Topic: To whom does a priest confess?

[simplygermain]

I know this will be a topic of interest to many young believers...I have never asked my priests this question directly. Do they have spiritual/father confessors? Or do they confess their sins directly to Christ at the Altar?

[HandmaidenofGod]

They have a Spiritual Father they confess to.

[simplygermain]

and if they don't? are they transgressing law?

[Alveus Lacuna]

I have never asked my priests this question directly. Do they have spiritual/father confessors? Or do they confess their sins directly to Christ at the Altar?

I believe that my priest's confessor is the abbot of a monastery.  He travels to meet with him periodically.

[PeterTheAleut]

I've known my priest and another priest here in town to have a relationship wherein they confess their sins to each other.

[LBK]

Priests confess to other priests (married or monastic), or to their bishop. Bishops, likewise, confess to other bishops, or to priests. There is no provision for a "confession to Christ at the altar" - this goes quite against the Orthodox understanding of the nature and form of confession. Clerics and laymen alike are all in need of confessing their sins, and there is no distinction between laity and clergy in the form this takes.

[mike]

In Poland Priests from whole deaneries have retreats a few times per year. I think they confess to the other Priests.

[prodromas]

Who do the Patriarchs confess to? Such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate?

[PeterTheAleut]

Is there some unwritten rule that a cleric must confess his sins only to someone "higher up" in the hierarchy?

[Jonathan]

Is there some unwritten rule that a cleric must confess his sins only to someone "higher up" in the hierarchy?

No, bishops often confess to priests. A patriarch can confess to a priest. A priest can hear anyone's confession (assuming he has his bishops permission to hear confessions).

[ZMICHAEL]

hello my name is Michael Tilahun from Ethiopia and orthodox christian.
so i have asked my spiritual father who is a monk and he told me that they too have a spiritual father to whom they confess too. Here in our religion there is a dogma in which how monks and other prists are going to have their spiritual fathers. Even the bible doesn't say that prists don't have to confess or have a spiritual father rather every human being who commit a sin should confess.

with respect
Michael

[simplygermain]

Is there some unwritten rule that a cleric must confess his sins only to someone "higher up" in the hierarchy?

That was my next question - thanx 

[simplygermain]

hello my name is Michael Tilahun from Ethiopia and orthodox christian.
so i have asked my spiritual father who is a monk and he told me that they too have a spiritual father to whom they confess too. Here in our religion there is a dogma in which how monks and other prists are going to have their spiritual fathers. Even the bible doesn't say that prists don't have to confess or have a spiritual father rather every human being who commit a sin should confess.

with respect
Michael

Greetings Michael! Good to have another ETOC member here on the site! Welcome! 

I wondered if it was different within the cultures...

[katherineofdixie]

One of the GOA Metropolises has an Ierokyrix, a designated traveling confessor, but of course, he hears everyone's confessions, not just priests'.

[GreekChef]

hello my name is Michael Tilahun from Ethiopia and orthodox christian.
so i have asked my spiritual father who is a monk and he told me that they too have a spiritual father to whom they confess too. Here in our religion there is a dogma in which how monks and other prists are going to have their spiritual fathers. Even the bible doesn't say that prists don't have to confess or have a spiritual father rather every human being who commit a sin should confess.

with respect
Michael

Welcome to the forum, Michael!

[mike]

One of the GOA Metropolises has an Ierokyrix, a designated traveling confessor, but of course, he hears everyone's confessions, not just priests'.

One confessor for whole Metropolitanate?

[katherineofdixie]

One of the GOA Metropolises has an Ierokyrix, a designated traveling confessor, but of course, he hears everyone's confessions, not just priests'.

One confessor for whole Metropolitanate?

No, obviously that wouldn't work at all! You have to remember how much territory (miles and miles) some Metropoli cover here in the US. It can take a Bishop over 12 hours to drive to some of his parishes.

As I understand it, many parish priests are also designated as a Father-Confessor, but the Ierokyrix is an Archimandrite whose "job" (among other responsibilities, of course) is to travel to various parishes and offer homilies, spiritual talks, presentations on the Sacrament of Confession, and hear the confessions of local priests and parish members.

[simplygermain]

One of the GOA Metropolises has an Ierokyrix, a designated traveling confessor, but of course, he hears everyone's confessions, not just priests'.

One confessor for whole Metropolitanate?

No, obviously that wouldn't work at all! You have to remember how much territory (miles and miles) some Metropoli cover here in the US. It can take a Bishop over 12 hours to drive to some of his parishes.

As I understand it, many parish priests are also designated as a Father-Confessor, but the Ierokyrix is an Archimandrite whose "job" (among other responsibilities, of course) is to travel to various parishes and offer homilies, spiritual talks, presentations on the Sacrament of Confession, and hear the confessions of local priests and parish members.

Oh! that's good, He'd be pretty tired...(ierokyrix) I His unworthy...snore...