Repentance and Confession

Repentance is man's return to God. It is the transformation in the mind (the nous) of the darkness of sin into the light of Christ¹. The beginning of this journey is "the awarness of our errors, which is a great opportunity for us to attract divine mercy. This is why the Prophet David says to God: Have mercy upon me,... For I am conscious of my iniquity (Ps. 50: 1, 3)."² We acknowledge that we are responsible for our condition, and we humbly seek God's merficy.

The repentant soul sheds heartfelt tears and offers fervent supplication to the benevolent Christ: Bow yourself down to the groanings of my heart.³ Subsequently, man experiences the magnitude of divine forbearance and, justifiably, wonder and awe arise in his soul: Who can search our the multitude of my sins and the depths of your judgments, my Saviour, savior of souls?⁴

This booklet speaks about repentance, the healing of the wounds of sin, and about holy Confession, the Sacrament through which man's repentance is accomplished. Particular emphasis is placed on preparation for the Sacrament, as well as on the fruits of repentance that accompany it.

It is the writer's humble prayer that the words of the God-bearing Fathers will help us all experience the miracle of repentance so that we may savor, from this day forward, the resurrection of our soul and the new life in Christ.

Hieromonk Gregorios

The Falling Asleep of the Theotokos, 2010

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¹ The Greek word for repentance "metanoia" (μετάνοια), means exactly a change (meta) of the mind or nous (noia). This is not expressed in the English word repentance which comes from the Latin penitentia, whence penance and penitence indicating the payment of a penalty.

² St Gregory Palamas, Homily 28 (For the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul), 12, PG (Migne, Patrologia Graeca) 151, 361 CD.

³ Orthros of Holy Wednesday, Doxastikon of the Aposticha.

⁴ Ibid.