Whether you are a Greek Orthodox church member, or you are thinking about joining the church, you may be wondering does the Greek Orthodox church have confession? There are a few things you should know about the process of confession.
Table of Contents
Communion at an Orthodox Church is a sign of ecclesial belonging
Historically, the Church has been seen as a people united with one Father and one Holy Spirit. As such, each individual Church has a unique contribution to make through their rich liturgical tradition, oriental spirituality, and history. The challenge for today’s Church is to give more tangible expression to this unity.
Theological differences between Orthodox and Catholic churches have led to an East-West Schism, one of the major reasons for the divisions within the Church. These differences are not merely theological, but relate to organizational and governance structures.
The Church of Christ subsists in local communities presided over by bishops. In addition, the Catholic Church recognizes elements of ecclesiality in other communities. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church cannot affirm the Churches of other denominations.
Ecclesiology has been a key inspiration for the Second Vatican Council. In particular, the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium speaks about the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. It also speaks about the Trinitarian mission in history.
The Mystery of Confession
Among the many mysteries of the Orthodox Church is the mystery of confession. This is a sacrament of reconciliation and a means of restoring an injured soul. The earliest form of confession acknowledged an individual’s sincere repentance. The sacrament also allowed the person to receive communion.
The sacrament was changed after Constantine’s conversion, and today it is conducted in the privacy of the confessional. A single priest stands by the confessor and listens to the confession.
Among the Orthodox Church’s seven sacraments are Confession, Holy Communion, and the Divine Liturgy. The earliest form of Confession involved an individual standing before the congregation and committing to penance. The Sacrament of confession became more of a private conversation between the penitent and God.
The sacrament is also referred to as The Mystery of Repentance in the Orthodox Church. Its main function is to acknowledge a person’s sins, and offer forgiveness.
Common forms of absolution
Various branches of the Greek Orthodox Church have slight variations on the doctrine of absolution. Absolution is a prayer in which a priest forgives a penitent for sins. The prayer is usually in the third person, and involves the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It is only valid if the penitent makes a sincere confession and the priest gives the absolution. Absolution is given when a penitent is truly contrite and has a firm purpose to amend his or her life.
There are two main forms of absolution, the deprecatory and the declarative. The deprecatory form is more common. The deprecatory form is a prayer in which the priest gives the absolution, while the declarative form is a prayer in which the penitent asks for forgiveness.
The deprecatory form is usually accompanied by a physical act. For example, the priest may make a sign of the cross over the congregation.
Avoid embarrassment and fright
Fortunately, you can avoid embarrassment and fright by making a few key considerations. Confession is an important aspect of the Orthodox Church, and you should be prepared to go to confession at least a couple times a year. Whether you are in the Orthodox Church or not, you can benefit from the sacrament of confession.
If you’re a Greek Orthodox Christian, you should be aware that you can make a “secret” confession. In this case, you’ll need to abstain from eating or drinking for a full hour before you meet your Confessor. While you’re in the confessional, you should take advantage of the Holy Spirit’s guidance to help you make the most of your visit.
One important consideration is that you should not expect the Priest to be able to give you a “forgiveness of sins” based on your confession. Instead, the priest is there to help you analyze your sins and assure you that God will forgive you.
Keep the sins you hear a secret
Often, it is very difficult to keep the sins you hear in Greek Orthodox Church a secret. There are a number of reasons for this. Some priests believe that strict adherence to Canons does not adequately protect those in the church. In addition, some priests impede those who have allegedly committed child abuse from confessing their sins.
In Greek Orthodox Church, the Mystery of Repentance, or Confession, is considered one of the Holy Mysteries. It is a sacrament. It is used daily by the Orthodox. It is also called “Confession” in other Christian traditions. A penitent is able to receive divine forgiveness of Christ for his or her confession of sins. In the Orthodox Church, the priest or monastic usually stands between the penitent and the confessor. Sometimes the priest and the penitent face the altar.
