Preparation for confession: a list of sins of the Bryansk residents. Preparing for Confession

The sacrament of confession is a test for the soul. It consists of a desire to repent, verbal confession, repentance for sins. When man walking against the laws of God, he gradually destroys his spiritual and physical shell. Repentance helps to cleanse yourself. It reconciles a person with God. The soul is healed and receives strength to fight sin.

Confession allows you to talk about your wrongdoings and receive forgiveness. In excitement and fear, you can forget what you wanted to repent of. The list of sins for confession serves as a reminder, a hint. It can be read in full or used as an outline. The main thing is that the confession is sincere and truthful.

Sacrament

Confession is the main component of repentance. This is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness for your sins and to be cleansed of them. Confession gives spiritual strength to resist evil. Sin is a discrepancy in thoughts, words, and actions with God's permission.

Confession is a sincere awareness of wicked actions, a desire to get rid of them. No matter how difficult and unpleasant it may be to remember them, you should tell the clergyman in detail about your sins.

This sacrament requires a complete relationship between feelings and words, because the everyday listing of one’s sins will not bring true cleansing. Feelings without words are as ineffective as words without feelings.

There is a list of sins for confession. This is a large list of all obscene actions or words. It is based on the 7 deadly sins and 10 commandments. Human life is too diverse to be absolutely righteous. Therefore, confession is an opportunity to repent of sins and try to prevent them in the future.

How to prepare for confession?

Preparation for confession must take place several days in advance. A list of sins can be written on a piece of paper. You should read special literature about the sacraments of confession and communion.

One should not look for excuses for sins, one must recognize their wickedness. It is best to analyze your every day, analyzing what was good and what was bad. This daily habit will help you be more attentive to your thoughts and actions.

Before confession, you should make peace with everyone who was offended. Forgive those who offended. Before confession, it is necessary to strengthen the prayer rule. Add to the nightly reading the Canon of Repentance, the canons of the Theotokos.

One should separate personal repentance (when a person mentally repents of his actions) and the sacrament of confession (when a person talks about his sins in the desire to be cleansed of them).

The presence of a third party requires a moral effort to understand the depth of the offense and, through overcoming shame, will force you to look more deeply at the wrong actions. That is why a list of sins is so necessary for confession in Orthodoxy. It will help to identify what was forgotten or wanted to be hidden.

If you have difficulty compiling a list of sinful actions, you can purchase the book “Full Confession.” It is in every church shop. It's detailed there full list sins for confession, features of the sacrament. Samples of confession and materials for preparing for it have been published.

Rules

Is there a heaviness in your soul, do you want to speak out, ask for forgiveness? After confession it becomes much easier. This is an open, sincere recognition and repentance of the wrongdoings committed. You can go to confession up to 3 times a week. The desire to be cleansed of sins will help overcome the feeling of stiffness and awkwardness.

The less frequent the confession, the more difficult it is to remember all the events and thoughts. The best option for the sacrament - once a month. Help in confession - a list of sins - will prompt you with the necessary words. The main thing is that the priest understands the essence of the offense. Then the punishment for sin will be justified.

After confession, the priest imposes difficult cases penance. This is a punishment, excommunication from the holy sacraments and God's grace. Its duration is determined by the priest. In most cases, the penitent faces moral and correctional work. For example, fasting, reading prayers, canons, akathists.

Sometimes the priest reads out the list of sins for confession. You can independently write a list of what has been done. It is better to come to confession after the evening service or in the morning, before the liturgy.

How does the sacrament work?

In some situations, you should invite the priest to confession at home. This is done if the person is seriously ill or near death.

Upon entering the temple, you must line up for confession. During the entire sacrament, the cross and the Gospel lie on the lectern. This symbolizes the invisible presence of the Savior.

Before confession begins, the priest may start asking questions. For example, about how often prayers are said, whether church rules are followed.

Then the sacrament begins. It is best to prepare your list of sins for confession. A sample of it can always be purchased at the church. If the sins forgiven at the previous confession were repeated, then they should be mentioned again - this is considered a more serious offense. You should not hide anything from the priest or speak in hints. Should in simple words clearly explain the sins you repent of.

If the priest tore up the list of sins for confession, it means that the sacrament is over and absolution has been granted. The priest places an epitrachelion on the head of the penitent. This means the return of God's favor. After this, they kiss the cross and the Gospel, which symbolizes readiness to live according to the commandments.

Preparing for Confession: List of Sins

Confession is intended to comprehend your sin and desire to improve. It is difficult for a person far from the church to understand what actions should be considered wicked. That's why there are 10 commandments. They clearly state what not to do. It is better to prepare a list of sins for confession according to the commandments in advance. On the day of the sacrament, you can get excited and forget everything. Therefore, you should calmly, a few days before confession, re-read the commandments and write down your sins.

If it is the first confession, then it is not easy to figure out the seven deadly sins and the ten commandments on your own. Therefore, you should approach the priest in advance and tell him about your difficulties in a personal conversation.

A list of sins for confession with an explanation of the sins can be purchased at the church or found on the website of your temple. The transcript describes in detail all the alleged sins. From this general list it is necessary to isolate what was done personally. Then write down your list of offenses.

Sins committed against God

  • Lack of faith in God, doubt, ingratitude.
  • Lack of a cross on the body, unwillingness to defend the faith in front of detractors.
  • Swearing in the name of God, pronouncing the name of the Lord in vain (not during prayer or conversations about God).
  • Visiting sects, casting fortunes, treating with all kinds of magic, reading and spreading false teachings.
  • Gambling, suicidal thoughts, swearing.
  • Non-attendance to temple, lack of daily prayer rule.
  • Failure to observe fasts, reluctance to read Orthodox literature.
  • Condemnation of clergy, thoughts about worldly things during worship.
  • A waste of time on entertainment, watching TV, inactivity at the computer.
  • Despair in difficult situations, excessive reliance on oneself or someone else’s help without faith in God’s providence.
  • Concealing sins in confession.

Sins committed against neighbors

  • Hot temper, anger, arrogance, pride, vanity.
  • Lies, non-interference, ridicule, stinginess, extravagance.
  • Raising children outside of faith.
  • Non-repayment of debts, non-payment for work, refusal to help those who ask and need.
  • Unwillingness to help parents, disrespect for them.
  • Theft, condemnation, envy.
  • Quarrels, drinking alcohol at funerals.
  • Murder with words (slander, incitement to suicide or illness).
  • Killing a child in the womb, inducing others to have an abortion.

Sins committed against oneself

  • Foul language, pride, idle talk, gossip.
  • Desire for profit, enrichment.
  • Displaying good deeds.
  • Envy, lies, drunkenness, gluttony, drug use.
  • Fornication, adultery, incest, fornication.

List of sins for a woman to confess

This is a very sensitive list, and many women refuse to confess after reading it. You should not trust any information you read. Even if a brochure with a list of sins for a woman was purchased at a church store, be sure to pay attention to the stamp. There should be an inscription “recommended by the publishing council of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

The clergy do not divulge the secret of confession. Therefore, it is best to undergo the sacrament with a permanent confessor. The Church does not intrude into the sphere of intimate marital relationships. Issues of contraception, which is sometimes equated to abortion, are best discussed with a priest. There are drugs that do not have an abortifacient effect, but only prevent the birth of life. Anyway everything controversial issues should be discussed with your spouse, doctor, confessor.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief):

  1. She rarely prayed and did not attend church.
  2. I thought more about worldly things during prayer.
  3. Allowed sexual activity before marriage.
  4. Abortion, inducing others to it.
  5. Had unclean thoughts and desires.
  6. I watched films, read books with pornographic content.
  7. Gossip, lies, envy, laziness, resentment.
  8. Excessive exposure of the body to attract attention.
  9. Fear of old age, wrinkles, thoughts of suicide.
  10. Addiction to sweets, alcohol, drugs.
  11. Avoiding helping other people.
  12. Seeking help from fortune tellers and fortune tellers.
  13. Superstition.

List of sins for a man

There is debate about whether a list of sins should be prepared for confession. Some believe that such a list harms the sacrament and promotes the formal reading of offenses. The main thing in confession is to realize your sins, repent and prevent their repetition. Therefore, the list of sins may be a short reminder or absent altogether.

Formal confession is not considered valid, since there is no repentance in it. Returning after the sacrament to your former life will add hypocrisy. The balance of spiritual life lies in understanding the essence of repentance, where confession is only the beginning of awareness of one’s sinfulness. This is a long process consisting of several stages internal work. The creation of spiritual resources is a systematic adjustment of conscience, responsibility for one’s relationship with God.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief) for a man:

  1. Sacrilege, conversations in the temple.
  2. Doubt about faith, the afterlife.
  3. Blasphemy, mockery of the poor.
  4. Cruelty, laziness, pride, vanity, greed.
  5. Evasion from military service.
  6. Avoiding unwanted work, shirking responsibilities.
  7. Insults, hatred, fights.
  8. Slander, disclosure of other people's weaknesses.
  9. Temptation to sin (fornication, drunkenness, drugs, gambling).
  10. Refusal to help parents and other people.
  11. Theft, aimless collecting.
  12. Tendency to boast, argue, and humiliate others.
  13. Impudence, rudeness, contempt, familiarity, cowardice.

Confession for a child

For a child, the sacrament of confession can begin at the age of seven. Until this age, children are allowed to receive Communion without this. Parents must prepare the child for confession: explain the essence of the sacrament, tell why it is being carried out, and remember with him possible sins.

The child must be made to understand that sincere repentance is preparation for confession. It is better for a child to write a list of sins himself. He must realize what actions were wrong and try not to repeat them in the future.

Older children make their own decisions about whether to confess or not. You should not limit the free will of a child or teenager. Personal example Parents are much more important than all conversations.

The child must remember his sins before confession. A list of them can be compiled after the child answers the questions:

  • How often does he read prayers (in the morning, in the evening, before meals), which ones does he know by heart?
  • Does he go to church, how does he behave during the service?
  • Does he wear pectoral cross, is distracted or not during prayers and services?
  • Have you ever deceived your parents or priest during confession?
  • Weren't you proud of your successes and victories, weren't you arrogant?
  • Does it fight or not with other children, does it offend children or animals?
  • Does he snitch on other children to protect himself?
  • Have you ever committed theft or been jealous of anyone?
  • Have you laughed at other people's physical disabilities?
  • Did you play cards (smoked, drank alcohol, tried drugs, used foul language)?
  • Is he lazy or helps his parents around the house?
  • Did you pretend to be sick to avoid your responsibilities?
  1. A person himself determines whether to confess or not, how many times to attend the sacrament.
  2. You should prepare a list of sins for confession. It is better to take a sample in the church where the sacrament will take place, or find it yourself in church literature.
  3. It is optimal to go to confession with the same clergyman, who will become a mentor and will contribute to spiritual growth.
  4. Confession is free of charge.

First you need to ask on what days confessions are held in the church. You should dress appropriately. For men - a shirt or T-shirt with sleeves, trousers or jeans (not shorts). For women - a scarf on the head, no makeup (at least lipstick), a skirt no higher than the knees.

Sincerity of Confession

A priest as a psychologist can recognize how sincere a person is in his repentance. There are confessions that offend the sacrament and the Lord. If a person mechanically talks about sins, has several confessors, hides the truth - such actions do not lead to repentance.

Behavior, tone of speech, words with which confession is pronounced - it all matters. This is the only way the priest understands how sincere the penitent is. Pangs of conscience, embarrassment, worries, shame contribute to spiritual cleansing.

Sometimes the personality of the priest is important for the parishioner. This is not a reason to condemn and comment on the actions of clergy. You can go to another church or turn to another holy father for confession.

It can be difficult to voice your sins. The emotional experiences are so strong that it is more convenient to make a list of unrighteous actions. Father is attentive to every parishioner. If, because of shame, it is impossible to tell about everything and the repentance is deep, then the priest has the right to forgive the sins, a list of which was compiled before confession, without even reading them.

The meaning of confession

Having to talk about your sins in front of a stranger is embarrassing. Therefore, people refuse to go to confession, believing that God will forgive them anyway. This is the wrong approach. The priest acts only as an intermediary between man and God. His task is to determine the measure of repentance. The priest has no right to condemn anyone; he will not expel a repentant person from the church. During confession, people are very vulnerable, and clergy try not to cause unnecessary suffering.

It is important to see your sin, recognize and condemn it in your soul, and voice it before the priest. Have a desire not to repeat your misdeeds again, try to atone for the harm done through acts of mercy. Confession brings revival of the soul, re-education and access to a new spiritual level.

Sins (list), Orthodoxy, confession imply self-knowledge and the search for grace. All good deeds are done through strength. Only by overcoming yourself, doing works of mercy, and cultivating virtues in yourself, can you receive God's grace.

The meaning of confession lies in understanding the typology of sinners, the typology of sin. At the same time, an individual approach to each repentant is akin to pastoral psychoanalysis. The sacrament of confession is the pain of awareness of sin, recognition of it, the determination to voice and ask for forgiveness for it, cleansing of the soul, joy and peace.

A person must feel the need to repent. Love for God, love for oneself, love for one's neighbor cannot exist separately. Symbolism christian cross- horizontal (love for God) and vertical (love for oneself and one's neighbor) - consists in realizing the integrity of spiritual life, its essence.

She sinned with gluttony and guttural rage: she loved to eat excessively, savor tasty morsels, and amused herself with drunkenness.39. She was distracted from prayer, distracted others, gave off bad air in church, went out when necessary without telling about it at confession, and hastily prepared for confession.40. She sinned with laziness, idleness, exploited other people’s labor, speculated on things, sold icons, did not go to church on Sundays and holidays, was lazy to pray.41. She became bitter towards the poor, did not receive strangers, did not give to the poor, did not clothe the naked.42. I trusted in man, more than in God.43. Was at a party drunk.44. I did not send gifts to those who offended me.45. I was upset when I lost.46. I fell asleep during the day unnecessarily.47. Weighed down by sorrows.48. She did not protect herself from colds and did not seek treatment from doctors.49. Deceived in words.50. Exploited other people's labor.51. She was depressed in sorrow.52. She was a hypocrite, a people-pleaser.53.

Confession in church, what to say - an example

Respect other confessors, do not crowd close to the priest and under no circumstances be late for the start of the procedure, otherwise you risk not being allowed to the sacred Sacrament. 8 For the future, develop the nightly habit of analyzing the events of the past day and repenting before God every day, and write down the most serious sins for future confession. Be sure to ask for forgiveness from all your neighbors who you have offended, even if inadvertently. Please note: Women are not allowed to confess or visit temple at all during the period of monthly cleansing.

Helpful advice Do not take confession as an interrogation with partiality, and do not tell the clergyman any particularly intimate details of your personal life. A brief mention of them will suffice. Confession is a very serious step. It can be difficult to admit your negative actions not only to a stranger, but even to yourself.


This is a conversation with your conscience.

How to write a note with sins?

I didn’t mourn myself when I did something bad. I listened with pleasure to slanderous speeches, blasphemed the life and treatment of others.261. Did not use excess income for spiritual benefits.262. I did not save from the days of fasting to give to the sick, the needy and children.263. She worked reluctantly, with grumbling and annoyance because of the low pay.264.
Was the cause of sin in family discord.265. She endured sorrow without gratitude and self-reproach.266. She did not always retire to be alone with God.267. She lay and luxuriated in bed for a long time, and did not immediately get up to pray.268.


Attention

Lost self-control when defending the offended, kept hostility and evil in her heart.269. Didn't stop gossip speaker. She herself often passed it on to others and with an addition from herself.270. To morning prayer and during the prayer rule she did household chores.271.


She autocratically presented her thoughts as the true rule of life.272. Ate stolen goods.273.

How to confess correctly and what to say to the priest: examples

She spoiled her children, not paying attention to their bad deeds.326. During Lent, she practiced guttural diarrhea and loved to drink strong tea, coffee, other drinks.327. She took tickets and groceries from the back door, and rode the bus without a ticket.328.

She put prayer and the temple above serving her neighbor.329. She endured sorrows with despondency and murmuring.330. Irritated when tired and sick.331. Had free relations with persons of the other sex.332. When she remembered worldly affairs, she gave up prayer.333.
She was forced to eat and drink the sick and children.334. She treated vicious people with contempt and did not strive to convert them.335. She knew and gave money for an evil deed.336. She entered the house without invitation, spied through a crack, through a window, through a keyhole, and listened at the door.337. Confided secrets to strangers.338. She ate food without need and hunger.339.

Confession. path of repentance

To prepare for confession and communion, you should write a note with the sins that a person wants to repent of. Usually this is a small piece of paper listing sinful acts and thoughts. Why a leaf with a list? Because during confession a person may become worried, confused (especially if it is the first confession in a person’s life) and not tell about something.

And then, being at home in a calm environment, remember this and suffer again. How to write a note correctly? As stated above, you should prepare and write down your sins on a piece of paper. But, before you sit down to write, it is worth thinking and remembering all those actions that in the Orthodox world are considered displeasing to the Lord God.

It is from the moment of awareness and recognition of the wrongdoing that the believer repents. It is important to remember that a note with sins is not a certificate with a given format - such and such a sin, sinned so many times.

Info

Wore immodest clothes.80. She talked during the meal.81. She drank and ate the water “charged” with Chumak.82. She worked through strength.83. I forgot about my Guardian Angel.84.


She sinned with laziness in praying for her neighbors; she did not always pray when asked to do so.85. I was ashamed to cross myself among unbelievers, and took off the cross when going to the bathhouse and to see a doctor.86. She did not keep the vows given at Holy Baptism, did not maintain the purity of her soul.87. She noticed the sins and weaknesses of others, divulged and reinterpreted them into the worst side. She swore, swore on her head, on her life. She called people “devil”, “Satan”, “demon”.88. She called the dumb cattle after the names of holy saints: Vaska, Mashka.89. I didn’t always pray before eating food, sometimes I had breakfast in the morning before the Divine Service.90. Having previously been an unbeliever, she seduced her neighbors into unbelief.91. She set a bad example with her life.92.

She did not always realize and regret the sin.420. I listened to worldly records, sinned by watching videos and porn movies, and relaxed in other worldly pleasures.421. I read a prayer, having enmity against my neighbor.422. She prayed in a hat, with her head uncovered.423. Believed in omens.424. She indiscriminately used papers on which the name of God was written.425.

She was proud of her literacy and erudition, imagined, singled out people with higher education.426. She appropriated the money she found.427. In church I put bags and things on the windows.428. I rode for fun in a car, motor boat, bicycle.429.

She repeated other people’s bad words, listened to people swearing.430. I read newspapers, books, worldly magazines with enthusiasm.431. She abhorred the poor, the wretched, the sick, who smelled bad.432. She was proud that she had not committed shameful sins, capital murder, abortion, etc.433.

How to write a note for confession, sample

Cowardly silence when people blasphemed in front of me, shame to be baptized and confess the Lord in front of people (this is one of the types of renunciation of Christ). Blasphemy against God and all sacred things. Wearing shoes with crosses on the soles. Use for household needs newspapers... where it is written about God... He called animals by the names of people “Vaska”, “Mashka”.
He spoke about God without reverence and humility. Sinned: he dared to approach Communion without proper preparation (without reading the canons and prayers, concealing and belittling sins in confession, in enmity, without fasting and prayers of thanksgiving...). He did not spend the days of Communion sacredly (in prayer, reading the Gospel..., but indulged in entertainment, overeating, sleeping a lot, idle talk...). Sinned: by violating fasts, as well as Wednesday and Friday (By fasting on these days, we honor the suffering of Christ).

How to write a note for confession, sample

She rarely commemorated the dead and did not pray for the dead.298. With unconfessed sin she approached the Chalice.299. In the morning I did gymnastics, and did not devote my first thoughts to God.300. When I prayed, I was too lazy to cross myself, sorted out my bad thoughts, and didn’t think about what awaited me beyond the grave.301. She hurried through prayer, shortened it out of laziness and read it without due attention.302. She told her neighbors and acquaintances about her grievances. I visited places where bad examples were set.303. She admonished a person without meekness and love. She became irritated when correcting her neighbor.304. I didn’t always light the lamp on holidays and Sundays.305. On Sundays I didn’t go to church, but to pick mushrooms, berries...306. Had more savings than necessary.307. She spared her strength and health to serve her neighbor.308. She reproached her neighbor for what happened.309. On the way to the temple, I didn’t always read prayers.310.

Do not be ashamed of your sins before the priest confessing you. Because the priest is only an intermediary between you and God. The secret of confession is sacred; information from confession is not shared with anyone.

It is better to confess after the evening service, the priest will be able to pay more attention to you. Confess your sins openly and in detail. Do not hide anything, you must sincerely regret what you did. Each sin must be discussed separately. It’s not enough to say “sinful”; it’s important to call sins by their names: gluttony, adultery, money-grubbing, pride. To help you collect your thoughts, the priest may ask you whether you have committed a particular sin. If you haven’t done this, then you shouldn’t answer: “maybe, yes.” And also do not talk about what you did not do without asking someone who confesses you, otherwise it will look like boasting.
I do not remember death and do not prepare to appear at the Judgment of God (Memory of death and future judgment helps to avoid sin). Sinned: I do NOT thank God for His mercies. Not by submission to the will of God (I want everything to be my way). Out of pride I rely on myself and people, and not on God. Attributing success to yourself rather than to God. Fear of suffering, impatience of sorrows and illnesses (they are allowed by God to cleanse the soul from sin). Grumbling at the cross of life (fate), at people. Cowardice, despondency, sadness, accusing God of cruelty, despair of salvation, desire (attempt) to commit suicide. Sinned by: Being late and early care from the church. Inattention during the service (to reading and singing, talking, laughing, dozing...). Walking around the temple needlessly, pushing and being rude. Out of pride, he left the sermon criticizing and condemning the priest. IN female uncleanness dared to touch the shrine.

The sacrament of confession is a test for the soul. It consists of a desire to repent, verbal confession, repentance for sins. When a person goes against the laws of God, he gradually destroys his spiritual and physical shell. Repentance helps to cleanse yourself. It reconciles a person with God. The soul is healed and receives strength to fight sin.

Confession allows you to talk about your wrongdoings and receive forgiveness. In excitement and fear, you can forget what you wanted to repent of. The list of sins for confession serves as a reminder, a hint. It can be read in full or used as an outline. The main thing is that the confession is sincere and truthful.

Sacrament

Confession is the main component of repentance. This is an opportunity to ask for forgiveness for your sins and to be cleansed of them. Confession gives spiritual strength to resist evil. Sin is a discrepancy in thoughts, words, and actions with God's permission.

Confession is a sincere awareness of wicked actions, a desire to get rid of them. No matter how difficult and unpleasant it may be to remember them, you should tell the clergyman in detail about your sins.

This sacrament requires a complete relationship between feelings and words, because the everyday listing of one’s sins will not bring true cleansing. Feelings without words are as ineffective as words without feelings.

There is a list of sins for confession. This is a large list of all obscene actions or words. It is based on the 7 deadly sins and 10 commandments. Human life is too diverse to be absolutely righteous. Therefore, confession is an opportunity to repent of sins and try to prevent them in the future.

How to prepare for confession?

Preparation for confession must take place several days in advance. A list of sins can be written on a piece of paper. You should read special literature about the sacraments of confession and communion.

One should not look for excuses for sins, one must recognize their wickedness. It is best to analyze your every day, analyzing what was good and what was bad. This daily habit will help you be more attentive to your thoughts and actions.

Before confession, you should make peace with everyone who was offended. Forgive those who offended. Before confession, it is necessary to strengthen the prayer rule. Add to the nightly reading the Canon of Repentance, the canons of the Theotokos.

One should separate personal repentance (when a person mentally repents of his actions) and the sacrament of confession (when a person talks about his sins in the desire to be cleansed of them).

The presence of a third party requires a moral effort to understand the depth of the offense and, through overcoming shame, will force you to look more deeply at the wrong actions. That is why a list of sins is so necessary for confession in Orthodoxy. It will help to identify what was forgotten or wanted to be hidden.

If you have difficulty compiling a list of sinful actions, you can purchase the book “Full Confession.” It is in every church shop. There is a detailed list of sins for confession and the features of the sacrament. Samples of confession and materials for preparing for it have been published.

Rules

Is there a heaviness in your soul, do you want to speak out, ask for forgiveness? After confession it becomes much easier. This is an open, sincere recognition and repentance of the wrongdoings committed. You can go to confession up to 3 times a week. The desire to be cleansed of sins will help overcome the feeling of stiffness and awkwardness.

The less frequent the confession, the more difficult it is to remember all the events and thoughts. The best option for holding the sacrament is once a month. Help in confession - a list of sins - will prompt you with the necessary words. The main thing is that the priest understands the essence of the offense. Then the punishment for sin will be justified.

After confession, the priest imposes penance in difficult cases. This is punishment, excommunication from the holy sacraments and God's grace. Its duration is determined by the priest. In most cases, the penitent faces moral and correctional work. For example, fasting, reading prayers, canons, akathists.

Sometimes the priest reads out the list of sins for confession. You can independently write a list of what has been done. It is better to come to confession after the evening service or in the morning, before the liturgy.

How does the sacrament work?

In some situations, you should invite the priest to confession at home. This is done if the person is seriously ill or near death.

Upon entering the temple, you must line up for confession. During the entire sacrament, the cross and the Gospel lie on the lectern. This symbolizes the invisible presence of the Savior.

Before confession begins, the priest may start asking questions. For example, about how often prayers are said, whether church rules are followed.

Then the sacrament begins. It is best to prepare your list of sins for confession. A sample of it can always be purchased at the church. If the sins forgiven at the previous confession were repeated, then they should be mentioned again - this is considered a more serious offense. You should not hide anything from the priest or speak in hints. You should clearly explain in simple words the sins you repent of.

If the priest tore up the list of sins for confession, it means that the sacrament is over and absolution has been granted. The priest places an epitrachelion on the head of the penitent. This means the return of God's favor. After this, they kiss the cross and the Gospel, which symbolizes readiness to live according to the commandments.

Preparing for Confession: List of Sins

Confession is intended to comprehend your sin and desire to improve. It is difficult for a person far from the church to understand what actions should be considered wicked. That's why there are 10 commandments. They clearly state what not to do. It is better to prepare a list of sins for confession according to the commandments in advance. On the day of the sacrament, you can get excited and forget everything. Therefore, you should calmly, a few days before confession, re-read the commandments and write down your sins.

If it is the first confession, then it is not easy to figure out the seven deadly sins and the ten commandments on your own. Therefore, you should approach the priest in advance and tell him about your difficulties in a personal conversation.

A list of sins for confession with an explanation of the sins can be purchased at the church or found on the website of your temple. The transcript describes in detail all the alleged sins. From this general list it is necessary to isolate what was done personally. Then write down your list of offenses.

Sins committed against God

  • Lack of faith in God, doubt, ingratitude.
  • Lack of a cross on the body, unwillingness to defend the faith in front of detractors.
  • Swearing in the name of God, pronouncing the name of the Lord in vain (not during prayer or conversations about God).
  • Visiting sects, casting fortunes, treating with all kinds of magic, reading and spreading false teachings.
  • Gambling, suicidal thoughts, swearing.
  • Failure to attend church, lack of a daily prayer rule.
  • Failure to observe fasts, reluctance to read Orthodox literature.
  • Condemnation of clergy, thoughts about worldly things during worship.
  • A waste of time on entertainment, watching TV, inactivity at the computer.
  • Despair in difficult situations, excessive reliance on oneself or someone else’s help without faith in God’s providence.
  • Concealing sins in confession.

Sins committed against neighbors

  • Hot temper, anger, arrogance, pride, vanity.
  • Lies, non-interference, ridicule, stinginess, extravagance.
  • Raising children outside of faith.
  • Non-repayment of debts, non-payment for work, refusal to help those who ask and need.
  • Unwillingness to help parents, disrespect for them.
  • Theft, condemnation, envy.
  • Quarrels, drinking alcohol at funerals.
  • Murder with words (slander, incitement to suicide or illness).
  • Killing a child in the womb, inducing others to have an abortion.

Sins committed against oneself

  • Foul language, pride, idle talk, gossip.
  • Desire for profit, enrichment.
  • Displaying good deeds.
  • Envy, lies, drunkenness, gluttony, drug use.
  • Fornication, adultery, incest, fornication.

List of sins for a woman to confess

This is a very sensitive list, and many women refuse to confess after reading it. You should not trust any information you read. Even if a brochure with a list of sins for a woman was purchased at a church store, be sure to pay attention to the stamp. There should be an inscription “recommended by the publishing council of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

The clergy do not divulge the secret of confession. Therefore, it is best to undergo the sacrament with a permanent confessor. The Church does not intrude into the sphere of intimate marital relationships. Issues of contraception, which is sometimes equated to abortion, are best discussed with a priest. There are drugs that do not have an abortifacient effect, but only prevent the birth of life. In any case, all controversial issues should be discussed with your spouse, doctor, or confessor.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief):

  1. She rarely prayed and did not attend church.
  2. I thought more about worldly things during prayer.
  3. Allowed sexual activity before marriage.
  4. Abortion, inducing others to it.
  5. Had unclean thoughts and desires.
  6. I watched films, read books with pornographic content.
  7. Gossip, lies, envy, laziness, resentment.
  8. Excessive exposure of the body to attract attention.
  9. Fear of old age, wrinkles, thoughts of suicide.
  10. Addiction to sweets, alcohol, drugs.
  11. Avoiding helping other people.
  12. Seeking help from fortune tellers and fortune tellers.
  13. Superstition.

List of sins for a man

There is debate about whether a list of sins should be prepared for confession. Some believe that such a list harms the sacrament and promotes the formal reading of offenses. The main thing in confession is to realize your sins, repent and prevent their repetition. Therefore, the list of sins may be a short reminder or absent altogether.

Formal confession is not considered valid, since there is no repentance in it. Returning after the sacrament to your former life will add hypocrisy. The balance of spiritual life lies in understanding the essence of repentance, where confession is only the beginning of awareness of one’s sinfulness. This is a long process consisting of several stages of internal work. The creation of spiritual resources is a systematic adjustment of conscience, responsibility for one’s relationship with God.

Here is a list of sins for confession (brief) for a man:

  1. Sacrilege, conversations in the temple.
  2. Doubt about faith, the afterlife.
  3. Blasphemy, mockery of the poor.
  4. Cruelty, laziness, pride, vanity, greed.
  5. Evasion from military service.
  6. Avoiding unwanted work, shirking responsibilities.
  7. Insults, hatred, fights.
  8. Slander, disclosure of other people's weaknesses.
  9. Temptation to sin (fornication, drunkenness, drugs, gambling).
  10. Refusal to help parents and other people.
  11. Theft, aimless collecting.
  12. Tendency to boast, argue, and humiliate others.
  13. Impudence, rudeness, contempt, familiarity, cowardice.

Confession for a child

For a child, the sacrament of confession can begin at the age of seven. Until this age, children are allowed to receive Communion without this. Parents must prepare the child for confession: explain the essence of the sacrament, tell why it is being carried out, and remember with him possible sins.

The child must be made to understand that sincere repentance is preparation for confession. It is better for a child to write a list of sins himself. He must realize what actions were wrong and try not to repeat them in the future.

Older children make their own decisions about whether to confess or not. You should not limit the free will of a child or teenager. The personal example of parents is much more important than all conversations.

The child must remember his sins before confession. A list of them can be compiled after the child answers the questions:

  • How often does he read prayers (in the morning, in the evening, before meals), which ones does he know by heart?
  • Does he go to church, how does he behave during the service?
  • Does he wear a pectoral cross, is he distracted or not during prayers and services?
  • Have you ever deceived your parents or priest during confession?
  • Weren't you proud of your successes and victories, weren't you arrogant?
  • Does it fight or not with other children, does it offend children or animals?
  • Does he snitch on other children to protect himself?
  • Have you ever committed theft or been jealous of anyone?
  • Have you laughed at other people's physical disabilities?
  • Did you play cards (smoked, drank alcohol, tried drugs, used foul language)?
  • Is he lazy or helps his parents around the house?
  • Did you pretend to be sick to avoid your responsibilities?
  1. A person himself determines whether to confess or not, how many times to attend the sacrament.
  2. You should prepare a list of sins for confession. It is better to take a sample in the church where the sacrament will take place, or find it yourself in church literature.
  3. It is optimal to go to confession with the same clergyman, who will become a mentor and will contribute to spiritual growth.
  4. Confession is free of charge.

First you need to ask on what days confessions are held in the church. You should dress appropriately. For men - a shirt or T-shirt with sleeves, trousers or jeans (not shorts). For women - a scarf on the head, no makeup (at least lipstick), a skirt no higher than the knees.

Sincerity of Confession

A priest as a psychologist can recognize how sincere a person is in his repentance. There are confessions that offend the sacrament and the Lord. If a person mechanically talks about sins, has several confessors, hides the truth - such actions do not lead to repentance.

Behavior, tone of speech, words with which confession is pronounced - it all matters. This is the only way the priest understands how sincere the penitent is. Pangs of conscience, embarrassment, worries, shame contribute to spiritual cleansing.

Sometimes the personality of the priest is important for the parishioner. This is not a reason to condemn and comment on the actions of clergy. You can go to another church or turn to another holy father for confession.

It can be difficult to voice your sins. The emotional experiences are so strong that it is more convenient to make a list of unrighteous actions. Father is attentive to every parishioner. If, because of shame, it is impossible to tell about everything and the repentance is deep, then the priest has the right to forgive the sins, a list of which was compiled before confession, without even reading them.

The meaning of confession

Having to talk about your sins in front of a stranger is embarrassing. Therefore, people refuse to go to confession, believing that God will forgive them anyway. This is the wrong approach. The priest acts only as an intermediary between man and God. His task is to determine the measure of repentance. The priest has no right to condemn anyone; he will not expel a repentant person from the church. During confession, people are very vulnerable, and clergy try not to cause unnecessary suffering.

It is important to see your sin, recognize and condemn it in your soul, and voice it before the priest. Have a desire not to repeat your misdeeds again, try to atone for the harm done through acts of mercy. Confession brings revival of the soul, re-education and access to a new spiritual level.

Sins (list), Orthodoxy, confession imply self-knowledge and the search for grace. All good deeds are done through strength. Only by overcoming yourself, doing works of mercy, and cultivating virtues in yourself, can you receive God's grace.

The meaning of confession lies in understanding the typology of sinners, the typology of sin. At the same time, an individual approach to each repentant is akin to pastoral psychoanalysis. The sacrament of confession is the pain of awareness of sin, recognition of it, the determination to voice and ask for forgiveness for it, cleansing of the soul, joy and peace.

A person must feel the need to repent. Love for God, love for oneself, love for one's neighbor cannot exist separately. The symbolism of the Christian cross - horizontal (love for God) and vertical (love for oneself and one's neighbor) - lies in the awareness of the integrity of spiritual life, its essence.

In which he who sincerely confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from his sins by God Himself. Confession is received by a priest or...

Why is it necessary to confess in the presence of a priest, and not just ask God for forgiveness?

Sin is dirt, so confession is a bath that washes the soul from this spiritual dirt. Sin is poison for the soul - so, confession is the treatment of a poisoned soul, cleansing it from the poison of sin. A person will not take a bath in the middle of the street, nor will he be cured of poisoning while walking: this requires appropriate institutions. In this case, such a divinely established institution is the Holy Church. They will ask: “But why is it necessary to confess in the presence of a priest, in the atmosphere of a church sacrament? Doesn't God see my heart? If I did something bad, I sinned, but I see it, I’m ashamed of it, I ask God for forgiveness - isn’t that enough?” But, my friend, if, for example, a person fell into a swamp and, having climbed out to the shore, is ashamed of being covered in mud, is this enough to become clean? Has he already washed himself with one feeling of disgust? To wash away the dirt you need external source clean water, and pure washing water for the soul is the grace of God, the source from which the water flows is the Church of Christ, the process of washing is the Sacrament of Confession.

A similar analogy can be drawn if we look at sin as a disease. Then the Church is a hospital, and confession is the treatment of a disease. Moreover, confession itself in this example can be considered as an operation to remove a tumor (sin), and the subsequent communion of the Holy Gifts - the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist - as postoperative therapy for the healing and restoration of the body (soul).

How easy it is for us to forgive someone who repents, how necessary it is for us to repent before those whom we have offended!.. But isn’t our repentance all the more necessary before God – the Heavenly Father? We do not have such a sea of ​​sins as before Him before any other person.

How does the Sacrament of Repentance take place, how to prepare for it and how to begin?

The rites of confession : the usual beginning, priestly prayers and an appeal to the repentant " Behold, Christ stands invisibly, accepting your confession...", the confession itself. At the end of confession, the priest places the edge on the head of the penitent and reads a prayer of permission. The penitent kisses the Gospel and the cross lying on the lectern.

Confession is usually made after evening or in the morning, immediately before, since the laity, according to tradition, are allowed to receive communion after confession.

Preparation for confession is not outwardly formal. Unlike the other great Sacrament of the Church - confession can be performed always and everywhere (in the presence of a legal celebrant - Orthodox priest). When preparing for confession, the church charter does not require either a special fast or a special prayer rule, but only faith and repentance are needed. That is, the person confessing must be a baptized member Orthodox Church, conscious believers (recognizing all the fundamentals of Orthodox doctrine and recognizing themselves as children of the Orthodox Church) and repenting of their sins.

Sins must be understood both in a broad sense - as passions characteristic of fallen human nature, and in a more specific sense - as actual cases of transgression of God's commandments. The Slavic word “repentance” means not so much “apology” as “change” - a determination not to allow the same sins to be committed in the future. Thus, repentance is a state of uncompromising self-condemnation for one’s past sins and the desire to continue to stubbornly fight passions.

So, to prepare for confession means to take a repentant look at your life, analyze your deeds and thoughts from the point of view of God’s commandments (if necessary, write them down for memory), pray to the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and the granting of true repentance. As a rule, for the period after the last confession. But you can also confess past sins - either previously not confessed due to forgetfulness or false shame, or confessed without proper repentance, mechanically. At the same time, you need to know that sincerely confessed sins are always and irreversibly forgiven by the Lord (dirt is washed away, illness is healed, the curse is lifted), this immutability is the meaning of the Sacrament. However, this does not mean that sin should be forgotten - no, it remains in memory for humility and protection from future falls; it can bother the soul for a long time, just as a healed wound can bother a person - no longer mortal, but still noticeable. In this case, it is possible to confess the sin again (to pacify the soul), but not necessarily, since it has already been forgiven.

And - go to the temple of God to confess.

Although, as already mentioned, you can confess in any setting, it is generally accepted to confess in church - before or at a time specially appointed by the priest (at special cases, for example, to confess a patient at home, you need to make an individual agreement with the clergyman).

The usual time for confession is before. They usually confess at evening services, and sometimes a special time is set. It is advisable to find out about the time of confession in advance.

As a rule, the priest confesses in front of a lectern (A lectern is a table for church books or icons with an inclined upper surface). Those who come to confession stand one after another in front of the lectern, where the priest confesses, but at some distance from the lectern, so as not to interfere with someone else’s confession; stand quietly, listening church prayers, lamenting his sins in his heart. When it’s their turn, they go to confession.

Approaching the lectern, bow your head; at the same time, you can kneel (if desired; but on Sundays and great holidays, as well as from Easter to the day of the Holy Trinity, kneeling is canceled). Sometimes the priest covers the head of the penitent with an epitrachelion (Epitrachelion is a detail of a priest’s vestment - vertical stripe tissue on his chest), prays, asks what the confessor’s name is and what he wants to confess before God. Here the repentant must confess, on the one hand, a general awareness of his sinfulness, especially naming the passions and infirmities most characteristic of him (for example: lack of faith, love of money, anger, etc.), and on the other hand, name those specific sins for which he sees himself, and especially those that lie like a stone on his conscience, for example: abortion, insults to parents or loved ones, theft, fornication, the habit of swearing and blasphemy, non-observance of God’s commandments and church institutions, etc., etc. n. The “General Confession” section will help you understand your sins.

The priest, having heard the confession, as a witness and intercessor before God, asks (if he considers it necessary) questions and gives instructions, prays for the forgiveness of the sins of the repentant sinner and, when he sees sincere repentance and a desire for correction, reads a “permissive” prayer.

The Sacrament of forgiveness of sins itself is performed not at the moment of reading the “permissive” prayer, but through the entire set of rites of confession, however, the “permissive” prayer is, as it were, a seal certifying the fulfillment of the Sacrament.

So, confession is made, with sincere repentance, the sin is forgiven by God.

The forgiven sinner, crossing himself, kisses the cross, the Gospel and takes the priest’s blessing.

To receive a blessing is to ask the priest, by his priestly authority, to send down the strengthening and sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit on himself and on his affairs. To do this, you need to fold your hands palms up (right to left), bow your head and say: “Bless, father.” The priest baptizes the person with the sign of the priestly blessing and places his palm on the folded palms of the person being blessed. One should venerate the priest’s hand with one’s lips—not as a human hand, but as an image of the blessing right hand of the Giver of all good things, the Lord.

If he was preparing for communion, he asks: “Will you bless me for communion?” - and if the answer is positive, he goes to prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Are all sins forgiven in the Sacrament of Repentance, or only those named?

How often should you go to confession?

The minimum is before each Communion (according to church canons, the faithful receive communion no more than once a day and no less than once every 3 weeks), the maximum number of confessions is not established and is left to the discretion of the Christian himself.

It should be remembered that repentance is a desire to be reborn, it does not begin with confession and does not end with it, it is a matter of a lifetime. That is why the Sacrament is called the Sacrament of Repentance, and not the “Sacrament of the Enumeration of Sins.” Repentance for sin consists of three stages: Repent of sin as soon as you have committed it; remember him at the end of the day and again ask God for forgiveness for him (see the last prayer in Vespers); confess it and receive absolution from sins in the Sacrament of Confession.

How to see your sins?

At first this is not difficult, but with regular Communion, and therefore confession, it becomes more and more difficult. You need to ask God for this, because seeing your sins is a gift from God. But we need to be prepared for temptations if the Lord grants our prayer. At the same time, it is useful to read the lives of saints and study.

Can a priest refuse to accept confession?

Apostolic Canons (52nd canon) " If anyone, a bishop or presbyter, does not accept a convert from sin, let him be expelled from the sacred rank. For [he] grieves Christ, who said: There is joy in heaven over one repentant sinner ()».

You can refuse confession if, in fact, there is none. If a person does not repent, does not consider himself guilty of his sins, does not want to be reconciled with his neighbors. Also, those who are not baptized and excommunicated from church communion cannot receive absolution from sins.

Is it possible to confess over the phone or in writing?

In Orthodoxy there is no tradition of confessing sins over the phone or via the Internet, especially since this violates the secret of confession.
It should also be borne in mind that patients can invite a priest to their home or hospital.
Those who have left for distant countries cannot justify themselves by this, because falling away from the Holy Sacraments of the Church is their choice and it is inappropriate to profane the Sacrament for the sake of this.

What rights does a priest have to impose penance on a penitent?

Brief instructions before confession (based on materials from Orthodox publications)

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ! Preparing to begin the great sacrament of holy confession, looking at the mercy of God, let us ask ourselves whether we have shown mercy to our neighbors, whether we have been reconciled with everyone, whether we have enmity in our hearts against anyone, remembering the cherished words of the Holy Gospel: “if you forgive by man Your heavenly Father will also forgive you their sins" (Matthew 6:14). This is the condition that we must understand and observe in the saving work of holy repentance. However, in order to repent and receive remission of sins, you need to see your sin. And it's not that simple. Self-love, self-pity, self-justification interfere with this. We are inclined to consider a bad act of which our conscience accuses us of being an “accident,” and to blame circumstances or our neighbors for it. Meanwhile, every sin in deed, word or thought is a consequence of passion living in us - a kind of spiritual illness.

If it is difficult for us to recognize our sin, then it is even more difficult to see the passion that has taken root in us. So, we can live without suspecting the passion of pride in ourselves until someone hurts us. Then passion will be revealed through sin: wishing harm to the offender, a harsh offensive word, and even revenge. The fight against passions is the main task for every Christian.

Usually people who are inexperienced in spiritual life do not see the multitude of their sins, do not feel their severity, or disgust for them. They say: “I didn’t do anything special,” “I only have minor sins, like everyone else,” “I didn’t steal, I didn’t kill,” - this is how many often begin confession. But our holy fathers and teachers, who left us prayers of repentance, considered themselves the first of sinners, and with sincere conviction they cried out to Christ: “No one has sinned on earth from time immemorial, as I, the accursed and the prodigal, have sinned!” The brighter the light of Christ illuminates the heart, the more clearly all the shortcomings, ulcers and wounds of the soul are recognized. And vice versa: people immersed in the darkness of sin do not see anything in their hearts, and if they do, they are not horrified, since they have nothing to compare with, for Christ is closed for them by the veil of sins. Therefore, in order to overcome our spiritual laziness and insensitivity, the Holy Church has established preparatory days to the sacrament of repentance, and then to Communion - fasting. The period of fasting can last from three days to a week, unless there is special advice or instructions from the confessor. At this time, one should observe fasting, keep oneself from sinful deeds, thoughts and feelings, and generally lead a life of abstinence, repentance, dissolved in deeds of love and Christian charity. During fasting, you need to visit as often as possible church services, pray at home more than usual, devote time to reading the works of the holy fathers, the lives of saints, self-deepening and self-examination.

Understanding the moral state of your soul, you must try to distinguish basic sins from their derivatives, roots from leaves and fruits. One should also beware of falling into petty suspicion of every movement of the heart, losing the sense of what is important and unimportant, and getting entangled in trifles. The penitent must bring to confession not only a list of sins, but, most importantly, a feeling of repentance; not a detailed account of his life, but a broken heart.

Knowing your sins does not mean repenting of them. But what should we do if our heart, dried up from the sinful flame, is not watered by the life-giving waters of tears? What if spiritual weakness and “infirmity of the flesh” are so great that we are not capable of sincere repentance? But this cannot be a reason to postpone confession in anticipation of a feeling of repentance. The Lord accepts confession - sincere and conscientious - even if it is not accompanied by a strong feeling of repentance. You just need to confess this sin - stony insensibility - courageously and frankly, without hypocrisy. God can touch the heart during confession itself - soften it, refine spiritual vision, awaken a feeling of repentance.

The condition that we must certainly meet in order for our repentance to be accepted by the Lord effectively is forgiveness of the sins of our neighbors and reconciliation with everyone. Repentance cannot be complete without verbal confession of sins. Sins can only be permitted in church sacrament repentance performed by a priest.

Confession is a feat, self-compulsion. During confession, you do not need to wait for questions from the priest, but make an effort yourself. Sins must be named accurately, without obscuring the ugliness of sin with general expressions. It is very difficult, when confessing, to avoid the temptation of self-justification, to refuse attempts to explain to the confessor " mitigating circumstances", from references to third parties who allegedly led us into sin. All these are signs of pride, lack of deep repentance, and continued staleness in sin.

Confession is not a conversation about one’s shortcomings, doubts, it is not a simple informing the confessor about oneself, although spiritual conversation is also very important and should take place in the life of a Christian, but confession is different, it is a sacrament, and not just a pious custom. Confession is an ardent repentance of the heart, a thirst for purification, this is the second baptism. In repentance we die to sin and are raised to righteousness, holiness.

Having repented, we must strengthen ourselves internally in the determination not to return to the confessed sin. A sign of perfect repentance is hatred and disgust for sin, a feeling of lightness, purity, inexplicable joy, when sin seems as difficult and impossible as this joy was just far away.

Human life is so diverse, the depths of our soul are so mysterious, that it is difficult to even list all the sins that we commit. Therefore, when approaching the sacrament of holy confession, it is useful to remind ourselves of the main violations of the moral law of the Holy Gospel. Let us carefully examine our conscience and repent of our sins before the Lord God. The sacrament of holy repentance has the main goal - to awaken our spiritual consciousness, to open our eyes to ourselves, to come to our senses, to deeply understand in what destructive state our soul is, how it is necessary to seek salvation from God, to ask tearfully and contritely for forgiveness of our countless sins before Him. The Lord Jesus Christ expects from us a sincere awareness of our deviations from His holy will and a humble appeal to Him, as His unworthy servants, who have sinned greatly and offended His Divine love for us.

We need to remember and deeply believe in the infinite mercy of God, which extends its arms to every converted sinner. There is no sin that God, in His ineffable mercy, would not forgive a person who showed sincere repentance for his sins, a firm determination to correct his life and not return to previous sins. As we begin confession, let us pray to God that with His almighty help He will open the doors of repentance to us, reconcile us and unite us with Himself, and grant us the Holy Spirit for a new and renewed life. Amen!

An example of a confession.

I confess, the sinful servant of God (name...), to the Lord God Almighty, in Holy Trinity to the glorified and worshiped Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and to you, honest father, all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, committed in word, or deed, or thought.

I sinned by not keeping the vows I made at baptism, but I lied and transgressed in everything, and made myself obscene before the face of God.

I sinned by lack of faith, unbelief, doubt, hesitation in faith, slowness in thoughts, from the enemy of all, against God and the Holy Church, blasphemy and mockery of the sacred, doubt in the existence of God, superstition, turning to “grandmothers”, healers, psychics, fortune telling, playing cards, arrogance, negligence, despair in one’s salvation, relying on oneself and on people more than on God, forgetfulness of God’s justice and lack of sufficient devotion to the will of God, did not thank God for everything.

I sinned by disobedience to the actions of God's providence, a persistent desire for everything to be my way, people-pleasing, partial love for things. I did not try to know the will of God, I did not have reverence for God, fear of Him, hope for Him, zeal for His glory, for He is glorified with a pure heart and good deeds.

I sinned by ingratitude to the Lord God for all His great and constant blessings, forgetting about them, murmuring against God, cowardice, despondency, hardening of my heart, lack of love for Him and failure to fulfill His holy will.

I sinned by enslaving myself to passions: voluptuousness, greed, pride, laziness, pride, vanity, ambition, covetousness, gluttony, delicacy, secret eating, gluttony, drunkenness, smoking, drug addiction, addiction to games, shows and amusements.

I sinned by deity, failure to fulfill vows, forcing others to deify and swear, disrespect for sacred things, blasphemy against God, against saints, against all sacred things, blasphemy, calling on the name of God in vain, in bad deeds, desires, thoughts.

I sinned by not honoring church holidays, I did not go to the temple of God out of laziness and negligence, I stood irreverently in the temple of God; sinned by talking and laughing, inattention to reading and singing, absent-mindedness, wandering of thoughts, vain memories, walking around the temple during worship unnecessarily; left the church before the end of the service.

I sinned by negligence towards the morning and evening prayers, abandoning the reading of the Holy Gospel, Psalms and other Divine books, patristic teachings.

He sinned by forgetting sins in confession, self-justifying them and belittling their severity, hiding sins, repenting without heartfelt contrition; did not make efforts to properly prepare for communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, without being reconciled with his neighbors, he came to confession and in such a sinful state dared to begin Communion.

I sinned by breaking fasts and not keeping fast days- Wednesdays and Fridays, which are equated to the days of Great Lent, as days of remembrance of the sufferings of Christ. I sinned by intemperance in food and drink, by carelessly and irreverently signing myself with the sign of the cross.

I sinned by disobedience to my superiors and elders, self-will, self-justification, laziness towards work and unscrupulous execution of assigned tasks. I sinned by not honoring my parents, by not praying for them, by not raising my children in the Orthodox faith, by not honoring my elders, by impudence, waywardness and disobedience, rudeness, and stubbornness.

Sinned by not having Christian love to one's neighbor, impatience, touchiness, irritability, anger, causing harm to one's neighbor, fights and quarrels, intransigence, enmity, repaying evil for evil, unforgiveness of insults, rancor, jealousy, envy, malice, vindictiveness, condemnation, slander, theft, preparation and sale moonshine, “rewinding” the electric meter, appropriation of state property.

They sinned by being unmerciful towards the poor, they had no compassion for the sick and crippled; They have sinned through stinginess, greed, wastefulness, greed, infidelity, injustice, hardness of heart, thoughts and attempts at suicide.

I sinned with guile towards my neighbors, deception, insincerity in dealing with them, suspicion, double-mindedness, gossip, ridicule, witticisms, lies, hypocritical treatment of others and flattery, people-pleasing.

I sinned by forgetting about the future eternal life, failure to remember one's death and the Last Judgment and an unreasonable, partial attachment to earthly life and its pleasures and affairs.

He sinned by intemperance of his tongue, idle talk, idle talk, foul language, ridicule, telling jokes; They sinned by disclosing the sins and weaknesses of their neighbors, seductive behavior, freedom, insolence, excessive television watching, and passion for gambling and computer games.

He sinned through incontinence of his mental and physical feelings, addiction, voluptuousness, immodest views of persons of the other sex, free treatment of them, fornication and adultery, incontinence in married life, various carnal sins, the desire to please and seduce others.

I sinned by not having straightforwardness, sincerity, simplicity, fidelity, truthfulness, respect, sedateness, caution in words, prudent silence, not guarding and not defending the honor of others. We sinned by lack of love, abstinence, chastity, modesty in words and deeds, purity of heart, non-covetousness, mercy and humility.

We have sinned through despondency, melancholy, sadness, sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch, lust, impurity and all our feelings, thoughts, words, desires, deeds. I also repent of my other sins, which I forgot and did not remember.

I repent that I have angered the Lord my God with all my sins, I sincerely regret this and wish in every possible way to abstain from my sins and correct myself. Lord our God, with tears I pray to You, our Savior, help me to strengthen myself in the holy intention to live like a Christian, and forgive the sins I have confessed, for you are Good and Lover of Mankind. Amen.

You only need to name the sins you have committed from those listed here. Sins not listed here must be specifically mentioned to the confessor. For convenience, sins can be written down on a piece of paper and read before the priest. Sins that were confessed and resolved earlier should not be named in confession, because they have already been forgiven, but if we repeat them again, then we need to repent of them again. You also need to repent of those sins that were forgotten, but are now remembered. When talking about sins, one should not mention unnecessary details and the names of other persons who are accomplices in the sin. They must repent for themselves. Habits of sin are eradicated by prayer, fasting, abstinence, and good deeds. Confession is performed in the church after the evening service or by agreement with the priest at any time. How often should one resort to this saving sacrament? As often as possible, at least in each of the four posts.

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