It depends on your parish and your priest. That’s the short answer, and it’s not a dodge.
The Orthodox Church treats Confession as the normal, expected preparation for receiving Holy Communion. But we don’t have a universal canon law that says “no Confession equals no Communion, ever, for anyone.” What we have instead is pastoral practice that varies by jurisdiction, by parish, and by the spiritual condition of each person. Your priest acts as your spiritual father here, and he’ll guide you.
What’s Actually Expected
If you’re communing frequently, say, every Sunday or most Sundays, you’ll be expected to confess regularly. The OCA’s Holy Synod says at least once a month for frequent communicants. Some Antiochian parishes follow similar guidelines. Others are stricter and want confession within the same week you plan to commune. A few are more flexible.
If you’re new to Orthodoxy or coming from a Protestant background, this might feel strange. You’re used to open Communion or maybe a moment of silent self-examination before the Lord’s Supper. We do things differently. Confession isn’t a hoop to jump through or a ticket you punch. It’s therapy. It’s healing. You’re not confessing to the priest, you’re confessing to Christ in the priest’s presence. He’s the witness, and he gives you absolution in Christ’s name.
The practice grew out of the early Church’s understanding that serious sin separates us from the Eucharist. St. Paul warns about eating and drinking judgment on ourselves if we partake unworthily. The Church developed public penance for grave sins, and over centuries that evolved into the private sacramental Confession we practice now. It’s not arbitrary. It’s pastoral care.
When You Need to Confess
You should definitely confess before communing if you’re in serious sin. Adultery, theft, hatred that’s taken root in your heart, these things need to be brought to Confession before you approach the chalice. Your priest can help you discern what constitutes serious sin. Sometimes what feels huge to you isn’t, and sometimes what you’ve minimized actually matters more than you thought.
You should also confess during the major fasting seasons. Great Lent especially. Most Orthodox Christians make a point of going to Confession during Lent even if they’ve been confessing monthly all along. The Nativity Fast too. These are times when the whole Church is turning toward repentance, and Confession fits naturally into that rhythm.
If you haven’t been to church in months or you’ve been away from Communion for a long time, confess before you return. That’s just common sense and common practice.
The Practical Side
Here in Southeast Texas, you might be working a rotating shift at the refinery and can’t make it to Saturday Vespers when Confession is usually scheduled. Talk to your priest. He’ll work with you. Most priests will do Confession by appointment rather than making you squeeze it in right before Liturgy starts on Sunday morning. Those rushed confessions right before the service aren’t ideal anyway, Confession deserves time and attention, not two minutes while the priest is trying to vest.
Some parishes do general Confession during Vespers the night before Communion. You’ll hear the priest read the prayers of absolution over everyone present. That’s different from private Confession but serves a similar purpose for those who don’t have grave sins to confess individually.
Don’t try to game the system or figure out the bare minimum. That’s not the point. The point is healing. The point is standing before God honestly and receiving His mercy through the ministry of the Church. If you’re thinking “how rarely can I confess and still get Communion,” you’re asking the wrong question.
What Your Priest Will Tell You
When you join St. Michael or any Orthodox parish, your priest will lay out the expectations. He might say monthly Confession for frequent communicants. He might say every other month. He might tell you to come more often if you’re struggling with a particular sin. He might tell you that for now, while you’re still a catechumen learning the faith, just come talk to him regularly and don’t worry about a strict schedule.
This isn’t legalism. It’s not earning your salvation through enough Confessions. We’re being saved, not “got saved” at some altar call years ago. Confession is part of that process. It’s medicine. You take medicine regularly when you’re sick, and we’re all sick with sin.
The Church has practiced this for two thousand years. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware writes about Confession as a hospital for the soul, not a courtroom. That’s the spirit in which we approach it. You’re not on trial. You’re being healed.
Talk to your priest. Ask him what he expects for Communion preparation at your parish. Then follow his guidance. He’s not being arbitrary, he’s caring for your soul and the souls of everyone in the parish. Trust that process.
