The Sacrament of Penance
(Private Confession)
The Sacrament of Penance is regularly offered in Orthodox churches in the Western tradition. The following traditional form is used at Holy Incarnation, and is also available in PDF.
For a Layman
KNEEL
Father, give me your blessing for I have sinned.
The Lord be in thy heart and upon thy lips, that thou mayest meetly and rightly confess thy
sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
The penitent then enumerates his sins, and, if desired, the Priest will give him counsel and advice, and before pronouncing absolution he may impose a penance.
When the Priest wishes to absolve a penitent, after a penance enjoined and accepted, he shall say:
Almighty God have mercy upon thee, forgive thee thy sins, and bring thee to everlasting life.
When the Priest wishes to absolve a penitent, after a penance enjoined and accepted, he shall say:
Amen.
Then raising his right hand toward the penitent, he says:
The almighty and merciful Lord grant unto thee pardon, absolution, and remission of thy sins.
Amen.
Our Lord Jesus Christ absolve thee; and I by his authority absolve thee from every bond of
excommunication and interdict, so far as I have power, and thou hast need. Furthermore I
absolve thee from thy sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy
Ghost.
Amen.
Another form:
Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners who truly repent and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences; And by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost.Amen.
When grave necessity presses in danger of death, the Priest may say briefly:
I absolve thee from all censures and sins, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
