Confession

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › The Sacraments

37 questions

• QIs there any reference in the Holy Bible to confession as being necessary before partaking of Holy Communion? Also, is there a reference to confessing our sins to a…
• QMany denominations do not have "Confession" and do not believe it to be essential for their "Salvation." Why does the Coptic Orthodox Church believe in "Confession?"
• QHow does one go about finding a truly spiritual Father of Confession? Not all priests take the spiritual life as seriously as a person may desire. In such a case, should…
• QAfter I confess and repent, I fall into despair and feel worse than I did before confessing. I go home feeling like I am the biggest sinner and not worthy to be God's…
• QAt confession, if we inadvertently forget to confess a sin to our spiritual father, are we still forgiven for that sin through the absolution given by the priest?
• QIn the Holy Gospel of St. John, it says, " If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained " (John 20:23).…
• QI do not want to confess because I feel embarrassed. What can I do?
• QIs it true that you can confess through e-mail? For example, if a priest or bishop you were comfortable with lived far away, could you e-mail them your "sins."
• QWhen two priest differ in their opinion on the same issue concerning a major decision in life (the choice of your partner in marriage), who do you believe; and who of the…
• QIn the Mystery of Confession, must the priest understand the sin of the confessor in order for the latter to be forgiven even though the absolution is read?
• QWhat happens if I repent for my sins but don't take the next step of confessing?
• QTwo years ago, my friend practiced oral sex, but didn't confess it. What is the church's view on that? What will happen to my friend if he does not confess his sin?
• QRecently, I have been trying to correct mistakes I have made in my life; and I know I have some sins to confess. I am a 19 year old male, a recent convert into Coptic…
• QI am 17 years old and I do not have a Father of Confession. I used to believe that I do not need a Father of Confession, and that I could just "confess" to God. But now I…
• QI love my Father of confession dearly; and I feel he truly cares about me. However, because he works hard serving his people, he is usually exhausted when I go for…
• QI find myself continually trying to recall sins that I have forgotten to confess. While doing so, I get wrapped up in sins that I have already confessed/repented of.…
• QI have been wondering if confession on the phone is acceptable if your confessor father agrees to it.
• QWhy do I have to confess to a priest? Isn't it enough to confess directly to God?
• QIf I were to confess to any priest I would confess much more often to different priests. This way I would be confessing to God without having to worry about one…
• QCan a priest pray the absolution for a person who has committed a capital murder, given that that person did not surrender his actions to local authorities? Our…
• QDoes the Holy Spirit come into the heart of the confession father during the sacrament of confession to: Prevent him from saying or making ANY mistakes? Prepare him to…
• QI've lost my virginity and regret it everyday. I've decided that I am going to wait till marriage to have sex again and to start getting closer to my faith. I know the…
• QCan a Coptic Orthodox member confess to a Greek Orthodox priest instead of a Coptic Orthodox priest?
• QI have been having Confession seriously since childhood. Recently, I have been struggling with a couple of issues. I tried listening to sermons and going on the Q & A…
• QAt what age should anyone start to confess and why?
• QWhen I confess, for example, if I had watched something inappropriate, I would tell my father of confession, "I watched inappropriate things," or if I swear, for example,…
• QOutside of confession with my spiritual father, is it okay to vent or express my emotions to others, such as to family or close friends, regarding situations in my life…
• QDue to the pandemic, I will confess today on the phone. Is it truly a sacrament? Is the absolution completely valid as if we were in person?
• QI am a Coptic Orthodox Christian from the Eritrean Orthodox Church. I have recently started to confess. With the grace of God, I have also taken Holy Communion. But, each…
• QIs it a sin if I confess but do not say a certain confession, even if I never feel ready to talk to my priest about this sin? I still have to say it right? I am really…
• QWhy does it matter if you confess to a priest instead of directly to God even when you feel remorse for your sins and confess to someone else? St. Moses the Strong never…
• QI am wondering, will God forgive my past sins? In my past job, I used to have my breaks longer than usually which means that I was not working the total hours for which I…
• QRegarding making confession time only for confession, what if what I need advice in is directly related to what I am confessing? Moreover, would it be okay to continue…
• QI come to you with a question that has been weighing heavily on my heart, and that has taken much peace from me. There have been certain thoughts that I have been…
• QIn the Holy Mystery of Confession, is the priest bound by the seal of Confession or are there circumstances where the priest can reveal, such as murder or rape, the sin…
• QWhy do we have to practice confession? I had a Father Confessor for many years, but he is not the role model I have always looked up to. I have lost my respect and…
• QI have been to confession twice. I was told it is okay to go every 3-4 weeks. I previously was going every two, I feel like three weeks is too long and I am afraid that I…

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.