There’s no fixed rule. Most Orthodox Christians confess several times a year, but the real answer depends on your spiritual condition and what your priest advises.
Think of it like going to the doctor. You don’t schedule appointments just to check a box. You go when something’s wrong, when you need healing, when you’re sick. Confession works the same way. It’s medicine for the soul, not a religious obligation you fulfill to earn Communion privileges.
That said, most Orthodox Christians develop a rhythm. The fasting seasons give us natural times to confess: before Pascha during Great Lent, before Nativity during the Nativity Fast, maybe before the Dormition. These aren’t requirements written in stone somewhere. They’re just the Church’s wisdom about when we’re already doing the hard work of self-examination anyway.
When You Haven’t Communed in a While
Here’s where it gets more specific. If you haven’t received Holy Communion recently, you need to go to Confession first. This isn’t arbitrary. When we’ve been away from the Chalice for weeks or months, something’s usually going on spiritually. Maybe life got busy with the refinery schedule. Maybe we got lazy. Maybe we’re struggling with something we’re ashamed to bring up. Whatever it is, Confession helps clear the path back.
Your priest will work with you on frequency. Some people confess monthly. Others every few months. A few go more often if they’re working through something particular. The point isn’t to create a legalistic system where you’re “good” if you hit your quota. The point is healing.
What This Looks Like Practically
You can confess anytime, really. Most parishes in our Archdiocese offer Confession before Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings or by appointment during the week. Some priests hear confessions after Vespers on Saturday evening. At St. Michael, we want to make it accessible, not burdensome.
Don’t overthink the timing. If you’ve committed a serious sin, you go soon. You don’t wait for the next fasting season. If you’re preparing to commune and it’s been a while, you go. If you’re feeling spiritually stuck or distant from God, you go. The frequency matters less than the honesty.
And don’t fall into the trap of thinking more is always better. Some people, especially converts who grew up Catholic or who tend toward anxiety, want to confess every single week. That can become its own problem. Confession isn’t meant to feed scrupulosity or turn into a nervous habit. It’s meant to reconnect you with God and with the people you’ve harmed through your sins.
The Preparation Matters
However often you go, prepare properly. Spend at least a day beforehand in prayer and self-examination. Look at your life honestly. Where have you failed to love God? Where have you failed to love your neighbor? The Ten Commandments give you a framework. So do the Beatitudes. So does just sitting quietly and asking the Holy Spirit to show you what needs healing.
Don’t show up with a grocery list of minor infractions you memorized. That’s not confession. That’s religious performance. Show up with a broken heart over the ways you’ve separated yourself from God. Name the sins, yes. But confess them, don’t just report them.
A Word About Your Spiritual Father
In Orthodoxy, we talk about having a spiritual father, a priest who knows you, guides you, and helps you grow. This relationship shapes how often you confess. He knows your struggles. He knows your patterns. He can tell you, “Come back in a month” or “Let’s talk again in three months” based on what you actually need.
If you’re new to St. Michael or new to Orthodoxy, your parish priest will likely serve as your spiritual father unless you have a specific blessing otherwise. Talk to him. Be honest about where you are. Let him help you figure out a rhythm that serves your healing, not your anxiety or your pride.
Confession isn’t optional in Orthodox life. The Antiochian sources are clear about that. But it’s also not a mechanical requirement you fulfill to unlock Communion. It’s a mystery of the Church, a place where Christ meets you through His priest and offers you forgiveness and restoration. How often you need that? As often as you’re sick and need healing.
