 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Confessor" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(June 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
In a number ofChristian traditions, includingEastern Orthodoxy,Catholicism,Lutheranism andAnglicanism, aconfessor is apriest who hears theconfessions ofpenitents and pronouncesabsolution.[1]
During theDiocletianic Persecution, a number of Christians had, under torture or threat thereof, weakened in their profession of the faith. When persecutions ceased underConstantine the Great, they wanted to be reunited with the church. It became the practice of thepenitents to go to theConfessors, who had willingly suffered for the faith and survived, to plead their case and effect their restoration tocommunion.
Over time, the word came to denote anypriest who had been granted the authority to hearconfessions. Historically, priests were sometimes tested by officers of the church calledexaminers, before being granted this authority.[2][3]
An individual may have a regular confessor, sometimes called a "spiritual advisor" or "spiritual father", to whom they turn for confidential and disinterested advice, especially on spiritual matters. Historically, this has been a common practice for Christianmonarchs.
It is standard practice for a religious community of women, whetherenclosed or just very large, to have one or severalpriests serving their spiritual needs, including being their confessor.
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913)."Synodal Examiners".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Confessor".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
