Do the Orthodox Have Confession?  

Divers Other Monks has a good video out on that.

@@eldermillennial8330 got any links?

For anyone finding this recently. Quick summary. Early christians would confess out loud in front of the whole congregation. Clergy realised that this meant some people would not be able to fully confess all their sins as some were illegal/ had too severe social consequences/ were too embarrassing for some penitents. They changed this to be a private confession between the priest and the penitent only as a way to increase privacy and allowing for the witnessing act to still be fulfilled (as is described in the bible to make it a sacrament) while the penitent had privacy and trust that their sins would remain with God alone as the priest has a seal of confession which cannot be broken at risk of excommunication. There was no legalised understanding of moral sin / venial sin / in persona christi confessors etc. until after the schism and this only appears in the RC church.

@@Flame1500 Oh no no no, don't produce errors in nice explanation, even st. Paul differentiates Major and Minor Sins, just the name of venial and moral was not present but he speaks about sins that remove from the body and those who don't which corresponds to later codification, same thing with in persona chirsity, name is later but even early church fathers speak of absolving sins in name and as substitute of Christ

@@jerrypawlak2396 hmm i think you’re a bit mixed up with your theology. Catholics believe they don’t need to confess their venial sins in confession & a prayer of contrition absolves them because the Catholic view of confession is that we are confessing for God’s sake & to free themselves from punishment of eternal hell. Whereas Orthodox view is that sin is sin, and yes there are sins which can break our relationship with God but we shouldn’t speculate on our own salvation & trust in the Lord and follow his commands as best we can and confess all sin as spiritual healing for us so we grow closer to God. It’s not distilled down into a science where every single mortal sin is a defined act like we see in the CCC. My apologies for mistakenly explaining if you didn’t understand. In persona Christi (while the phrase does appear in scripture) is used to justify a Latin innovation where they teach that Jesus literally physically and spiritually enters the priests body & uses him as a vessel to dispense grace either to transform the eucharist or to hear confession. Then, they give out the works which must be done as penance in persona Christi too (i think?). Orthodox view this as heresy, confession in the Orthodox faith doesn’t have this description of what “in the person of Christ” means, hence why they don’t use it as much because of the way the Latins have distilled it to a science. Hence why it is called a Holy Mystery. Orthodox confessors are witnesses and spiritual healers which are able to dispense absolution as said in the Holy Scriptures but mainly to act as spiritual guide and counsellor which helps bring us closer to God. Orthodox faith is much more focussed on Christ’s victory over sin and death and how we are to become partakers of the divine nature, rather than merely ‘avoiding mortal sin and decreasing time spent in purgatory’.

Well, it is difficult if you are shy. Simply approach the priest and say: "Hello Father, can you hear my confession? Or tell me when you are available?" This is simple enough I think 😊

Thank you Boyan for responding me I am Francisco and I adore your work it approached me more to Jesus and God I take it as a reference to learn more about christianity., And Orthodox Christianity in particular I am from Argentina living in Paris but I was born in Buenos Aires close to both Italian and greek origins and baptized in Saint George Church (Orthodox Greek ) but I am in a Little bit of distress and doubt if its correct to confess to a Catholic o Orthodox priest or if theres no problem to believe in both and pray the rosary and kombsokini (the jesus prayer) and if it's ok to go to a Catholic Church when the Orthodox are closed (Here in Paris are almost close and sometimes shamesoly with university and work I dont have at all time 🥴😥) Because I experienced the both traditions during my very moved life and now that I am 20 to 21 soon in November I am trying to approach and try my best the teachings of our saviour Jesus like to give forgiveness to others, But I am bit confused due to that as I said before I believe in both Churches or Bodies of Christ that separated their self in 1054 of the so many experiences that I had travelling and moving in other countries (Greece Italy Argentina Spain...) with different schools education. And that makes me to believe in both the Saints (Saint Francis Saint Fanourious Saint Stephan...) and traditions dogmas both signs of the cross etc.. except for the historical and material errors that the Church committed against others and itself. But I wanted your opinion because I want to dedicate a time of my life to peregrinate and go Like to Asis or Mont Athos/Oros and take a seminary and learn more Latin and Koine Greek or improve my Greek and Italian but my objective it's to be connected to God and his ways and teachings and feel in my heart a vibration that theres truth and pure love that makes me feel shame for my sins and love for God.

​@@BibleIllustrated I Want to mention that before i was agnostic and I didnt recognize God but with your videos and one particular experience that I still cannot find a clear explanation it's that what made to revive my faith it's one time when I went to pray in Athens in the end of Summer 2022 coming back from Naxos in direction to Italy and entered to the Monasteraki to put a candle and pray and I felt a presence of fire in my face that made me cry and wasnt the fact that I was unexpectedly in Athens the city where I lived a great part of my childhood but it was this presence that was like to be in front of a Bonfire or Heater that made me cry it opened by heart I am also a guy who rejects modernity in the sense of going to parties smoke and more degernecies of my generation

No, the sacrament requires a priest

Well you can do a confession yourself... tho in catholicism and orthodoxy you do need priest to absolve your sins... without it it's just a gesture

Of course you can confess by yourself! You should always in your private prayers to God. But in Orthodox and Catholic Churches, we also have the sacrament of confession, where we confess in front of a priest. This is actually a mercy because the original way was to confess in front the entire community!

@@NatureMichael Funny thing is there is a group inside more progressive wing of catholic church called 'neocatechumenal way' that did returned to public confessions as strange as it sound

God will always hear you in private.

In my own knowledge (not an official teaching), there is no such distinctions, at least not in the Roman Catholic sense ("you missed Sunday mass, you're forever in Hell"). How do you know? Well, your conscience (assuming you are living your faith as best as you can). All sins are bad, but you know when you can't approach the Eucharist, and when you can. Also, the Eucharist is Christ's offering, it purifies us from our sins, it is not a reward. And ultimately: ask your spiritual father.

One is never worthy to receive Communion. You pray 'let me not kiss You like Judas' before receiving, I think that says it all.

It may vary, but usually to receive the Holy Communion you have to attend Holy Mass and during Holy Mass there is a priest that confesses people. So each time you make a Confession before going to take the Eucharist when there are so many people that can’t be confessed in a couple of hour, those who did not get confession privately, partecipate in a Common Confession, meaning that the priest reads a prayer written by Joan of Kronstadt and agree with the prayer and you have your sins forgiven. Some priests are so responsible and attentive that if they don’t know you and they don’t recall you being confessed, they won’t make you partecipate in Eucharist without confessing you themselves first

@@FoundSheep-ANeven that varies by where you are in the world and which jurisdiction you’re in. Even parish by parish that varies

There are penances that may require a person to abstain from communion for a time. Example 1: Fighting in a war. - Traditionally the veteran does not approach the chalice for 6 years in penance to allow his soul to heal. Example 2: Killing a person, whether intentionally or accidentally or in self-defense requires a period of penance, again traditionally for 6 years for the killer's soul to heal. (In both example 1 and 2: 6 years is traditional but may be made shorter by the intuition of the priest.) Example 3: A persistent sin. In the event a person is trapped in a sinful behavior, he would be asked to not approach the chalice until successfully abstaining from the specific sin for a period of time. During this period of being out of communion, the parishioner still participates in parish life and all therapies of the church, including continuing to confess, but not take communion or serving the altar.

The exact same reason you venerate an icon - it is symbolic of Christ's presence. You're not confessing *to* an icon. :)

@@BibleIllustrated Ahh thanks, that was kind of what I thought. I was atheist but I converted last year, started out non denominational/protestant but then I saw the problems with protestantism. It is unfortunate that I live an a secular/protestant country as there are no real orthodox churches near me. But God knows I will find a way.

@@s1q213what country do you live in? I’m assuming probably the UK?

@@Tornadospeed10 The Netherlands

In ROCOR and some other Slavic traditions it is advised to Priests to have people confess over the Gospel, which has an Icon on the cover.