Do Orthodox Christians have sacrament of penance?

[PatrickC]

Would a man who has committed what in Catholic theology would be a mortal sin receive communion if he has not confessed? Also, is it typical both today and historically to receive every Sunday?

If you ask on an Internet forum you’ll usually get a lot of pedantic answers like, “well, we don’t formally categorize sins as venal or mortal so therefore blah blah blah”. The simple answer is yes, if you’ve committed a patricularly serious sin you should.

 

[5Loaves]

In my post I incorrectly stated it was a cross and an icon. It is, as you state, a cross and the book of the Gospels. My mind must have been elsewhere.

In some places one stands in front of the icon of Christ that is on the iconostasis for Confession.

In my experience in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral where I frequently go for services that happen on weekdays, I observe that the pastor there does the Mystery of Confession seated In a pew beside the person confessing. Off topic perhaps, Greek Orthodox priests are given the right to hear Confession by their bishop after they have been a priest for awhile, years, at least here. So, a Greek Orthodox parish priest doesn’t necessarily have faculties to hear Confession.

 

[5Loaves]

Also, is it typical both today and historically to receive every Sunday?

Greek Orthodox and ROCOR faithful where I live do not necessarily receive Eucharist every Sunday, or every Liturgy. I’ve been in weekday Liturgy in an OCA parish where only the priest communed, or he and one or two choir members did.