BRIEF CONFESSION BEFORE A SPIRITUAL FATHER

Compiled by the late Archbishop Tikhon of San Francisco.

Based on a longer version by St Dimitry of Rostov.

I confess to the Lord my God before thee, reverend father, all my sins which I have committed up to the present day and hour, in deed, word and thought. Every day and every hour I sin through ingratitude to God for His great and numberless blessings to me and His most gracious providence and care for me, a sinner. I have sinned through:

• idle talk
• saying unseemly things
• condemnation of others
• laughter
• scorn
• self-love
• insubordination
• love of glory
• pride
• love of honour
• envy
• gluttony
• anger
• love of sensual pleasure
• slander
• over-eating
• inattention
• drunkenness
• listlessness
• attachment to things
• negligence
• love of money
• carelessness
• vainglory
• resentment and remembering wrongs
• laziness
• disobedience
• acceptance of lustful and grumbling impure thoughts
• self-will
• missing church services
• reproaching others
• dozing and sleeping in church
• evil speech
• neglect of prayer
• lying
• concealing sins at confession

I have sinned with all my senses, both spiritual and physical, wherefore I repent to the Lord and ask forgiveness. Absolve all my sins, reverend father, and bless me to partake of the Mysteries of Christ.