Confession is one of the main church sacraments. But it’s not easy to get through. Shame and fear of judgment or the priest prevent you from approaching it correctly. In our article we will tell you how to correctly write sins for confession and prepare for it. We hope that our tips will help you on your path to cleansing.

How to prepare for confession

Church confession is a conscious step. It is not customary to do it without preparation and preliminary analysis of sins. Therefore, before the sacrament it is necessary:

If you plan to take communion along with confession, then the day before you need to read the following prayers: Canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, Canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, Canon to the Guardian Angel and Follow-up to Holy Communion.

Before confession on church service It's worth coming on time. In some churches, the priest begins confession before the main service begins. People begin the sacrament on an empty stomach; you shouldn’t even drink coffee or tea.

For convenience, divide your sins into several blocks: against God and the church, against loved ones and against yourself.

Sins against God and the church:

• belief in omens, fortune telling and dreams;
• hypocrisy in worshiping God;
• doubt about the existence of God, complaints;
• conscious commission of sinful acts in the hope of leniency;
• laziness in prayers and church attendance;
• mentioning God in everyday life, so to speak, to connect words;
• non-compliance with fasts;
• failure to keep promises made to God;
• suicide attempts;
• mention of evil spirits in speech.

Sins against loved ones:

Sins against yourself:

• careless attitude towards God's gift (talent);
• excessive consumption of food and alcohol, as well as tobacco products and drugs;
• laziness in performing household chores (you do it without effort, for show);
• careless attitude towards things;
• inattention to one’s health or, conversely, excessive search for diseases;
• fornication (promiscuous sexual intercourse, cheating on a spouse, satisfying carnal desires, reading love books, viewing erotic photos and films, erotic fantasies and memories);
• love of money (lust for wealth, bribery, theft);
• envy of other people's successes (career, shopping opportunities and travel).

We have provided a list of the most common sins. How to correctly write sins for confession and whether it is worth doing is up to you to decide. When confessing, do not list them all. Speak only about those in whom you have sinned.

Judging others, giving examples from life or justifying oneself are unacceptable. Only through sincere repentance does one receive purification. They don’t confess twice in one case. Only if you repeated the offense again.

When compiling a list, briefly describe the situation so that the priest and you yourself understand what it is about. Tell us not just that you don’t respect your parents, but how this manifested itself, for example, by raising your voice to your mother in an argument.

Also, do not use church expressions if you do not understand them. Confession is a conversation with God; speak in a language that you understand. For example, if you really like sweets, say so. Don't use "gluttony."

Dividing sins into separate blocks will allow you to organize your thoughts. By moving from one group to another, you will understand the reasons for the action and will be able to avoid repeating it. Follow his points and the question “How to correctly write sins for confession?” won't bother you anymore. And you will concentrate on the main thing.

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. 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 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. 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.
• 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. 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. admitted sex life 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 performed, 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 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, due to 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. Wherein 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.

When you come to church for confession, do not be afraid. The Lord is generous and accepts all sinners. Forgives those who repent. You should not be afraid of the priest, he is the eyes and ears of the Lord, no one will know about your secret sins. He listens to so much throughout the day that by lunchtime he doesn’t remember who came to him or what they said.

Father is the only person who will not wish you harm or envy you. He will only rejoice that another soul has been saved, and thank God that he, the all-seeing and all-good, has directed you to the true path!

Sins spoken in confession

The priest in the church is not an all-seeing eye, much less a psychic to guess your sins. He will ask questions that are somehow related to sins. These questions are directly related to the 10 important commandments.

1. “I am your God.”Will be listed:

• Do you pray, how often do you go to services, or just to church?
• Will you admit that you believe in God to your acquaintances?
• Do you believe in God?

2. “You shall not make an idol for yourself.”This may include:

• Overeating as a cult of food;
• Decorations;
• Money, alcohol, smoking;
• Pride.

3. Don’t you remember the Lord in moments of frustration?

4. Do you devote your day off to prayer?

5. Do you respect your parents?

6. Do not kill, neither by word nor by deed.

7. Don’t seduce anyone, don’t destroy someone’s marriage and life.

8. Don't take what doesn't belong to you.

9. Don’t tell lies to your loved ones and friends.

10. Don't covet what others have.

Preparing for confession of sins, how to repent

Before going to the priest for confession, you need to prepare. What does it mean to prepare? To do this, you need to read prayers and fast for at least a day before going to church. Directly on the day of confession itself, you must not eat anything and come to the very beginning of the service. If the priest notices that you were not there from the very beginning of the service, he will not confess.

Don't look for excuses in your actions. If they did this, it means they wanted it, and at that moment you were very happy with it. Before going to confession, make peace with yourself and your loved ones, ask for forgiveness if necessary.

Confession is divided into two parts:

• Soulful confession: You repent every day of what you have done;
• Confession to a priest: You tell a priest about your deeds in order to cleanse your soul.

These are completely two different sides of the same coin. When you come to church, you must be aware of what you will say and why. It is very difficult to tell a complete stranger what wrongdoing you have done and why you did it that way. It becomes embarrassing, many forget or do not want to talk about the most painful mistakes they have made.

You can make a list of misdeeds, so you won’t forget anything, and it will be easier to talk about it later. If it is still difficult for you to make such a list, there is a mini store at the church; it certainly has a booklet on how to conduct confession and what sins exist.

After confession, a person usually experiences a feeling of relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. You can confess several times a week. Frequent trips to church help you feel relaxed and more confident.

Sins in confession list for women

Compiling and reading such a ready-made list leaves many ladies in a stupor. Not everyone can understand that your life is a complete sinful nightmare. There is no need to despair. Consult with the priest, he will briefly explain everything and tell you what and why. To yours personal life no one will invade, because only God knows why this is so and what you did to deserve it. After going through the secret of confession, you will be able to figure it out and draw the right conclusions, improve your life position and stand on Right way corrections life mistakes. You can discuss birth control with your priest, because abortions are a mortal sin, and it is better to avoid this in time than to repent later for the rest of your life.

List of possible sins:

• She was not happy with her position in society, her environment, her life;
• She was angry with her children, screamed, doubted them;
• She did not trust doctors, doubted their competence;
• Misled herself;
• Showed bad example to my children;
• I was jealous;
• Was the cause of scandals;
• The most terrible and deadly sin is PRIDE. It is very difficult to fight with him, almost no one notices him, but they yak very often. If you learn to catch yourself in the I, switch to WE, then you are on the right path.
• She did not pray and rarely read prayer, did not come to the temple of God;
• During the service, I thought about worldly problems;
• She had abortions herself, and pushed others to this idea;
• I thought badly about people, discussed them;
• Read obscenities or watched obscene films;
• She used foul language, lied, was jealous;
• She was offended for no reason, showing her Self to others;
• She wore indecent clothes, too short and provocative, thereby provoking excessive male attention and female envy;
• I was afraid for my appearance and figure;
• Thought about death;
• She ate too much, drank alcohol, took drugs;
• Refused help;
• I visited fortune tellers and fortune tellers.
• She believed in all sorts of superstitions;

Complete confession of sins for women

You need to trust the priest and tell everything:

• If you have not confessed before, then you need to tell about all the offenses you have committed since the age of seven. Hidden sin doubles, it is more difficult to atone for it;
• If they confessed, then from the last confession;
• Talk about your sinful thoughts and desires;
• Abortion plays an important role. If they did, and more than one, it is worth mentioning all of them;
• If you were married more than once, cohabited in a civil marriage, or had several men, also;
• If you have children from more than one husband, also;

The priest must understand what you need to do, read, how many days to fast, and exactly how to fast. That's why he right hand Gentlemen.

Sins in confession in your own words

I repent, Lord. Sinful. The world is a sinful place and I am no better. I despair, I get offended, I get angry. I skip fasting on both Wednesday and Friday. I don’t strictly adhere to fasting. Sometimes I overeat and get lazy. I scream at my husband and children. I don't trust people. I don't do my job well. I'm worried that I don't have enough money. I don’t trust the Lord, I rely only on myself, etc.

Full confession of sins

There are several options for confession. Short, involves a description of completed actions, words or deeds. A full confession also includes thoughts and desires. This is the kind of confession that monks undergo. Believers, if they wish, can also undergo such complete purification of the soul. To do this, you need to consult with the priest, or read the relevant literature.

Confession: how to write a note with sins

The sheet must be divided into parts:

• Sins against parents and relatives;
• Sins against oneself;
• Sins against God.

Many people think that by writing down their misdeeds on a piece of paper, they are doing wrong, but when they come to confession, they forget half of their sins and get confused. Such a presentation of your thoughts will streamline the confession itself, and will not allow you to forget or hide something.

There is an opinion that writing sins on a piece of paper is no longer a secret, but a banal reading.

In confession, it is important to repent, to understand what was perfect and not to allow such acts to happen again. That is why it is worth considering transferring sins onto paper as a reminder or hint.

List of sins in confession for men

It is harder for men to admit their misdeeds, words, sins. They may even believe that they are not to blame for anything. In their opinion, only women are guilty. Therefore, repent and confess only to him.But this is far from true. Men are no less sinful. In some ways, they discuss and gossip more than we do. But hot temper and narcissism are generally a separate topic for conversation.

Possible sins:

• Conversations in church and during services;
• Allowing doubts in faith;
• Manifestation of cruelty, pride, laziness;
• Greed or extravagance;
• Avoiding helping his wife and children, misleading them;
• Disclosure of other people's secrets;
• Inclination to sin;
• Drinking alcohol, smoking drugs;
• Passion for card games, slot machines, inducing others to this debauchery;
• Participation in thefts, fights;
• Narcissism;
• Insolent behavior, the ability to humiliate loved ones;
• Manifestations of negligence and cowardice;
• Fornication, seduction, adultery.

This is not a complete list of male sins. Humanity treats most of the above as a matter of course and does not consider it a sin at all.

Examples of sins for confession

People sin each in their own way. One considers his action to be the norm, for another it is a mortal sin.

Here is an approximate possible list:

• Not faith in the Lord God;
• Doubts;
• Ingratitude to the Savior;
• No desire to wear a cross;
• Not the desire to defend your opinion about God in front of non-believers;
• They swore by the Lord to justify themselves;
• They called on God, asked for help in vanity and unbelief;
• They called the Lord;
• They stayed and attended non-Christian churches;
• Hostility;
• They resorted to the help of sorcerers and fortune tellers;
• Read or preached false teachings about God;
• They played all kinds of games: cards, slot machines;
• They refused to fast;
• They didn’t read the prayer book;
• Wanted to commit suicide;
• They used foul language;
• Don't go to church;
• You think badly of priests;
• Watch TV or sit at the computer instead of helping loved ones or doing something around the house;
• You despair and do not ask God for help;
• Relying too much on others;
• You deceive the priest during confession, or do not trust him;
• Has a quick temper;
• Treat people arrogantly;
• Show others your pride and vanity;
• You lie to your loved ones and acquaintances;
• You mock the poor, the incompetent;
• Show your stinginess, or excessive wastefulness;
• Your children are not being raised in the faith and fear of the Lord;
• You don’t help the needy, the disadvantaged;
• Do not come to the aid of your parents;
• You resort to theft;
• Do not behave decently at a wake, allow alcohol to get the better of you;
• You can kill your interlocutor with a word;
• Slander;
• Bring a person to sinful thoughts about death;
• Abortion, inducing others to do so;
• Imposing your thoughts;
• Cult of money;
• Showing yourself to people as a benefactor;
• Excessive overeating, drunkenness;
• Adultery, fornication, incest.

Confession of prodigal sins

Fornication is considered a very serious sin. Previously, such offenses resulted in excommunication from communion for up to 7 years. It is located inside the person himself, in his subconscious. It eats a person from the inside. Being in such a sophisticated state makes you feel euphoric. You no longer want to read the prayer. God does not like such sinners; he is disgusted by the mere thought of them. But at the same time, having repented, they will be forgiven faster than anyone else.

As the holy fathers say, three days of intense prayer, fasting, and repentance are enough to earn the Lord’s forgiveness.

It’s a terrible shame, of course, but it’s better to tell and repent than to carry this abomination inside yourself. And if your family is also expecting a child, even more so. Why torment the unborn soul of a baby. After all, we shift our sins onto our children. And then we wonder why they are sick or have many problems in life!

In this case, you should not write a note to the priest. Like, read it, while I go to the store or smoke! This kindergarten! When we sinned, we were not ashamed before God, but before our priest, yes!

The most important! They repented. Have mastered the material covered. Correct your mistake! Don't repeat it! By repeating, you automatically become a hypocrite!

May the Lord protect you from temptation.

Confession of the sin of masturbation

The concept is ambiguous, and the sin is very serious. IN Christian faith they call it masturbation, or masturbation. Loving yourself with your own hands is the same sin as cheating on your wife or having too many girls. It is very difficult to get rid of such a cunning passion. Father needs to be told everything in detail, he will ask many questions. It is necessary to get to the bottom of this sin, since this is the tip of the iceberg, the root of the problem is much worse and hides deep in the subconscious, hiding behind other obvious sins.

To confess means to undergo a small judgment of God. Only you will blush and be ashamed. And there, in that world, at God’s judgment, all your deceased relatives will be ashamed, you can’t hide anything there. Therefore, if you have sinned, repent, here and now.

In the old days this sin was punished strict fasting, sat on bread and water for 40 days. During the service they bowed tirelessly.

The Holy Scripture says: “If anyone has sinned, forgive him, and all his sins will be forgiven. And if you don’t forgive someone, that’s where they’ll stay.”

Doing something like this means wasting your energy and life resources in vain. This behavior suggests that the Orthodox is weak-willed, weak-willed, and does not have the fortitude to control his desires.The Church does not take this for granted. Since for natural permissible fornication there must be two, husband and wife. This is the only way they get approval. Everything else is sin and immoral.

Priests say about masturbation that it is unclean. It was precisely this sin that struck down the son of Patriarch Judah Onan. To receive pleasure, you need God's blessing for a church marriage. And it’s easier to join it than to be under constant sinful addiction.

Maybe even the female gender will succumb to sin. The church condemns him no less than men. It follows from this that they also need to repent.

Masturbation also occurs among teenagers, girls and boys. At this age, this is more of an unconscious act, which leads to a bad hyena, too tight clothes. Parents are obliged to look after their children and control their behavior. It is more difficult to correct this problem; children, as a rule, do not understand the full depth of the problem, and do not realize what they are to blame for.

You should spend as much time as possible with them, change clothes if this is the reason. Register your child for swimming. Find the cause of the problem. Read spiritual literature to your child and subtly explain that this is a sin.

The priest will help you choose necessary prayers that will help you get rid of this addiction.

List of sins for confession with explanations

• I don’t go to confession, I don’t go to church, or I come to services extremely rarely.I do unnecessary things on my days off and don’t say prayers.I don't understand what my sins are.
• I am not in the habit of thanking God.I don’t pray morning and evening. She blamed God and didn’t believe in him.
• She gave her pets human names.
• I listened to swearing and gossip.She swore, thereby swearing at the Mother of God. I listened to vulgarities.
• She received communion without preparation, fasting, or prayers.
• She broke her fast and prepared lunch from forbidden foods. She commemorated deceased relatives with alcohol.
• She wore indecent clothes, thereby seducing men and calling for fornication.
• Civil marriage, fornication.
• She had abortions, thereby killing her children, trying to avoid difficulties in life.
• She set a bad example for the children, screamed, beat, did not bring them into church, did not teach prayer, fasting, restraint.
• She was interested in occult sciences, magic, etc., conducted meditations, attended martial arts sections, which led to communication with demons.
• She took other people's things, loans, things, and did not return them, which brought suffering to people.
• She boasted, put herself on display, showed everyone her goodness, thereby humiliating them.
• She violated traffic rules, thereby creating risky situations.
• She talked about her problems, cried, thereby feeling sorry for herself and justifying herself.

Sins of children in confession

Children need to be taught to church from infancy. Children do not confess until they are seven years old. It is believed that the child is still sinless. And what he says and how he acts is only our merit and the example set.It is necessary to explain to the child what confession is and why it is needed. Children must understand that they tell about their bad deeds not to their uncle in a cassock, but to God himself, that the priest is the eyes and ears of the Lord.

His attendance at church and attitude towards it depends on the child’s mood. Do not insist under any circumstances if the child is not ready, it will only harm his fragile psyche.

Parents can briefly, but correctly, explain to their child what sin is and what they are. Every parent knows the characteristics of their child. For shy children, you can offer to write a note, this way you will help him concentrate. Explain to your child that there is no need to be afraid, that you will not know about his conversation with God. He must learn to trust both you and the priest.

Children's confession list of sins

Children's sins are not as bitter as adults' sins. They are more like misdemeanors. Therefore, a child’s confession differs from an adult’s. Approximate questions that the priest may ask:

• Does your child attend church and how often? What does he do if he comes to church? Is it interesting for him to be here?
• What prayers does he know?
• Does he have a cross?
• Is he telling the truth to his parents or is he lying?
• How many friends does he have, and what kind of relationships do they have? Does he show intolerance towards them? How do you treat babies and girls?
• What does he do and what are his interests? Does he show pride in his achievements?
• Does he have any favorite pets? How does he feel about them?
• Does he love his parents?

Teenage sins for confession

Older children are more susceptible to outside influences, such as friends, the street. They defend their point of view, their opinion. Unfortunately, in the rhythm of big cities, there is not always time to control where they are, who they are friends with, what they watch and what sites they visit! Therefore, it is important to teach a teenager to trust, if not you, then at least the priest. He definitely won’t give bad advice, and will definitely take the teenager’s side and suggest the right way out of the current situation. And he probably won’t criticize, like many parents.

It is during adolescence that children manage to get themselves into different situations and try to get out of them themselves, thinking that they are already adults and have enough experience. They are afraid to confess to their parents and consult with friends.

By attending church and trusting God through the priest, a teenager can avoid many difficult situations. Don’t ruin your life, don’t take the path of sin from such a young age.

What can a priest ask:

• What does he say if someone has a better one, for example a telephone?
• Did he steal? If so, what did you do next? Was he ashamed?
• How does he behave with children from poor families? Is there envy towards the children of rich parents?
• Doesn't he laugh at disabled people and sick children?
• How does he feel about cards, alcohol, drugs?
• Does he help elders, for example, with household chores?
• Is he deceiving his parents by saying that he is sick?
• How does he study? Is he skipping school?
• Does he have an addiction to TV, computer, telephone? And how does he understand this?
• How does he treat elders? Does he respect mom and dad?
• Shouldn't he say bad words?
• What does he think of girls when they wear short skirts? Girls, why do they need clothes that are short or too tight? Do they seduce boys?
• Is he doing something that makes you feel ashamed?
• Can he tell his parents about all his actions?
• Doesn't he watch adult films and related sites?
• Did you take someone else's things, money?
• Does he correct his committed actions?
• Does he repent of what he has already done?

Are all sins forgiven in confession?

There are no sinners whom the Savior could not ask. If a person repents in confession, he can receive forgiveness. The sin that the church cannot forgive is profanity against the Lord, the Church and its laws.

The Lord forgives all sins. Because of his love for us, he suffered and was crucified. He accepts all sinners, gives them a second chance, and believes that they can reform.

The question is whether a person who has sinned can forgive himself. And if he caused pain and suffering, even more so.

If you missed something or forgot to tell the priest during the service, then when confirmation is performed, your sins will be forgiven. Such services are held in the evening, on Saturdays or on holidays.

I confessed at the all-night vigil on Saturday, and on Sunday at the liturgy I remembered one unrepentant sin. And I was confused - what to do? Should I ask the priest to confess me again in the morning? But the priest usually does not have time for this during the liturgy. What should you do in such cases? Try to go to confession again during the same service? Or can you go to communion and confess later? Natalia

Why do so many people, calling themselves Orthodox, know nothing about spiritual life? Why is the number of Orthodox Christians in our country growing, but there is no more love? The reason is that people do not know or have forgotten about the words that the Lord once said, but said for everyone living on earth, for those who will still live: “... repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 4:17). What is repentance? Where to start fighting sin in yourself? Bishop PANTELEMON of Orekhovo-Zuevsky talks about his first confession.

Begins Lent- a special time for repentance. Bishop Panteleimon of Smolensk and Vyazemsk talks about how to properly prepare for the first confession

Bishop PANTELEMON of Smolensk and Vyazemsk talks about preparing for confession, what “sins” you don’t need to repent of, and how to find out if you have received communion for condemnation.

In the Smolensk diocese, sacramental conversations were revived - for baptized people about the sacraments of the Church. At the first meeting, Bishop of Smolensk and Vyazemsky PANTELEMON spoke about confession and communion, and also answered questions from listeners. VIDEO

We talked about how to learn to see our sins, where to start fighting them and how not to fall into spiritual hypochondria, with Archpriest Vladimir VOROBYEV, rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in Kuznetsy, rector of PSTGU.

How often should you go to confession? How not to turn confession into a routine procedure for show, just to be allowed to take communion? Maybe it’s worth separating confession and communion, since these are two separate sacraments? Archpriest Konstantin OSTROVSKY, dean of the Krasnogorsk district of the Moscow diocese, shares his opinion

As far as I understand, the common prayer that the priest reads before confession is part of the sacrament. But to get to it, you need to come to the very beginning of confession, and this does not always work out. Sometimes confession begins when you are standing in line for anointing, and then you don’t know where to go: either go to anointing, or run to listen to prayer. Sometimes you come to confession in the morning, and it has already begun. And sometimes, if a priest comes out to confess one or two people separately, he does not read this prayer at all. How important it is to get to the very beginning of confession and listen common prayer? Is it possible to go to confession if this fails? Julia

The Orthodox Catechism gives the following definition of this sacrament: “Repentance is a sacrament in which he who confesses his sins, with a visible expression of forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly absolved from sins by Jesus Christ Himself.”

There are people who go to confession all their lives and never truly repented. And there are people who do not know how to confess, but their repentance is real. Archpriest Vladislav SVESHNIKOV, Doctor of Theology, rector of the Church of the Three Saints in Kulishki, talks about how confession and repentance relate.

A person comes to Church with the firm intention to change. But gradually the neophyte fervor passes, but the sins remain. And all the same as they were before - familiar and long-bored. “Why go to confession at all if nothing changes in me?” - a tempting thought creeps in. Really, why?

I have seen a line for confession in church many times. Sometimes the question “who’s last?” They answer: “This is not a store for you.” So on what basis should the laity approach a priest for confession? Wait until they call? Keep the line? But the Church is really not a store!

How to tell a priest about sins? Is a feeling of repentance necessary during confession? Should I expect mental relief after confession? These neophyte questions often remain “sore” even for the most experienced parishioners. Many of us are embarrassed to distract the priest on trifles with our too “simple questions.” To fill this gap, " simple questions“NS correspondent Dmitry REBROV asked about confession to the senior confessor of the Moscow diocese, rector of the Church of the Intercession in the village of Akulovo near Moscow, Archpriest Valerian KRECHETOV

An Orthodox “helpline” will appear in Kyiv; in this regard, some media outlets have spread a rumor that among the “services” of the call center there will be confession over the phone. “There will be no confession over the phone; only spiritual conversation or spiritual advice", the press secretary of the Primate of the UOC, Archpriest Georgy Kovalenko, denied the rumors. Why is confession by telephone not possible? Neskuchny Sad asked Moscow priests about this.

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 tend to consider a bad act of which our conscience accuses us of being an “accident” and 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 repentance prayers, considered themselves the first of sinners, 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 shortcomings, ulcers and spiritual wounds 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 confused 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 for postponing 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 it 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 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”, and from references to third parties who allegedly led us into sin. All these are signs of pride, lack of deep repentance, and continued stumbling into 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 yourself of the main violations moral law 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 He, with His almighty help, would 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; I sinned by talking and laughing, inattention to reading and singing, absent-mindedness, wandering 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 suffering 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.

I sinned by lack of Christian love for my neighbor, impatience, resentment, irritability, anger, harm to my neighbor, fights and quarrels, intransigence, enmity, retribution of evil for evil, unforgiveness of insults, rancor, jealousy, envy, malice, vindictiveness, condemnation, slander, theft , preparation and sale of 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 deceit in relation to 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.