BRIEF CONFESSION BEFORE A SPIRITUAL FATHER
Compiled by the late Archbishop Tikhon of San Francisco.
Based on a longer version by St Dimitry of Rostov.
I confess to the Lord my God before thee, reverend father, all my sins which I have committed up to the present day and hour, in deed, word and thought. Every day and every hour I sin through ingratitude to God for His great and numberless blessings to me and His most gracious providence and care for me, a sinner. I have sinned through:
- idle talk
- saying unseemly things
- condemnation of others
- laughter
- scorn
- self-love
- insubordination
- love of glory
- pride
- love of honour
- envy
- gluttony
- anger
- love of sensual pleasure
- slander
- over-eating
- inattention
- drunkenness
- listlessness
- attachment to things
- negligence
- love of money
- carelessness
- vainglory
- resentment and remembering wrongs
- laziness
- disobedience
- acceptance of lustful and grumbling impure thoughts
- self-will
- missing church services
- reproaching others
- dozing and sleeping in church
- evil speech
- neglect of prayer
- lying
- concealing sins at confession
I have sinned with all my senses, both spiritual and physical, wherefore I
repent to the Lord and ask forgiveness. Absolve all my sins, reverend
father, and bless me to partake of the Mysteries of Christ.