Confession in the Eastern and Orthodox Churches

[Yeoman]

Is the practice of seeking Reconciliation any different in the Eastern Catholic Churches, or the Orthodox Churches.

What I mean by that is this, I know we Latin Catholics must go to Confession at least one per year, although many of us do that much more frequently. I tend to see the same folks in line at the Confessional who are regular participants in the sacrament, and I’d guess that many in this category receive the sacrament monthly, or maybe even more frequently.

What about in the Eastern Church? Or the Orthodox Churches? Does the Priest hear confessions weekly, are the Faithful attending on some regulated basis?

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Priests do tend to hear confessions regularly/weekly in the East. Many parish priests will offer confession during Saturday night Vespers and/or Sunday morning Matins/Orthros. Others will actually have time scheduled after the Divine Liturgy or some time during the week for confessions. Of course, all priests will hear confession by appointment.

As to who goes and how often, that is about as widely varied as in the West. Some will only go once a year, some will go every week. Frequent, even weekly, confession, though, is expected if one plans on receiving the Eucharist. Since we don’t really make a distinction between “venial” and “mortal” sin, all sin is taken very seriously. Although we do understand that the Eucharist washes away all sin (“The servant/handmaid of God, N., receives the Body and Blood of Christ, for the remission of sins and life everlasting”) there is a sense that we need to cooperate with God in purifying ourselves. Since God humbles Himself by coming to us in the Eucharist and cleansing us from all sin, we ought also to humble ourselves by coming to Him in repentance and confessing our sins, seeking his mercy, compassion, and healing.