How to confess in the church. Confession is essential in a person's life

Repentance or confession is a sacrament in which a person who confesses his sins to a priest, through his forgiveness, is released from sins by the Lord Himself. The question about Father, is asked by many people who join the church life. The preliminary confession prepares the soul of the penitent for the Great Meal - the Sacrament of Communion.

The essence of confession

The Holy Fathers call the Sacrament of Penance the second baptism. In the first case, at Baptism, a person receives cleansing from the original sin of the ancestors Adam and Eve, and in the second, the penitent is washed from his sins committed after baptism. However, from the weakness of their human nature, people continue to sin, and these sins separate them from God, standing between them as a barrier. They are unable to overcome this barrier on their own. But the Sacrament of Repentance helps to be saved and to acquire that union with God acquired at Baptism.

The Gospel says about repentance that it is a necessary condition for the salvation of the soul. A person throughout his life must continuously struggle with his sins. And, despite all the defeats and falls, he should not lose heart, despair and grumble, but all the time repent and continue to carry his life's cross, which the Lord Jesus Christ placed on him.

Realizing your sins

In this matter, the main thing is to learn that in the Sacrament of Confession a repentant person is forgiven all his sins, and the soul is freed from sinful bonds. The ten commandments received by Moses from God and the nine received from the Lord Jesus Christ contain the entire moral and spiritual law of life.

Therefore, before confessing, you must turn to your conscience and remember all your sins from childhood in order to prepare a real confession. How it goes, not everyone knows, and even rejects, but a true Orthodox Christian, overcoming his pride and false shame, begins to spiritually crucify himself, honestly and sincerely confess his spiritual imperfection. And here it is important to understand that unconfessed sins will be determined to a person in eternal condemnation, and repentance will mean victory over oneself.

What is real confession. How is this sacrament going

Before confessing to a priest, it is necessary to seriously prepare and realize the whole need to cleanse the soul from sins. To do this, you need to come to terms with all the offenders and those who have been offended, refrain from gossip and condemnation, any obscene thoughts, watching numerous entertainment programs and reading lightweight literature. It is better to devote free time to reading the Holy Scriptures and other spiritual literature. It is advisable to confess a little in advance at the evening service, so that during the morning Liturgy you will no longer be distracted from the service and devote time to prayer preparation for Holy Communion. But already, as a last resort, you can confess in the morning (basically everyone does this).

For the first time, not everyone knows how to confess correctly, what to say to the priest, etc. In this case, you need to warn the priest about this, and he will direct everything in the right direction. Confession first of all presupposes the ability to see and realize one's sins; at the moment of expressing them, the priest should not justify himself and shift the blame onto another.

Children under 7 years old and all newly baptized people receive communion on this day without confession; this cannot be done only to women who are in purification (when they have their period or after childbirth until the 40th day). The text of the confession can be written on a piece of paper so as not to get lost later and remember everything.

Confession procedure

In church, a lot of people usually gather for confession, and before approaching the priest, you need to turn to face the people and say out loud: "Forgive me, sinner," and they will answer: "God will forgive, and we forgive." And already then it is necessary to go to the confessor. Approaching the analogue (high stand under the book), crossing yourself and bowing to the belt, without kissing the Cross and the Gospel, bowing your head, you can proceed to confession.

Previously confessed sins do not need to be repeated, for, as the Church teaches, they have already forgiven, but if they have been repeated again, then one must repent of them again. At the end of your confession, you need to listen to the words of the priest and When he finishes - cross yourself twice, bow to the belt, kiss the Cross and the Gospel, and then, crossing yourself and bowing again, accept the blessing of your father and go to your place.

What to repent of

Concluding the topic “Confession. How is this sacrament going ”, it is necessary to familiarize oneself with the most common sins in our modern world.

Sins against God - pride, lack of faith or unbelief, renunciation of God and the Church, careless fulfillment of the sign of the cross, not wearing a cross, violation of the commandments of God, mentioning the name of the Lord in vain, careless fulfillment of non-attendance at church, prayer without zeal, talking and walking in church during services, belief in superstition, appeal to psychics and fortune-tellers, thoughts of suicide, etc.

Sins against one's neighbor - upsetting parents, robbery and extortion, stinginess in charity, cruelty, slander, bribery, insults, taunts and evil jokes, irritation, anger, gossip, gossip, greed, scandals, tantrums, insults, betrayal, treason, etc. etc.

Sins against oneself - vanity, arrogance, anxiety, envy, vengefulness, striving for earthly glory and honor, addiction to money, gluttony, smoking, drunkenness, gambling, masturbation, fornication, excessive attention to one's flesh, despondency, longing, sadness etc.

God will forgive any sin, nothing is impossible for him, a person only needs to truly realize his sinful deeds and sincerely repent of them.

Participle

Confessions are usually made in order to receive Communion, and for this you need to talk for several days, which implies prayer and fasting, attending evening services and reading at home, in addition to evening and morning prayers, the canons: Theotokos, Guardian Angel, Penitent, to Communion, and, if possible , or rather, at will - Akathist to Jesus the Sweetest. After midnight, they no longer eat or drink, they begin the sacrament on an empty stomach. After receiving the Sacrament of Communion, one should read the prayers for Holy Communion.

Don't be afraid to go to confession. How is it going? You can read the exact information about this in special brochures that are sold in each church, they describe everything in great detail. And then the main thing is to tune in to this faithful and salutary deed, because the Orthodox Christian must always think about death so that it does not catch him by surprise - without even communion.

What is the meaning of the Christian life? There may be many answers, but no one will argue that Orthodox Christians see the ultimate goal of earthly existence in eternal stay in paradise.

No one knows at what moment a person's stay on earth can end, therefore, one should be ready every second for the transition to another world.

What is confession

The best way to get rid of sin is sincere repentance, when the thought of an unclean life becomes disgusting.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness ”(1 John 1: 8, 9).

The secret of confession in Orthodoxy gives Christians the opportunity to leave all their sins and brings them closer to the Knowledge of God and the Kingdom of Heaven. Humble prayer, frequent confession are the results of repentance, a real contrition of the spirit that occurs in a constant struggle with passions.

About other Sacraments of the Orthodox Church:

Christ and the sinner

Orthodox Christians who are constantly in prayer and repentance, bringing their bad deeds and thoughts to the altar of God's blood, are not afraid of death, because they know that their bad deeds are forgiven during their confession.

Confession is a Sacrament, during which, through a priest, as a mediator, a person communicates with the Creator, renounces his sinful life in repentance and recognizing himself as a sinner.

Any, the smallest sin, can become a huge lock on the door of eternity. The Creator holds the repentant heart laid at the altar of God's love in His hands, forgiving all sins, without the right to remember them, shortening earthly life and depriving them of eternal stay in paradise.

Bad deeds come from hell, a fallen man leads him into the existing world, acting as a guide.

Sincere confession of wrong deeds cannot be violent, only out of ardent repentance, hatred of perfect sin, dying for him and living in holiness, the Almighty opens His arms.

Forgiveness in Christianity

The secret of confession in Orthodoxy guarantees that everything was said in the presence of the priest, dies and does not leave the gate of the church. There are no sins big and small, there are unrepentant sins, self-justification, alienating a person from accepting forgiveness. Through sincere repentance, a person comprehends the mystery of salvation.

Important! The Holy Fathers of the Church forbid remembering the sins confessed to God in sincere repentance and forsaken by man forever.

Why do Orthodox Christians confess?

Man consists of spirit, soul and body. Everyone knows that the body will turn to dust, but concern for bodily purity occupies an important place in the life of Christians. The soul, which is to meet the Savior at the end of its life, also needs cleansing from sins.

Only the confession of sinful deeds, thoughts, words can wash away the dirt from the soul. The accumulation of impurities in the soul causes negative emotions:

• irritation;
• anger;
• apathy.

Often the Orthodox themselves cannot explain their behavior, they do not even suspect that the reason for everything is unconfessed sins.

A person's spiritual health, a calm conscience directly depends on the frequency of confessing their vicious inclinations.

The confession accepted by God is directly related, or rather, is the result of sincere repentance. A repentant person sincerely wants to live according to the commandments of the Lord, he constantly criticizes his delusions and sins.

Confession in the Orthodox Church

According to St. Theophan the Recluse, repentance takes place in four stages:

• realize sin;
• admit his guilt in committing a misdemeanor;
• make a decision to end your relationship permanently with wrong actions or thoughts;
• tearfully pray to the Creator for forgiveness.

Important! Confession should be spoken out loud, because what is written is known to God, and what is spoken by a voice is heard by demons.

In obedience, going to the open opening of his heart, which takes place in the presence of a priest, a person first of all transcends his pride. Some believers argue that it is possible to confess directly in the presence of the Creator, but according to the laws of the Orthodox Russian Church, the Sacrament of confession is considered legal if it is perfect through an intercessor, prayer book and witness in one person, through a priest.

The main thing in confessing sins is not the rank of a mediator, but the state of the sinner's heart, his heartfelt contrition and complete rejection of the committed transgression.

What are the rules of confession

People who wish to perform the Sacrament of Confession go to the priest before the Liturgy or during its performance, but always before the Sacrament of the Sacrament. To sick people, by prior agreement, the priests go home.

According to the Church Charter, when purifying the Orthodox soul, there are no reservations about fasting or prayer rules, the main thing is that a Christian believes and sincerely repent. The right thing is done by people who, before coming to the temple, spend time in realizing and writing down their sins, but these records should be left at home.

In front of a priest, as in front of a doctor, they talk about what hurts, torments, and for this one does not need pieces of paper.

Deadly sins include:

• pride, pride, vanity;
• fornication;
• desire for someone else and envy;
• over-indulging in one's own flesh;
• unbridled anger;
• a dull spirit that dries up bones.

Advice! You should not tell the priest the story of the perfect offense, the circumstances of its commission, try to find an excuse for yourself. What to say in confession should be thought out at home, repenting for every little thing that troubles the heart.

If this is an offense, before going to church, you need to come to terms with the offender and forgive the offending person.

In the presence of a priest, one should name the sins, say that I repent and admit it. When we confess, we bring repentant sin to the foot of the great God and ask for forgiveness. One should not confuse a heart-to-heart conversation with a spiritual mentor and the Sacrament of Confession.

When consulting with a counselor, Christians can talk about their problems, ask for advice, and when confessing sins, they should speak clearly, clearly and briefly. ... God sees a repentant heart, He does not need verbosity.

The Church points out the sin of insensibility during confession, when a person has no fear of the Creator, is of little faith, but has come to the temple, for everyone came so that the neighbors could see his “piety”.

Cold, mechanical confession without preparation and sincere repentance is considered invalid; it offends the Creator. You can find several priests, tell each one about one bad deed, but not repent of any one, "putting on" the sin of hypocrisy and deceit.

First confession and preparation for it

Having made the decision to confess, you should:

• clearly understand the importance of this event;
• feel full responsibility before the Almighty;
• to repent of the perfect;
• forgive all debtors;
• be filled with faith for forgiveness;
• expound all sins with deep remorse.

The first coming in petition and repentance will make you mentally “shovel” your life from the point of view of repentance, if the desire for repentance is sincere. At the same time, one should constantly pray, ask God to open the darkest corners of the soul, bring all bad deeds into the light of God.

The sacrament of repentance

It is a mortal sin to come to confession and then receive communion, having unforgiveness in your soul. The Bible says that people who unworthily come to the sacrament get sick and die. (1 Cor. 11: 27-30)

Holy Scripture states that God forgives any repentant sin, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. (Mat. 12: 30-32)

If the atrocity committed is very great, then after confessing before communion of the Blood of Jesus, the priest can prescribe a penance - a punishment in the form of many bows, many hours of reading the canons, increased fasting and pilgrimage to holy places. It is impossible not to fulfill the penance; it can be canceled by the priest who imposed the punishment.

Important! After confession, they do not always receive Communion, and it is impossible to receive Communion without confession.

Prayers before confession and communion: Christ is knocking at the door

Only pride and false shame, which also refers to pride, obscures the importance of completely trusting the Creator in His mercy and forgiveness. Righteous shame is born of conscience, it is given by the Creator; a sincere Christian will always strive to clear his conscience as soon as possible.

What to tell the priest

When going to confession for the first time, one should remember that there is a meeting ahead not with a clergyman, but with the Creator Himself.

Cleansing your soul and heart from a sinful heritage, you should confess your guilt in contrition, humility and reverence, while not touching the sins of other people. They themselves will give an answer before the Creator. One must confess in firm faith that Jesus came in order to save and wash with His blood from the sinful deeds and thoughts of His children.

Opening your heart to God, one must repent not only of obvious sins, but of those good deeds that could have been done for people, the church, the Savior, but did not.

Carelessness in entrusted work is an abomination to God.

By His earthly death, Jesus proved that the path of cleansing is open to everyone, promising the robber who recognized Him as God, the Kingdom of Heaven.

God does not look at the number of bad deeds on the day of confession, He sees a repentant heart.

A sign of a forgiven sin will be a special peace in the heart, pacification. At this time, the angels sing to Heaven, rejoicing in the salvation of another soul.

How to Prepare for Confession? Archpriest John Pelipenko

Hello! My problem is this. I came to God not so long ago, but I believe, as it seems to me, sincerely. Many sins torment me very much, and I really want to confess, but I am afraid directly of confession itself - not that it will be scary or ashamed, but that I will not do something that is supposed to, or I will not say, or I will do something that it is not necessary ... I am afraid of the process itself, not in the spiritual, but in the material plane. And nowhere can I find what should be done directly - everywhere only about the fact that it is necessary to repent, pray, etc., I myself understand this, but what to do directly is not. Help me please! Alexandra.

Archpriest Mikhail Samokhin answers:

How is confession going?

Hello Alexandra!

The immediate sequence of actions during confession is as follows:
It is necessary to go to the place in the church where confession is made and stand in line, if there is one. While waiting, it is better to remember your sins in order to more fully describe them in confession. In this case, you need to try to avoid extraneous thoughts, conversations. In no case should one be allowed to hear someone else's confession. Approaching the priest, you need to say your name and bow your head before the cross and the Gospel. The list of sins should be addressed not to the priest, but to the Lord. If you are very worried, you can make notes on a piece of paper or ask the priest to ask you leading questions. At the end of the enumeration of sins, you need to ask for forgiveness from the Lord and bow your head for the priest to read the prayer of permission. After reading the prayer, it is customary to kiss the cross, the Gospel, in some churches - to take a blessing from the priest and kiss his hand. If it is not clear from the conversation whether the priest admitted you to Communion, ask about it. In some churches, it is customary to give a note with a list of sins to the priest so that he tore it up and give it to you for burning. The best approach to confession is to warn the priest that you are confessing for the first time. Then he himself will tell you what to do and in what sequence. And yet, remember that the books are written absolutely correctly: the main thing in confession is sincere repentance and a firm intention not to repeat the confessed sins.

Respectfully yours, Archpriest Mikhail Samokhin.

Read also

Confession is the sacrament of repentance, when a believer expounds his sins to a clergyman in the hope of forgiveness by God. The ceremony was established by the Savior himself, who spoke to the disciples the words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew: chapter 18, verse 18. The topic of confession is also covered in the Gospel of John: chapter 20, verses 22-23.

In the sacrament of repentance, parishioners set out the main passions (mortal sins) committed by them:

• gluttony (excessive food intake);
• anger;
• fornication, debauchery;
• love of money (striving for material values);
• despondency (depression, despair, laziness);
• vanity;
• pride;
• envy.

The representative of the church is empowered to forgive sins on behalf of the Lord.

Preparing for confession

The need to confess in the overwhelming majority of cases occurs when:

• committing a grave sin;
• preparation for the sacrament;
• the decision to get married;
• mental anguish from the misdeeds committed;
• a serious or incurable illness;
• the desire to change the sinful past.

Preparation is required before confession. It is necessary to find out the schedule when ordinances are performed and choose the appropriate date. Usually confession is performed on weekends and holidays, daily rituals are possible.

Attention! A significant number of believers are present during the sacrament. If there are difficulties with revealing the soul to the priest and repentance in front of a large crowd of people, it is advisable to contact the minister of the church and choose a day when it is possible to be alone with him.

Before confession, it is recommended to make a list of sins, correctly identifying them. Offenses committed by word, deed, and thoughts are taken into account, starting from the last repentance. In the case of the first confession in adulthood, they remember their own sins from the age of 7 or after baptism.

To tune in the right mood, it is advisable to read the Penitential Canon in the evening before the sacrament. It is important to go to confession in the absence of impious thoughts, forgive your offenders and apologize to those whom you yourself have offended. Fasting before the ceremony is optional.

You should confess once a month, if you want and if the need arises, you can do it more often. Women abstain from the ceremony during menstruation.

How to Confess Correctly

It is important to come to the sacrament of repentance on time. Confession is held in the morning or evening. Repentant believers read the rite. The priest asks the names of those who have come to confession, you should inform him in a calm voice, without shouting out. Latecomers do not participate in the sacrament.

It is recommended that the rite of repentance be performed with one confessor. You need to wait for your turn, then turn to people with the words: "Forgive me, a sinner (sinner)." The answer will be the phrase: "God will forgive, and we forgive." After that, they approach the priest and bow their heads in front of the analogion - an elevated table.

Having crossed himself and bowed down, the believer confesses, listing his sins. The phrase should begin with the words: "Lord, I have sinned (sinned) before You ..." and reveal exactly what it is. They report misconduct without details, in general terms. If you need clarification, the father will ask. However, to say too briefly: "Sin (sinful) in everything!" also not allowed. It is important to list all the misconduct without hiding anything. They end the confession, for example, with the phrase: “I repent, Lord! Save and have mercy on me, a sinner (sinner)! " Then they carefully listen to the priest, take note of his advice. After the clergyman reads the "permissive" prayer, they are baptized and bowed twice, kiss the Cross and the book of the Gospel.

Important! For grievous sins, the representative of the church prescribes a penance - a punishment that can consist in reading a long prayer, observing fasting or abstinence. Only after its fulfillment and with the help of the "permission" prayer, the believer is considered forgiven.

In large Temples, with a significant number of people, a "general" confession is used. In this case, the priest lists the main sins, and the confessors repent. After that, each parishioner approaches a church representative with a prayer of permission.

The sacrament of repentance

Confession is considered the second baptism. If during baptism a person is cleansed from original sin, then during repentance there is a liberation from personal passions.

When conducting the ceremony, it is important to be honest with yourself and God, be aware of the committed transgressions and sincerely repent of them. One should not be ashamed or afraid of the condemnation of the priest - this will not happen, the representative of the church is only a guide between the believer and the Lord, there is no need to make excuses before him, only to repent.

One cannot continue to be tormented by a sin that has already been repented of, since it is considered forgiven. Otherwise, the church perceives it as a manifestation of little faith.

Examples of sins that are listed for the priest in confession include various categories.

Common female misconduct includes:

• turned to witches, fortune-tellers and so on;
• rarely attended church and read prayers;
• had sex before marriage;
• during prayer I thought about pressing problems;
• afraid of old age;
• had impious thoughts;
• performed abortions;
• was superstitious;
• excessively consumed alcohol, sweets, drugs;
• wore revealing clothes;
• refused to help those in need.

Common male sins are:

• lack of faith, blasphemy against the Lord;
• cruelty;
• pride;
• laziness;
• ridicule of the weak;
• greed;
• evading military service;
• insults of people around, the use of violence;
• weakness when resisting temptations;
• slander, theft;
• rudeness, rudeness;
• refusal to help those in need.

In Orthodoxy, there are 3 main groups of sins that must be stated during confession: in relation to the Lord, those close to oneself, and oneself.

Sins against God

• interest in occult sciences;
• apostasy;
• insult to God, ingratitude to him;
• unwillingness to wear a pectoral cross;
• superstition;
• atheistic education;
• mentioning the Lord in vain;
• unwillingness to read morning and evening prayers, attend church on Sundays and holidays;
• thoughts of suicide;
• passion for gambling;
• rare reading of Orthodox literature;
• non-observance of church rules (fasting);
• despair in difficulties and problems, denial of God's providence;
• condemnation of church representatives;
• dependence on earthly pleasures;
• fear of old age;
• concealment of sins in repentance, unwillingness to fight them;
• arrogance, denial of God's help.

Sins in relation to loved ones

The group of vices against neighbors includes:

• disrespect for parents, irritation with old age;
• condemnation, hatred;
• anger;
• irascible disposition;
• slander, rancor;
• raising children in a different faith;
• non-repayment of debts;
• non-payment of money for work;
• refusal to people in need of help;
• arrogance;
• quarrels, swearing with relatives and neighbors;
• greed;
• driving a neighbor to suicide;
• performing an abortion and nudging others to do so;
• drinking alcohol at the commemoration;
• theft;
• laziness at work.

Sins against the soul

• deception;
• foul language (use of obscene language);
• self-delusion;
• vanity;
• envy;
• laziness;
• despair, sadness;
• impatience;
• lack of faith;
• adultery (violation of fidelity in marriage);
• laughing for no reason;
• masturbation, unnatural fornication (closeness of people of the same sex), incest;
• love of material values, striving for enrichment;
• gluttony;
• perjury;
• doing good deeds for show;
• dependence on alcohol, tobacco;
• idle talk, verbosity;
• reading literature and viewing photographs, films with erotic content;
• extramarital carnal intimacy.

How to confess to children

The church teaches children from an early age to a sense of reverence for the Lord. A child under 7 years old is considered an infant, he does not need to confess, including before the sacrament.

Upon reaching the specified age, children begin the rite of repentance on an equal basis with adults. Before confession, it is recommended to tune the baby up by reading the Holy Scriptures, children's Orthodox literature. It is advisable to reduce the time for watching TV, to pay special attention to the reading of morning and evening prayers.

If the child misbehaves, talk to him, awakening a sense of shame.

Children also make a list of committed sins, it is important that they do this on their own, without the help of adults. To help the child, he is given a list of possible sins:

• Did you miss your morning or evening prayers before your meal?
• did not steal?
• have you wondered?
• don't you boast about your skills and abilities?
• do you know the main prayers ("Our Father", "Jesus Prayer", "Virgin Mary, rejoice")?
• do you not hide your sins in confession?
• do not use amulets, symbols?
• do you go to church on Sundays, do you not indulge in the service?
• don't you get carried away with bad habits, don't you use foul language?
• did not mention the name of the Lord unnecessarily?
• are you not ashamed of a pectoral cross, do you wear it without taking it off?
• did not deceive parents?
• didn’t gossip, didn’t gossip?
• help your loved ones, aren't you lazy?
• did not mock the beasts of the earth?
• didn't play cards?

The child can name personal sins that are not on the list. It is important that he understands the need to realize his own transgressions, sincere and sincere repentance.

Examples of confession

Speech at the sacrament of repentance is composed arbitrarily, depending on the enumeration of the sins of the believer. A few examples of what to say in confession will help you compose an individual appeal to the priest and God.

Example 1

Lord, I have sinned (sinned) before You by adultery, lies, greed, slander, profanity, superstition, striving for enrichment, extramarital carnal intimacy, quarrels with loved ones, gluttony, abortion, dependence on alcohol, tobacco, resentment, resentment, condemnation ... I repent, Lord! Have mercy on me, a sinner (sinner).

Example 2

I confess to the Lord God, in the glorious Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, all sins from youth to the present, committed by deed, word and thought, voluntarily or involuntarily. I put my hope on God's mercy and wish to correct my life. I sinned (sinned) by apostasy, impudent judgments about church laws, love for earthly goods, disrespect for elders. Forgive me, Lord, cleanse, renew my soul and body, so that I can walk the path of salvation. And you, honest Father, pray for me to the Lord, the Most Pure Lady of the Theotokos and the holy saints, may the Lord have mercy on me with their prayers, resolve my sins and grant me uncondemned communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ ”.

Example 3

I bring to you, merciful Lord, the heavy burden of my sins from early youth to the present day. I have sinned (sinned) before You by forgetting Your commandments, ingratitude to You for mercy, superstition, blasphemous thoughts, striving for pleasure, vanity, idle talk, gluttony, breaking fasts, refusing to help those in need. I sinned in words, thoughts, deeds, sometimes involuntarily, but more often consciously. I sincerely repent of my sins, I do my best not to repeat them. Forgive and have mercy on me, Lord!

Every believer should understand that in confession he confesses his deeds to the Lord. Each of his sins must be covered by the desire to atone for his guilt before the Lord, this is the only way to achieve his forgiveness.

If a person feels that his soul is heavy, then it is necessary to go to church and go through the sacrament of confession. After repentance, you will feel much better, and a heavy burden will fall from your shoulders. The soul will become free and your conscience will no longer torment you.

The essence of confession

The Holy Fathers call the Sacrament of Penance the second baptism. In the first case, at Baptism, a person receives cleansing from the original sin of the ancestors Adam and Eve, and in the second, the penitent is washed from his sins committed after baptism. However, from the weakness of their human nature, people continue to sin, and these sins separate them from God, standing between them as a barrier. They are unable to overcome this barrier on their own. But the Sacrament of Repentance helps to be saved and to acquire that union with God acquired at Baptism.

The Gospel says about repentance that it is a necessary condition for the salvation of the soul. A person throughout his life must continuously struggle with his sins. And, despite all the defeats and falls, he should not lose heart, despair and grumble, but all the time repent and continue to carry his life's cross, which the Lord Jesus Christ placed on him.

How to start a confession to the priest, with what words?

The seven deadly sins, which are the main vices, look like this:

• gluttony (gluttony, excessive food abuse)
• fornication (dissolute life, infidelity)
• anger (irascibility, vindictiveness, irritability)
• love of money (greed, desire for material values)
• despondency (laziness, depression, despair)
• vanity (selfishness, feelings of narcissism)
• envy

It is believed that when these sins are committed, the human soul can perish. Making them, a person moves further and further from God, but all of them can be released during the time of sincere repentance. It is believed that it was mother nature that laid them in every person, and only the most powerful in spirit can resist temptations and fight evil. But it is worth remembering that every person can commit a sin, going through a difficult period in life. People are not immune to the misfortunes and difficulties that can drive everyone to despair. You need to learn to deal with passions and emotions, and then no sin can overcome you and break your life.

Preparing for confession

It is necessary to prepare for repentance in advance. First you need to find a temple where the ordinances are held and choose a suitable day. Most often they are held on holidays and weekends. At this time, there are always many people in the temple, and not everyone will be able to open up when strangers are nearby. In this case, you need to contact the priest and ask him to make an appointment for another day when you can be alone. Before repentance, it is recommended to read the Penitential Canon, which will allow you to tune in and put your thoughts in order.

You need to know that there are three groups of sins that you can write down and take with you to confession.

Vices against God:
These include blasphemy and insult to the Lord, blasphemy, interest in the occult sciences, superstition, contemplation of suicide, passion, and so on.

Vices against the soul:
Laziness, deception, the use of obscene words, impatience, disbelief, self-delusion, despair.

Vices against neighbors:
Disrespect for parents, slander, condemnation, rancor, hatred, theft, and so on.

How to confess correctly, what should be said to the priest at the beginning?

Before approaching a representative of the church, put bad thoughts out of your head and prepare to open your soul. You can start confession like this: “Lord, I have sinned against you,” and after that you can list your sins. There is no need to tell the priest about the sin in the smallest detail, it is enough just to say "He committed adultery" or to confess to another vice.

But to the list of sins, you can add "I sinned with envy, I constantly envy my neighbor ..." etc. Having listened to you, the priest will be able to give valuable advice and help you do the right thing in a given situation. Clarifications like this will help you identify and combat your greatest weaknesses. The confession ends with the words “I repent, Lord! Save and have mercy on me, a sinner! "

Many confessors are very ashamed to talk about anything, this is an absolutely normal feeling. But at the moment of repentance, you need to overcome yourself and understand that it is not the priest who condemns you, but God, and that it is to God that you tell about your sins. The priest is just a guide between you and the Lord, do not forget about this.

What sins to speak in confession and how to call them

Everyone who decides to go to confession for the first time thinks about how to behave correctly. What is the correct name for sins in confession? It happens that people come to confession and tell in detail about all their life's vicissitudes. This is not considered a confession. Confession includes such a concept as repentance. This is not at all a story about your life, and even with a desire to justify your sins.

Since some people simply do not know how to confess in another way, the priest will accept this version of confession as well. But it will be more correct if you try to understand the situation and admit all your mistakes.

Many write their sins to confession with a list. In it, they try to list everything in detail and tell about everything. But there is another type of people who list their sins in only a few words. It is necessary to describe your sins not in general words about the passion that rages in you, but about its manifestation in your life.

Remember, confession should not be a detailed account of the incident, but should be a repentance for certain sins. But you should not be particularly dry in describing these sins, unsubscribing with only one word.

Confession behavior

Before confessing, you need to know the time of confession in the temple. In many churches, confession takes place on holidays and Sundays, but in large churches it can be on Saturday or on a weekday. Most often, a large number of those wishing to confess comes during Great Lent. But if a person is confessing for the first time or after a long break, it is best to talk to a priest and find a convenient time for calm and open repentance.

Before confession, it is necessary to endure a three-day fast, spiritual and bodily: give up sex life, do not eat animal products, it is advisable to give up entertainment, watching TV and "sitting" in gadgets. At this time, it is necessary to read spiritual literature and pray. There are special prayers before confession, which can be found in the Prayer Book or on specialized sites. You can read other spiritual literature that a priest might recommend.

It is worth remembering that confession is, first of all, repentance, and not just a spiritual conversation with a priest. If you have any questions, you should approach the priest at the end of the Service and ask him to give you time.

The priest has the right to impose penance on a parishioner if he considers the sins to be grave. This is a kind of punishment to eradicate sin and receive early forgiveness. As a rule, penance is reading prayers, fasting, and serving others. Penance should be taken not as a punishment, but as a spiritual medicine.

You need to come to confession in modest clothes. Men should dress in trousers or pants, and a long-sleeved shirt, preferably without images on it. The hat in the church should be taken off. Women should dress as modestly as possible, trousers, dresses with a neckline, bare shoulders are not allowed. The length of the skirt is below the knee. There must be a scarf on the head. Any makeup, especially painted lips, is unacceptable, because you will need to kiss the Gospel and the Cross.