Age For Confession

[Asteriktos]

At about what age do Orthodox children normally start going to confession?

[Michał Kalina]

In Poland where they start primary school (age of 7).

[serb1389]

In Serbia it was around the same age.

You can go to confession at any age, as long as you're baptized.  I would say the average is teens to mid-20's.  That's just based on personal experience though. 

[MaryCecilia]

I think generally as long as they're Baptised and once they understand right from wrong and can make choices on their own regarding good/bad then they can go to confession... I THINK this is generally around 6yrs old here in America... not completely sure though. Would love to know what others think on this as well though.

[EofK]

I think generally as long as they're Baptised and once they understand right from wrong and can make choices on their own regarding good/bad then they can go to confession... I THINK this is generally around 6yrs old here in America... not completely sure though. Would love to know what others think on this as well though.

This is what I've heard as well.  I think it depends on the child, really.  Most kids can recognize right and wrong fairly early, but the ability to take personal responsibility for one's actions doesn't necessarily come at the same time.

[Quinault]

My daughter is 7, her godmother is going with her to her first confession. My parish typically has a first confession between 6-8 depending upon the child.

[Fr. George]

I've seen it generally start at 7 or 8; most of them have their first experience at our Summer Camp, which is great because (a) they get a lot of time with the priest if needed, (b) they're experts and dealing with first-time youngin' confessions, (c) they can see their friends participating in the sacrament (not actually in the room, but the waiting and then afterward) and benefiting from it.

However, that said I've encountered about a 25% rate amongst my High Schoolers (camp and parish) who have never taken confession by the time they're 14-15; the majority of them who go on to confession have a wonderful experience, and those who don't usually didn't have a bad experience per se, just an non-engaging one.

[ialmisry]

My one son was early, 6.  My other was late, 8.  The older used to tell the younger, whenever the latter did something the former didn't approve of, that he (the older) couldn't wait to the younger got old enough to confess "'cause you're going to have to confess that."

[Thomas]

In my parish it is usually when the child asks to go , around 6-8 years old. In homes where the parents confess regularly it is ealry at 5-6 in homes where the parents do not frequently confess, it is usually aound 7-8.

Thomas

[HandmaidenofGod]

In the UOC parish I grew up in it was at the end of 1st grade. We had "First Holy Communion after First Confession." It was sort of my parish's way of mimicking the Catholics with First Holy Communion, in that the girls wore white dresses/boys navy suits the Sunday after we had our First Holy Confession when we went up for communion.

Our Sunday School program started in pre-K, and went up through 12th grade. During 1st Grade of Sunday school, I remember learning about the basics of our faith, what sin is, and we had to memorize The Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary. Also, we had to sit together as a class during Liturgy. As the day drew closer for our first confession, we had to go to Saturday catechism classes in addition to Sunday school. The Saturday classes were taught by the priest himself, not just the Sunday school teacher. Then the first Saturday of June, one by one, each of us went for confession with the priest. The next day we were all dressed up, and had to fast for the first time in our lives before receiving communion. (Some kids inevitably would always get sick from nerves, and the mothers had crackers to settle their stomach.)

It was a big deal for me because I got a new fancy white dress and got to wear a flower wreath. (Doesn't take much to impress a 7 y/o.) 

[LBK]

In the UOC parish I grew up in it was at the end of 1st grade. We had "First Holy Communion after First Confession."

You mean there was no communion at all of little ones until this age? Were they not given their first communion shortly after their baptism? 

[SolEX01]

^ HandmaidenofGod could have attended a Ukrainian Byzantine Rite Catholic Church.  Note how she mentions "Hail Mary" which is a prayer unique to Catholicism.   

[LBK]

^ HandmaidenofGod could have attended a Ukrainian Byzantine Rite Catholic Church.  Note how she mentions "Hail Mary" which is a prayer unique to Catholicism.   

That's what I suspected. It was the UOC tag that threw me.

[Sarah]

I think she meant it was the first communion after their first confession not their first communion ever.

We do have a "Hail, Mary" prayer, but it's not called that.  It's called "The Angelic Salutation."  "Hail!  Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, O Virgin Theotokos:  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls."

[HandmaidenofGod]

It was First Holy Communion AFTER First Holy Confession. Prior to confession we did receive communion. And it was a Ukrainian ORTHODOX Church under the jurisdiction of the UOC of USA. I am ORTHODOX, not CATHOLIC. I do know the differance.

[HandmaidenofGod]

I think she meant it was the first communion after their first confession not their first communion ever.

We do have a "Hail, Mary" prayer, but it's not called that.  It's called "The Angelic Salutation."  "Hail!  Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, O Virgin Theotokos:  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls."

I've never heard of it referred to as "The Angelic Solutation." I've always heard it referred to as the "Hail Mary."

I was born and raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I've also spent considerable time in an OCA parish, and now attend a GOARCH parish. I'm NOT Catholic. I'm Orthodox.

[SolEX01]

I think she meant it was the first communion after their first confession not their first communion ever.

We do have a "Hail, Mary" prayer, but it's not called that.  It's called "The Angelic Salutation."  "Hail!  Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, O Virgin Theotokos:  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Savior of our souls."

The above hymn is recited during the Blessing of the Bread (aka Artoclasia) Service.  The Orthodox do not use the Roman Catholic prayer to Mary:

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

[SolEX01]

I was born and raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. I've also spent considerable time in an OCA parish, and now attend a GOARCH parish. I'm NOT Catholic. I'm Orthodox.

Eastern Rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.  If you are Orthodox now, why refer to a Catholic prayer for as you see, there are two distinct Hail Mary prayers: One from Roman Catholicism and one from Eastern Orthodoxy.  If you were Catholic, even Eastern Rite/Greek Catholic, you wouldn't be the only one on this forum from that background.   

[HandmaidenofGod]

Eastern Rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.  If you are Orthodox now, why refer to a Catholic prayer for as you see, there are two distinct Hail Mary prayers: One from Roman Catholicism and one from Eastern Orthodoxy.  If you were Catholic, even Eastern Rite/Greek Catholic, you wouldn't be the only one on this forum from that background.   

I have not, nor ever been in allegiance with ROME! I was baptised into the One True Holy Orthodox Church as an infant, and resent you implying that I was EVER Catholic! That is rude of you. I never said I recited the Catholic Hail Mary. That was YOUR implication. I merely referred to the prayer we say as the Hail Mary. The ONLY Prayer I ever memorized was "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women, blessed is the fruit of they womb, for thou hast born the Saviour of our souls."

The name of the Church I was baptised into was founded by my great grandparents and is called ST. DEMETRIUS UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL. Fr. Taras Chubenko is the Priest, and he attended ST. SOPHIA'S UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX SEMINARY.

How did this discussion go from confession to attacking me and calling me Catholic?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Just because a tradition (small t) is not practiced in YOUR parish does not make ME Catholic!

My family has fought hard for our Orthodox faith and I resent and am hurt by the implication that I was ever Catholic. 

Need I scan a copy of my ORTHODOX baptismal certificate and my ORTHODOX confession certificate to prove this to you?

[SolEX01]

^ I apologize for I personally equate the "Hail Mary" with a Catholic Prayer.  Since I'm not familiar with the Ukrainian vernacular, I apologize and ask for forgiveness and I thank you for informing me that the "Hail Mary" is used in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Now, I have never heard of a confession certificate.  Again, that may be something unique to the Ukrainians, I don't know.   

[Αριστοκλής]

^ I apologize for I personally equate the "Hail Mary" with a Catholic Prayer.  Since I'm not familiar with the Ukrainian vernacular, I apologize and ask for forgiveness and I thank you for informing me that the "Hail Mary" is used in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Yes, they use OUR "Hail Mary", not the RC version.

Now, I have never heard of a confession certificate.  Again, that may be something unique to the Ukrainians, I don't know.  

Live and learn. 

[admiralnick]

I was 8 years old when I made my first confession which was under the guise of "First Communion" eventhough I had been receiving since I was baptised at 40 days old. I was the only child whose mom dared to bring me to communion as a baby, but it certainly started a revolution. ACROD seems to feel that communion shouldn't start until the age of first confession......

-Nick

[Michał Kalina]

Do in every ACROD's parish children go to the Holly Communion for the first time at the age of 8? Or was that parish unordinary? It's hard to believe for me. I used to know that Communion for everyone (including kids) is one of the things which differ us from Catholics.

[HandmaidenofGod]

^ I apologize for I personally equate the "Hail Mary" with a Catholic Prayer.  Since I'm not familiar with the Ukrainian vernacular, I apologize and ask for forgiveness and I thank you for informing me that the "Hail Mary" is used in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Now, I have never heard of a confession certificate.  Again, that may be something unique to the Ukrainians, I don't know.   

Apology accepted

[Fr. George]

Do in every ACROD's parish children go to the Holly Communion for the first time at the age of 8? Or was that parish unordinary? It's hard to believe for me. I used to know that Communion for everyone (including kids) is one of the things which differ us from Catholics.

I thought it was a somewhat common practice in many of their parishes, but far from universal (and probably not even in the majority).  Those that did I think had the range at 6-8 (i.e. not strictly "8 years old").

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