The Sacred Mysteries
Confession
The Mystery of Penance
“Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.”
Most of us carry a weight of regret — errors made, relationships strained, the quiet hum of guilt that follows us through daily life. The longing for a clean slate, a true fresh start, is universal. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, this path to restoration is found in the Mystery of Confession, or Penance (Abashkharootiun).
Far from being a ritual of shame, the Armenian tradition understands Confession as a Sacred Mystery of healing — an invitation from alienation back into communion. It is designed not for condemnation, but for the reclamation of the soul.
You Never Lose Your Status as a Child of God
A common spiritual anxiety holds that our failures can sever our relationship with God — that sin demotes us to a lesser standing before Him. The Armenian tradition, through its reading of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, reveals a different truth: your identity as a child of God is immutable.
In the parable, the returning son has rehearsed a plea to be accepted back as a “hired servant,” believing his sins have stripped him of his sonship. But the father cuts him off before he can finish. He refuses to entertain the idea of a lower status — instead falling on his son's neck with an embrace that silences all self-deprecation.
When the son sinned, he did not lose the essence of his identity. He remained his father's child. Confession, therefore, is not a negotiation for a lower rank. It is the courageous act of returning to the identity you never truly lost.
The Breath of Apostolic Succession
The authority of an Armenian priest to grant absolution is not a mere administrative function. It is a living transmission known as Apostolic Succession — a power that traces directly to the Upper Room following the Resurrection, where the risen Christ appeared to His Apostles, breathed on them, and said:
“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.”
In the Armenian Church, this is an unbroken, living lineage. Every priest was ordained by a bishop who received the same transmission from his predecessor, in a chain reaching back to the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew — the first to illuminate the Armenian land. When a priest offers the prayer of absolution, he exercises the same authority granted by Christ in that Upper Room. It is a tangible link to the primordial moment of Christian forgiveness.
How History Shaped Our Practice
To most Armenian faithful today, “confession” means the collective prayer of Megha Asdoodzoh — recited publicly before receiving Holy Communion. But this is actually an abbreviated form of a much deeper tradition. Historically, the Armenian Church practiced private confession as the primary vehicle for spiritual healing and direction.
The shift toward the public form was a consequence of the Armenian Genocide. The catastrophic loss of clergy during the massacres left surviving priests with the impossible task of ministering to vast, displaced populations. To ensure the spiritual survival of the people, the Church came to rely on the public, shortened version based on St. Ephraim the Syrian's ten confessional statements.
Today, there is a growing rediscovery of private confession — the fuller, richer form of this Mystery — as a necessary response to the complex spiritual and psychological needs of a resilient people returning to their roots.
The Priest as Guide, Not Judge
To understand the priest's role in Confession, think of a mountain guide on a difficult ascent. The summit — theosis, or union with Christ — is the destination, and the path is treacherous to navigate alone. The priest is a spiritual director who has traversed this terrain before.
Crucially, in the Armenian tradition, the priest is bound by an absolute vow of confidentiality. His role is to be a witness and a vessel, not a judge. He acts in persona Christi — in the person of Christ — representing the forgiveness that has already been won. He provides the sacred space for the penitent to bring their inner darkness into the light of God's mercy, without fear of human reprisal.
“The priest is acting in his capacity as a witness to the forgiveness Christ has given. He stands in that place to give the penitent the opportunity to express themselves, acting as a guide toward the peak of spiritual health.”
Confession as a Preemptive Reset
One of the most striking insights of Armenian theology is the concept of “judging oneself” in the present to preempt the judgment of the future. The Church teaches that at the Second Coming, all things will be revealed in the light of Truth. But the Mystery of Confession acts as a temporal reset.
By looking into the “mirror of the commandments” today and confessing our sins, we essentially erase them from the final record. Sins confessed and absolved in the present cease to exist — they will not be there to be judged when Christ returns. It is a proactive, life-giving way to ensure that when we stand before the Creator, He finds a soul already reconciled and a heart already made clean.
How to Prepare
Confession requires no spiritual perfection beforehand — only honesty and the willingness to turn. Here is how to prepare:
- Self-examination — Reflect quietly on your conscience, using the Ten Commandments as a mirror. Ask honestly: where have I fallen short in my relationship with God and with others?
- Repentance — Approach with a sincere desire to change, not merely to feel better. True repentance is Abashkharel — a U-turn of the soul away from sin and toward the Light.
- Honest confession — Speak freely and without fear. The priest is bound by absolute confidentiality, and his only purpose is to be a witness to God's mercy.
- Commitment to growth — Resolve, with God's help, to turn away from what has separated you from Him. Confession restores the grace of Baptism; growth in holiness is the fruit of that restoration.
“As you look into the mirror of the commandments, do not search for reasons to feel shame. Search instead for the Child of God waiting to be revealed. The Father is not waiting to judge you — He is already running down the road to meet you, eager to begin the celebration of your return.”
Confession at St. Mary
Confession is available at St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in two forms:
- Public Confession (Megha Asdoodzoh) is offered during every Sunday Badarak as part of the regular liturgy.
- Private Confession is available by appointment with the Pastor. This is the fuller, more personal form of the sacrament, offering an opportunity for spiritual direction, deeper reflection, and individual absolution.
To schedule a private confession, please contact the parish office. All confessions are held in strict confidence.
The Father is already running to meet you.
Contact the parish office to speak with our Pastor or to arrange a private confession.