THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSIONAL PRACTICE FOR THE FORMATION OF SPIRITUAL CULTURE OF THE NATION
/VÝZNAM SPOVEDNEJ PRAXE NA FORMOVANIE DUCHOVNEJ KULTÚRY NÁRODA/

Stefan PRUZINSKY

dean/docent, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Presov, Masarykova 15, 080 01 Presov, Slovakia, stefan.pruzinsky@unipo.sk, 00421517724729

Abstract

This scientific and exegetical study provides an analysis of the biblical and patristic views on very important aspects of confessional practice. It is mainly about its social character, about recognition of the seriousness of the sinful state of man in confession and finally about the frequency and regularity of confession. The most important conclusions are as follows. For advancement in spiritual life and spiritual healing, it is optimal if the confession is carried out in the presence of a priest and after one has tried to be at peace with all others. The seriousness of sins and spiritual condition should also be judged with the help of the priest. Finally, it is very useful if the confession is regular and well prepared by prayer, fasting, exploring one's inner self, acts of repentance, and striving for life according to the Gospel. All the above findings lead us to the conclusion that, like everything else in the Church, confession should have a social character. Communal perception of the Holy Mysteries and everything in the Church has a great influence on the spiritual culture of the whole nation, on the way of thinking, perceiving and experiencing of spiritual life.

Keywords

Confession, repentance, reconciliation, justification, the Holy Mystery

SUMMARY

Based on the analysis of the researched aspects of confessional practice, we conclude that progress in spiritual life and spiritual healing is optimal if confession is carried out in the presence of a priest and after a person has tried to be at peace with all others. The seriousness of sins and the spiritual state should also be judged with the help of the priest. Finally, it is very useful if the confession is regular and well prepared by prayer, fasting, inquiry of one's inner self, acts of repentance, and the pursuit of life according to the Gospel. All these findings lead us to the conclusion that, like everything else in the Church, confession should have a common character. It is not only to be an individual act of individual piety, but to be done with the help and cooperation of the Church, especially in the person of the priest and the spiritual father. We are convinced that if the mentioned practice were limited to an act of individual piety, it would result in a further loss of common consciousness of Christians. All these findings lead us to the conclusion that, like everything else in the Church, confession should have a common character. It is not to be an individual act of individual piety, but it is to be done with the help and cooperation of the Church, especially in the person of the priest and the spiritual father. We are convinced that if the mentioned practice were limited to an act of individual piety, it would result in a further loss of common consciousness of Christians. This would happen, for example, what happened to the depiction of Christ and the Virgin on the iconostasis. According to the testimony of some historians of ecclesiastical art, in the past, only His great face was depicted on the icons of Jesus Christ on the iconostasis. This testifies to the common thinking of the iconographers of the time, whose main goal was to make these icons clearly visible to all present in the temple and to remind them of the presence of God and the saints at the service. When Christ and the Mother of God later began to appear on the belt iconostasis or even entire figures with small faces and large figures dressed in beautiful robes with many details, it testifies to the loss of common consciousness of iconographers, whose main goal ceased to be visible to all, but also the presentation of the artistic beauty of the depiction and skills of the iconographer. It is therefore very important that the Church does not individualize only in ecclesiastical art, but also in the field of spiritual life, prayer and participation in the Holy Mysteries. All this should be a common work in which, in a spirit of love and mutual help, the whole body of the Church of Christ cooperates, that is, all its limbs together with God. We are convinced that the common perception of the holy mysteries and everything in the Church has a great influence on the spiritual culture of the whole nation, on the way of its thinking, perception and experience of spiritual life.

(Language: slovak)

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