How does Confession work in Orthodox Church?

Orthodox understand that the confession is not made to the priest, but to Christ. The priest stands only as witness and guide. Before confessing, the penitent venerates the Gospel Book and blessing cross and places the thumb and first two fingers of his right hand on the feet of Christ as depicted on the cross.

Does confession make you forgiven?

When you confess to a priest, you have the absolute certainty you are forgiven. God can forgive you no matter what. He can forgive you anytime, anywhere as long as you wholeheartedly repent. He is God and He is not bound by anyone as to when to forgive and when to not forgive.

Why is confession important to Orthodox?

In the Orthodox Christian Church, the Holy Sacrament of Confession is an integral part of the process of repentance. It helps strengthen our relationships with God and aid in our journey towards Salvation.

Can all mortal sins be forgiven?

A mortal sin (Latin: peccatum mortale), in Catholic theology, is a gravely sinful act, which can lead to damnation if a person does not repent of the sin before death. Despite its gravity, a person can repent of having committed a mortal sin. Such repentance is the primary requisite for forgiveness and absolution.

Are there sins that Cannot be forgiven?

A: There are many sins recounted in the Hebrew Bible but none are ever called unforgivable sins. In the Book of Matthew (12: 31-32), we read, “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

Does confession of sins matter?

Confession is an essential part of our walk with Christ. As humans, we are sinners, but God asks us to be aware of our sin and, with his help, continually turn from those sins and do better. These are corporate reminders of the personal confession you need in your life because we are all sinners.

Is confession mandatory in Orthodox Church?

There are seven sacraments — rites of devotion — that are considered holy and a channel for god’s blessings by Catholic and Orthodox Christians across the world. Catholic and Orthodox Christians are mandated to undergo confession at least once a year before a priest to foster their faith.

What happens when you go to confession in the Orthodox Church?

When Orthodox faithful confess our sins, we receive forgiveness from God Himself through the Mystery of Confession. We receive His mercy and His love, and we receive yet another chance to become the person God wants us to be. Right From Your Inbox!

What does the Bible say about forgiveness?

God accepts all repentant sinners tenderly and rejoices greatly in their act of repentance. All sins are forgivable except one: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Christ respects our free will to choose and, in this case, an unrepentant and callous heart of the individual who entirely rejects God can not be saved.

Do Orthodox Christians believe in the “Seven Deadly Sins”?

In some Orthodox catechisms one finds lists of the “seven deadly sins.” While there can be no doubt that these sins are deadly—here deadly and “mortal” are synonymous, but “mortal” is not used in the same way as in the Roman Catholic “mortal” sin described above—they are not “worse” in the ultimate sense than sins that are not on the list.

What does sin mean according to the Orthodox Church?

Before we dive into the sacrament of Confession, we need to understand what sin means according to Orthodox theology. Unlike the legalistic approach of Western Catholicism, the Orthodox Church views sin more simply, as anything “missing the mark” or “going off course” (Hebrew: chata; Greek: hamartia, both of which also translate as “to sin”).