You stand before an icon of Christ with a priest beside you as witness, and you tell God your sins out loud. That’s confession.
But let me back up. If you grew up Baptist or non-denominational here in Southeast Texas, this probably sounds strange. We don’t confess to priests, you’re thinking. We go straight to God. And you’re right that we confess to God. The priest isn’t there to hear your sins for his own sake. He’s there as Christ’s witness and the Church’s representative, standing in for the whole Body of Christ as you reconcile yourself to God.
Before You Go
You can’t just show up unprepared. Confession requires examination of conscience, sitting down with the Ten Commandments or the Beatitudes and asking yourself hard questions. When did I lie? When did I nurse anger or lust? When did I ignore someone in need? When did I gossip? This isn’t about dredging up every minor fault from childhood. It’s about honest assessment of where you’ve missed the mark recently.
Many people fast before confession. Some read Psalm 51, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness”, over and over until it sinks in. You should also ask forgiveness from anyone you’ve wronged. Don’t come to confession with unresolved conflicts you haven’t even tried to address.
The Actual Mystery
At St. Michael, you’ll approach the analogion (that’s the stand with the Gospel book and icon) where the priest is waiting. He might ask, “What have you come to tell God before my witness?” You’ll probably say a prayer first. Psalm 51 is common. Then you confess.
Out loud. Specific sins.
This is where people get nervous. I’ve had inquirers tell me they can’t imagine saying their worst moments to another person. But here’s the thing: saying it out loud to a witness breaks the power of secret shame. Sin festers in darkness. When you name it before God and His Church, you’re dragging it into the light where it can be healed.
The priest listens. He’s not shocked. He’s heard it before. He might ask clarifying questions or offer counsel, not to judge you, but to help you understand the spiritual illness behind the sin. A good confessor is a physician, not a prosecuting attorney.
What the Priest Does
He represents Christ and the Church in that moment. Jesus gave the apostles authority to forgive sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them” (John 20:22-23). That authority continues in the priesthood. So when your priest says, “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” something real happens. Your sins are actually forgiven. The slate is clean.
He might assign a penance, some prayers to say, a period of fasting, a specific act of restitution. This isn’t punishment. It’s medicine. If you’ve been binging on anger, you need the discipline of praying for your enemies. If you’ve been enslaved to gluttony, you need the freedom that comes from fasting. Penance heals.
How Often?
There’s no fixed rule, but most Orthodox Christians confess regularly. In Antiochian parishes, people often confess before receiving Communion, especially if it’s been a while or if they’re conscious of serious sin. Some confess monthly. Some more often. Your priest can help you figure out what’s right for your spiritual state.
Don’t treat it like an oil change, every three months whether you need it or not. But don’t wait until you’re in crisis either. Regular confession keeps small sins from becoming big ones.
Why It Matters
We believe confession restores your relationship with God and with the Church. Sin damages both. When you confess and receive absolution, you’re brought back into full communion. That’s why confession often precedes the Eucharist. You can’t approach the chalice while harboring unconfessed serious sin. The two mysteries work together: confession cleanses, communion nourishes.
If you’re coming from a background where you “asked Jesus into your heart” once and that was that, this will feel different. Salvation isn’t a one-time transaction for us. It’s a process of healing, and confession is part of that healing. You’ll fall. You’ll confess. You’ll get up. You’ll fall again. The priest will be there again. God’s mercy doesn’t run out.
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware once wrote that the Jesus Prayer and the sacrament of confession are the two great gifts Orthodoxy offers for the healing of the soul. If you’re preparing to become Orthodox, or if you’ve been Orthodox but avoiding confession, I’d encourage you to talk with Fr. Michael. He can walk you through what to expect and help you prepare. The first time is the hardest. After that, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.
