Oriental Penance

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A question posed in another thread
For example, I am aware that the sacrament of Confession is performed differently for Roman Catholics than it is for Eastern Catholics. However, is Confession performed differently between the different Eastern rites? I hope that made some sense.
leads me to ask this:

How is Penance conducted in the various Oriental and Eastern Churches? What I mean by that is, is a specific rite used, and if so, how does it go?

I’m curious to know how is this done among the other Oriental Churches. Rony? SyroMalankara? Dzheremi? Everything I’ve ever seen, (including Raya’s Byzantine Daily worship, and various Maronite sources which are often mirrors of Raya), has one or another variant of the Latin custom, including the formula of absolution. In my long experience, I’ve never encountered anything else.
 
My priest always prays the absolution prayers in Arabic since he doesn’t know them in English, but I found translations of them online that I assume are correct. From copticchurch.net:

After confession, the confessing person kneels before the priest, bowing their head and repeating the words, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). The priest, standing, places the cross in his right hand on the confessing person’s head, and prays the absolution.

PRAYERS TO BE SAID BY THE CONFESSOR, IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ABSOLUTION

Psalm 50 : “Have mercy upon me, O God …”

The prayer of : “O God absolve, remit and forgive us our sins which we have done willingly and unwillingly and those which we committed knowingly and unknowingly, the hidden and the visible. O Lord forgive us for the sake of Your Holy Name that is called upon us, and according to Your Mercy and not to our sins.” Followed by, “O Lord I have sinned, absolve me”, or the tax-collector’s prayer: “God be merciful to me, a sinner”.

Then following the absolution, the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ is said.

PRAYERS OF THE PRIEST ON THE HEAD OF THE CONFESSOR

Thanksgiving Prayer: To thank God for the return and the repentance of the sinner.

Psalm 50: for repentance and humiliation

Litany of the Sick: for the sinner is in need of remedy

The Three Absolutions: What is noticeable is that the priest prays them in the plural form placing himself with the confessing sinner, asking absolution and forgiveness for both of them, with all the other blessings. In these absolutions are many meaningful and touching supplications, which deserve contemplation. The priest should pray them quietly but audibly, so that he and the confessing person may meditate on every word. It is worth mentioning also that these absolutions which are read on the head of the confessing person, are prayed in Church during the Matins and Vespers Prayers, and in other Church Rites, such as the Sacraments of Unction of Sick, Matrimony and others.

THE FIRST ABSOLUTION : PRAYER OF SUBMISSION TO THE SON

“Oh Lord who has given authority unto us to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy, crush his heads beneath our feet speedily, and scatter before us his every design of weakness that is against us. For You are the King of us all, O Christ our God”.

THE SECOND ABSOLUTION :

ALSO CALLED THE PRAYER OF SUBMISSION TO THE SON

“You, O Lord, who created the heavens, You descended and became man for our salvation. You are He who sits upon the Cherubim and the Seraphim, and beholds them who are lowly. You also now, our Master, are He unto whom we lift up the eyes of our hearts, the Lord who forgives our iniquities and saves our souls from corruption. We worship Your unutterable compassion, and we ask You to give us Your peace, for You have given all things unto us.

Acquire us unto Yourself, God our Savior, for we know none other but You; Your Holy Name we do utter. Turn us, God, into fearing You and desiring You. Be pleased that we abide in the enjoyment of Your good things, and those who have bowed their heads beneath Your hand, exalt them in their ways of life, and adorn them with virtues. And may we all be worthy of Your Kingdom in the heavens, through the goodwill of God, Your good Father…”.

THE THIRD ABSOLUTION

“Master, Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son and Logos of God the Father, Who has broken every bond of our sins through His saving, life-giving sufferings, who breathed into the face of His holy disciples and saintly Apostles, and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you will remit, they are remitted to them, and those which you will retain, they shall be retained”. You also now, our Master, through Your holy apostles, have given grace to those who for a time labored in priesthood in Your Holy Church, to forgive sin upon the earth and to bind and to loose every bond of inquiry. Now, also, we ask and entreat Your goodness, O Lover of Mankind, for Your servants my fathers, and my brethren and my weakness, those who bow their heads before Your Holy Glory. Dispense unto us Your mercy, and loose every bond of our sins, and if we have committed any sin against You, knowingly or unknowingly or through anguish of heart, or in deed, or in word, or from faint-heartedness, You O Master, who knows the weakness of men, as a good and loving God, grant us the forgiveness of our sins (the priest signs the confessing person, then says…) Bless us, purify us, absolve us (and absolve your servant …). Fill us with Your fear, and straighten us unto Your holy, good will, for You are our God, and all glory, honor and dominion and adoration are due unto You.”

NOTES

After the absolutions, the priest says the blessing, and concludes with the Lord’s Prayer, which is also said by the confessing person.

The priest breathes into the face of the confessing person three times asking the Holy Trinity to absolve and forgive them.

The confessing person prostrates, touching the ground with his forehead, then stands and kisses the priest’s Cross and hand saying: “Father absolve me”, and the priest answers: “May God absolve you”. Then they leave confession.
 
My priest always prays the absolution prayers in Arabic since he doesn’t know them in English, but I found translations of them online that I assume are correct. From copticchurch.net:
Thanks for that and the links. 🙂 Quite interesting. 😉 Of course there are other particular differences, (which is to be expected), but it seems that the variance with at least one Maronite version I’ve seen is mainly in the formula of absolution itself, (of course we have a translation of the latin one :banghead: but never mind that). and the joint praying of the Lord’s Prayer, which is a lovely touch. Much appreciated.🙂
 
At my Melkite parish back in Virginia we did Confession the way it is “supposed” to be done in the Orthodox Churches (I put “supposed” in quotes because it really does vary from one parish to another oftentimes). We would stand in front of the icon of Christ near the iconostasis, bow three times saying, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” and then proceed with the confession. Afterwards the priest would give any spiritual advice he deemed appropriate, the penitent would bow while the priest placed his epitrachelion over the penitent’s head and pray the prayers of absolution.

The prayers prayed by the priest vary even within the Melkite tradition. The website for the Eparchy of Newton provides a text that I’ve never heard done in a parish before. I believe the text provided in the new Publican’s Prayerbook is actually different than what is on the website. 🤷

Traditionally a penance is not imposed in the Byzantine tradition, although they do seem to be in vogue now. At the Ruthenian parish I used to attend from time to time, the priest would give a penance. But at my Melkite parish none of the three priests did.
 
**Antiochian Orthodox Mystery of Repentance
**
I have sinned, O Lord, forgive me. O God be merciful to me a sinner.

I, a sinner, confess to Almighty God, the Lord, One in the Holy Trinity, to the immaculate Virgin Mary the Theotokos, to all the Saints, and to you, my Spiritual Father, all my sins:________ For these and for all my other sins which I cannot now remember, I am heartily sorry that I have offended God, Who is good, and angered Him against me: I sincerely repent, and promise with the help of God to better my way of life: wherefore I humbly ask thee, my spiritual Father, saving penance and absolution.

*The Priest then places stole on the head of the Penitent.
*
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord God, the Salvation of Thy servants, gracious, bountiful and long-suffering, who repentest thee concerning our evil deeds, and desires not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn form his wickedness and live: Show thy mercy upon thy servant, N., and grant unto him an image of repentance, forgiveness, of sins, and deliverance, pardoning his every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary. Reconcile and unite him unto thy Holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom also with thee, are due dominion and majesty: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen

*The Priest places his right hand upon the Stole, making the Sign of the Cross over the head of the Penitent, and pronounces the Absolution:
*
Priest: God it was who forgave David through Nathan the Prophet, when he confessed his sins, and Peter weeping bitterly for his denial, and the sinful woman in tears at his feet, and the Publican, and the Prodigal Son: May that same God forgive thee all things, through me a sinner, both in this present world, and in that which is to come, and set thee uncondemned before his dread Judgement Seat. And now, having no further care for the sins which thou hast declared, depart in peace.

Priest: May Christ, our true God, through the intercessions of his most Holy Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for as much as he is God and loveth mankind. Amen.

*The Penitent returns to his seat and gives thanks to God for His goodness, by saying the following:
*
O almighty and merciful God, I truly thank thee for the forgiveness of my sins; bless me O Lord, and help me always, that I may ever do that which is pleasing to thee, and sin no more. Amen.
 
The prayers prayed by the priest vary even within the Melkite tradition. The website for the Eparchy of Newton provides a text that I’ve never heard done in a parish before. I believe the text provided in the new Publican’s Prayerbook is actually different than what is on the website. 🤷
The Publican’s Prayerbook has the pre-Vatican II, Roman Rite priest’s response* to “Bless me Father…”.
Penitent: Bless me, my Spiritual Father, for I have sinned.
*Priest: May the grace of the Holy Spirit be in your heart and on your lips, so that you may sincerely confess your sins before God in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It continues with your typical Roman Rite Confession (time of last Confession and then the confession of sins…).

Then the Publican’s Prayerbook has following prayer of absolution which is the only truly Byzantine prayer in the text:
God, through Nathan the Prophet, forgave David his sins; and Peter, shedding bitter tears over his denial; and the Adulteress, weeping at His feet; and the Publican and the Prodigal Son. May this same God, through me a sinner, forgive + you, [Name], everything in this life and in the life to come. And may He make you stand uncondemned before His awesome Judgement Seat for He is blessed forever and ever. Amen.

It is followed by this extra absolution prayer innovation:
Priest: Our Lord and God Jesus Christ, who gave this command to His divine and holy disciples and apostles; to loose and to bind the sins of people, forgives you from on high, all your sins and offenses. I, his unworthy servant, who have received from these Apostles the power to do the same, absolve you from all censures, in as much as I can and am able, according to your need of it. Moreover, I absolve you from all your sins which you have confessed before God and my unworthiness. In the name + of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Priest: Go in peace and sin no more.
 
OK, so now I’ve seen 3 Melkite versions. I’m kind of wondering what the AOC and the GO do in this regard. Ditto for the Slav Byzantines.
 
OK, so now I’ve seen 3 Melkite versions. I’m kind of wondering what the AOC and the GO do in this regard. Ditto for the Slav Byzantines.
Here is the AOC form from their standard Service Book:
**Antiochian Orthodox Mystery of Repentance
**
I have sinned, O Lord, forgive me. O God be merciful to me a sinner.

I, a sinner, confess to Almighty God, the Lord, One in the Holy Trinity, to the immaculate Virgin Mary the Theotokos, to all the Saints, and to you, my Spiritual Father, all my sins:________ For these and for all my other sins which I cannot now remember, I am heartily sorry that I have offended God, Who is good, and angered Him against me: I sincerely repent, and promise with the help of God to better my way of life: wherefore I humbly ask thee, my spiritual Father, saving penance and absolution.

*The Priest then places stole on the head of the Penitent.
*
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
O Lord God, the Salvation of Thy servants, gracious, bountiful and long-suffering, who repentest thee concerning our evil deeds, and desires not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn form his wickedness and live: Show thy mercy upon thy servant, N., and grant unto him an image of repentance, forgiveness, of sins, and deliverance, pardoning his every transgression, whether voluntary or involuntary. Reconcile and unite him unto thy Holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom also with thee, are due dominion and majesty: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen

*The Priest places his right hand upon the Stole, making the Sign of the Cross over the head of the Penitent, and pronounces the Absolution:
*
Priest: God it was who forgave David through Nathan the Prophet, when he confessed his sins, and Peter weeping bitterly for his denial, and the sinful woman in tears at his feet, and the Publican, and the Prodigal Son: May that same God forgive thee all things, through me a sinner, both in this present world, and in that which is to come, and set thee uncondemned before his dread Judgement Seat. And now, having no further care for the sins which thou hast declared, depart in peace.

Priest: May Christ, our true God, through the intercessions of his most Holy Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for as much as he is God and loveth mankind. Amen.

*The Penitent returns to his seat and gives thanks to God for His goodness, by saying the following:
*
O almighty and merciful God, I truly thank thee for the forgiveness of my sins; bless me O Lord, and help me always, that I may ever do that which is pleasing to thee, and sin no more. Amen.
 
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