THE HOLY MYSTERY OF REPENTANCE AND HOLY CONFESSION

Štefan ŠAK

associate professor, Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Presov, Masarykova 15, 080 01 Presov, Slovakia, stefan.sak@unipo.sk, 00421517724729, ORCID: 0000-0003-3067-2476

Abstract

The question of how a person can regain their original state is answered unequivocally in the Orthodox spiritual tradition: return is only possible through repentance. However, repentance is not understood merely as emotional regret for wrongdoing, but as a radical transformation of the mind, heart, and direction of life. It is an existence turned back to God, which renews a person from within and brings them to a state of spiritual renewal. According to patristic tradition, true repentance, established and given by God, has the power to heal human nature, purify the mind from spiritual darkness, free the heart from passions, and restore a person's spiritual vision. In this way, a person gradually returns to the state in which they were before the fall.

Keywords

Spirituality, freedom, return, repentance, confession, love

SUMMARY

In the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church, repentance is understood not only as a private moral act, but as a process of renewal of the whole person in relation to God and the church community. The sacrament of repentance is a place where human frailty meets God's mercy and where personal conversion becomes at the same time an ecclesial act of return to the full life of the community. From the pastoral perspective of the Orthodox Church, it is essential to emphasize that repentance is not merely an awareness of sin, but a path to healing and return. The spiritual father, the confessor, is not a judge but a healer and guide who helps the believer to recognize the truth about himself and at the same time to experience the power of God's love. Humility is not a loss of dignity but its deepest affirmation; asking for forgiveness is not a weakness but a step towards inner liberation.

(Language: english)

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