me, a sinner.
I have sinned through: idle talking, judging others, stubbornness, pride, hard-heartedness, envy, anger, slander, inattention, negligence concerning my salvation, carelessness, indifference, impertinence, irritability, despondency, rendering evil for evil, bitterness, disobedience, complaining, self-justification, contradicting others, self-will, being reproachful, gossiping, lying, light-mindedness, tempting others, self-love, ambition, gourmandizing, eating and drinking to excess, vanity, laziness, entertaining unclean thoughts, acquisitiveness, impure glances, absence from divine services because of laziness and carelessness, absent-mindedness at prayer both in church and at home; I have sinned in deed, word thought; in sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and the rest of my mental and physical senses; of all my sins I repent and beg forgiveness.
(Here one should mention specifically any other sins which may be burdening the soul.)
I also repent and ask forgiveness for all those sins that I have not confessed because of their multitude and my forgetfulness.
Forgive and absolve me, venerable father, and bless me to commune of the holy and life-creating Mysteries of Christ unto the remission of sins and life everlasting.

 

[MariaRegina]

The Orthodox Priests I have met refer to the Holy Sacrament of Reconciliation as the Holy Mystery of Confession or Holy Confession. In this Holy Mystery we encounter Christ, Who heals us and enables us to be purified of our bad habits or sinfulness.

Within the Holy Orthodox Church, I learned that Holy Confession is never something we rush to do after we have sinned. We are encouraged to pray and fast, and to ask forgiveness from all we have offended beforehand, so that we can truly repent and change our ways.

I think this is also consistent with Roman Catholic belief.

Hope this helps.