Confession is a Mystery of the Church where you meet with a priest, confess your sins aloud, receive counsel and prayer, and are reconciled to God and the Church through Christ’s grace. It’s not therapy and it’s not just saying sorry to God in your head. Something actually happens.
If you grew up Baptist or non-denominational here in Southeast Texas, this probably sounds strange. You’ve been taught to confess directly to God, which is true and good. But we Orthodox believe Christ gave the Church the authority to bind and loose sins (John 20:22-23), and that this Mystery is one of the ways He heals us. James 5:16 tells us to “confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” That healing language matters. We’re not talking about legal forgiveness like a judge dismissing charges. We’re talking about medicine for a sick soul.
What Actually Happens
You’ll meet with the priest, usually in a quiet corner of the church or in his office. In most Antiochian parishes, you stand before an icon of Christ with the priest beside you. He’s not between you and Christ. He’s a witness, a spiritual father who listens and prays.
You confess your sins out loud. Be honest but don’t overthink it. You’re not writing a memoir. Name what’s burdening your conscience, what’s separating you from God and others. The priest might ask a question or two, not to interrogate but to understand where you need help. Then he’ll offer counsel. Sometimes it’s brief. Sometimes he’ll suggest specific prayers, Scripture reading, or practical steps for fighting a particular sin.
After that, he prays the prayer of absolution over you. That’s when the Mystery happens. God forgives through the ministry of His Church, and you’re restored to full communion. The priest might give you an epitimia, which sounds scary but just means a spiritual prescription. Think of it like physical therapy after an injury. It’s healing work, not punishment.
The Priest Isn’t the Forgiver
Let’s clear this up right away. The priest doesn’t forgive sins by his own authority. God forgives. The priest is Christ’s instrument, acting in the name of the Church. He’s a spiritual father who watches over your soul, offers guidance, and pronounces the absolution that Christ gives through His Church. Everything he hears is absolutely confidential. He can’t and won’t repeat it.
This is different from how Catholics often frame it, and it’s worlds away from Protestant assumptions. We’re not bypassing God by going to a priest. We’re entering into the Church’s sacramental life, where Christ meets us through tangible means. The Mysteries aren’t shortcuts around God. They’re how God chose to work.
How Often Should You Go?
There’s no universal rule. Some Orthodox confess before every Communion. Others go seasonally during Great Lent or before major feasts. Still others confess monthly or whenever conscience demands it. The key is your spiritual need and your priest’s guidance.
Most parishes expect confession before Communion, especially if you’re aware of serious sin. The OCA’s Holy Synod recommends confession the evening before you plan to commune, not five minutes before Liturgy starts. That makes sense. Confession isn’t a ticket you punch. It’s preparation for receiving Christ’s Body and Blood.
But don’t turn this into a legalistic checklist. If you forgot to floss yesterday and feel guilty, you probably don’t need to confess before Communion. If you screamed at your kids, harbored resentment all week, or fell into a pattern of sin you know is damaging your soul, yes, go to confession. When in doubt, ask your priest.
This Is About Healing, Not Shame
Here’s what confession isn’t: it’s not God’s way of humiliating you or making you grovel. It’s not about racking up enough guilt to earn forgiveness. We don’t believe salvation works that way.
Confession is part of theosis, that lifelong process of being healed and transformed into the likeness of Christ. Sin wounds us. It breaks our communion with God and with each other. Confession is where we bring those wounds to the Divine Physician. The priest helps diagnose what’s wrong and prescribes the remedy. The Mystery itself applies God’s grace to begin the healing.
St. John Climacus, a seventh-century monk whose book The Ladder of Divine Ascent is read every Lent, wrote about confession as a return to health. You wouldn’t be embarrassed to tell a doctor about a broken bone. Why be too ashamed to tell your spiritual father about a broken soul?
For Your First Confession
If you’re an inquirer or catechumen preparing for your first confession, here’s what helps. Talk to your priest ahead of time. Ask when and where he hears confessions. Some parishes have set times, others are more flexible.
Prepare by examining your conscience. Look at your relationship with God, with other people, with yourself. Where have you failed? What patterns of sin do you see? You can use the Ten Commandments as a guide, or just pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show you what needs confessing. Don’t manufacture sins you don’t actually feel convicted about, but don’t minimize real ones either.
Fast if you’re able, especially if you’re confessing before Communion. Pray the prayers before confession if your priest gives them to you. Then just show up. The priest has heard it all before, and he’s there to help, not to judge.
You’ll probably be nervous. That’s normal. But you’ll also probably feel lighter afterward, like you’ve set down something heavy you’ve been carrying too long. Because you have.
Confession isn’t easy, but it’s one of the Church’s great gifts. It’s where we stop pretending we’re fine and let Christ heal what’s actually broken. And that’s how we grow.
