О Покаянии
The Mystery of Repentance
Repentance is defined as a sacrament of divine forgiveness.
What is repentance? Repentance is a Sacrament in which someone who repents of their sins, while visibly receiving forgiveness from the priest, is invisibly freed from those sins by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.1
The Apostolic Authority to Forgive
The sacrament is rooted in the ministry of John the Baptist and the authority given by Christ to His Apostles.
When did this Sacrament first appear? This Sacrament began with Saint John the Baptist; he preached to those who came to him "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," and they "were baptized by him… confessing their sins" (Mk.✦ 1:4–5). Jesus Christ promised the Apostles the power to forgive sins when He said, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Mt.✦ 18:18). After His Resurrection, He actually gave them this power, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit.✦ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (Jn.✦ 20:22–23).
The Disposition of the Penitent
True repentance requires contrition, faith, and a firm resolve to change one's life.
What is required of the penitent? The penitent needs to feel contrition for their sins, have a firm intention to amend their life, and possess faith in Christ and hope in His mercy.2 "Godly sorrow produces lasting repentance that leads to salvation" (2 Cor.3 7:10).✦ "And when the lawless person turns from his lawlessness and begins to do justice and righteousness, he will live because of that" (Ezek. 33:19).✦ "Of Him (that is, concerning Jesus Christ) all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name" (Acts 10:43).✦4
Means of Spiritual Renewal
Fasting and prayer serve as essential aids to the life of repentance.
What helps us repent? The preparatory and auxiliary means for repentance are fasting and prayer.
The Role of Epitimia
The Church uses epitimia as a medicinal discipline to heal the conscience and overcome sinful habits.
What means does the Church use to help the penitent? The Church uses a special means for the cleansing and pacifying of the repentant sinner's conscience: epitimia.5 What does the word “epitimia” mean? The word epitimia means a prohibition (see✦6 2 Cor. 2:6). As epitimia, when necessary, the penitent is prescribed certain pious exercises and certain deprivations, so as to free them from the power of sin and to overcome sinful habit. For example, fasting beyond what is required of everyone, and for grave sins—exclusion from Holy Communion for a set time.
Read the original Latin
Что такое покаяние? Покаяние есть Таинство, в котором кающийся в своих грехах, при видимом получении прощения от священника, невидимо освобождается от этих грехов Самим Господом Иисусом Христом.
Когда появилось это Таинство? Это Таинство ведет начало от святого Иоанна Крестителя: приходившим к нему он проповедовал «крещение покаяния для прощения грехов»… (и они) «крестились от него… исповедуя грехи свои» (Мк. 1:4–5). Апостолам Иисус Христос обещал власть прощать грехи, когда сказал: «Что вы свяжете на земле, то будет связано на небе; и что разрешите на земле, то будет разрешено на небе» (Мф. 18:18). По воскресении же Своём действительно дал им эту власть, когда сказал: «Примите Духа Святаго. Кому простите грехи, тому простятся; на ком оставите, на том останутся» (Ин. 20:22–23).
Что требуется от кающегося? От кающегося требуется сокрушение о грехах, твёрдое намерение исправить свою жизнь, вера в Христа и надежда на Его милосердие. «Печаль ради Бога производит неизменное покаяние ко спасению» (2Кор. 7:10). «И когда беззаконник обратился от беззакония своего и стал творить суд и правду, он будет за то жив» (Иез 33:19). «О Нем (т. е. о Иисусе Христе) все пророки свидетельствуют, что всякий верующий в Него получит прощение грехов именем Его» (Деян.
10:43).
Что помогает покаянию? Подготовительные и вспомогательные средства для покаяния – это пост и молитва.
Какое средство употребляет Церковь для помощи кающемуся? Святая Церковь употребляет особое средство для очищения и умиротворения совести покаявшегося грешника – епитимью.
Что означает слово «епитимья»? Слово епитимья означает запрещение (см. 2Кор. 2:6). В виде епитимьи, по необходимости, предписываются кающемуся некоторые благочестивые упражнения и некоторые лишения с целью освобождения от власти греха и преодоления греховной привычки. Например, пост сверх положенного для всех, а за тяжкие грехи – отлучение от Святого Причащения на определённое время.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Mark.1.4-Mark.1.5 — John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark.1.5 — And all the region of Judea and all the Jerusalemites were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
- ↩Matt.18.18 — Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
- ↩John.20.22-John.20.23 — And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." John.20.23 — If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
- ↩John.20.22-John.20.23 — And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." John.20.23 — If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
- ↩2Cor.7.10 — For grief in a godly way produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but the grief of the world produces death.
- ↩Ezek.33.19 — But when the wicked turn from their wickedness and do justice and righteousness, by these they shall live.
- ↩Acts.10.43 — To him all the prophets bear witness that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.
- ↩2Cor.2.6 — Such punishment by the majority is sufficient for this one.
Notes
- 1 ↩Russian «Покаяние» names the Orthodox sacrament often rendered Repentance (or Penance/Confession). «Прощения» is forgiveness/absolution received from the priest as the visible sign; the invisible release is attributed to Christ alone.
- 2 ↩Russian «сокрушение о грехах» rendered as «contrition for sins»; «compunction» is also possible if a denser interior-sorrow register is preferred.
- 3 ↩«Печаль ради Бога» rendered as «Godly sorrow»; more literally «sorrow for God's sake». «Неизменное покаяние» rendered as «lasting repentance» (repentance that is firm / not to be taken back).
- 4 ↩This unit is only the closing verse-number of a citation begun in the previous section (Acts / Деян.), completing the quote about forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name.
- 5 ↩епитимья is the technical Orthodox term for disciplinary penance assigned after confession; retained as 'epitimia' because the next section defines the word.
- 6 ↩Russian «запрещение» is rendered “prohibition.” In Greek and some English catechetical traditions the cognate ἐπιτιμία is often “penalty” or “censure” (cf. 2 Cor 2:6); the source’s lexical gloss is kept.
Catechism of the Orthodox Church (Longer Catechism) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit