On the Harm of "General Confession"

Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov.

Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyov

So what to do then? How to confess everyone? And all the people are unknown. They came up with General or Communal Confession. The priest reads the prayers, then reads a list of sins: "We have sinned with pride, lust, and avarice," then: "We have sinned with murder, theft, violence, fornication, and adultery," and all the people stand and say, "We have sinned, Father, in everything!" And then the priest says, "Do you repent of all your sins? If any of you have any other sins that I haven't mentioned, you can come and tell me when I read the prayer of absolution. But since I have listed all the sins, it's better to say nothing." Then the priest stands at the lectern and reads the prayer of absolution, covering everyone with the epitrachelion.

I have experienced the “benefits” of such a General Confession myself many times. I ask some old woman: “Have you been to confession long ago?” – “No, Father, recently. Three weeks ago I confessed at General Confession.” – “Good. Do you have any sins?” – “No, Father. What sins do I have? I don’t have any sins, after all, I confess and go to church.” – “But maybe you have forgotten some sins? Well, for example, have you had abortions?” – “Yes, Father, I have.” – “And how many abortions have you had?” – “Twenty.” – “Have you repented of that?” – “No, Father. And how would I do? I stood at the Communal Confession.” She believes that she has no sins. When you “corner” the parishioners: “Yes, Father! "I'm a sinner, Father, in everything!" but there's no real repentance.

That is, this General Confession is a fiction, and completely unacceptable for a priest. In Soviet times, it could be justified by the times, by persecution. But still, it's unacceptable.

Now, when there are so many communicants on a feast day—400, 600, 800, 1,000—it's impossible for everyone to confess, and it's not necessary. I go to Confession and say, "There are so many people today, it's impossible to confess in detail today. Therefore, those who confessed recently, who don't have any serious, unconfessed sins on their conscience, I bless them to receive Communion." Some old women will come; they can't live without the Epitrachelion. I read them the Prayer of Absolution and that's it. "And if you have any sins, stay. If there's time, then we'll talk." If there's no time left, then you won't receive communion. Then you need to choose a more convenient and favorable time—to come and talk, to confess."

Source 

Which Thoughts Should Be Confessed

Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet. "Letters".

 

St Barsanuphius the Great (6th cent.)

LETTER 165

Question from the same brother to the same Old Man: “Should one ask the elders about all the thoughts that arise in the heart? Moreover, when one prays or chants the Psalms, should one do this with one’s voice? In addition, about memories of what one has done, heard, or spoken. Finally, should one enter into discussions with the fathers?”

Response by John.

Brother, it is not necessary to ask about all of the thoughts that may arise; for [many of] these are fleeting. One should ask about those which abide and tempt us. For a person who is insulted many times will take no notice of these insults and become carefree in regard to them; however, if someone should attack or assault that person, then the latter will accuse the culprit before the magistrate. That is how we, too, should act.

As for prayer and chanting the Psalms, it should be done not only with the intellect but also with one’s lips. For the prophet David says: “Lord, you shall open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.” (Ps 50.17) Furthermore, the Apostle reveals that the lips are required, when he speaks of “the fruit of the lips,” (Heb 13.15) and so on.

As for those things which you have seen or heard or practiced or thought, nothing else can put an end to these except humble prayer, namely, a prayer that has no will of its own at all and is accompanied by tears. Those fathers who achieved this did not do so without toil, tears, and the excision of the will. Now, entering into discussions [with the fathers] means counting yourself as being something and regarding yourself as their equal. Asking questions and trusting their answers, however, is humility and progress in the Lord. Pray for me, brother.

Source

About the Importance of a Pure Confession

New Patericon of Mt Athos. Vol. 2. Stories about asceticism

About elder Isichios of Grigoriou Monastery

A bishop from Romania asked Elder Isichios to say a word to him. ‘Teach your herd to make good confession,’ the elder replied. ‘Let them all confess, without hiding anything. Confession is a great sacrament, as is the Holy Communion. I knew some old fathers in our monastery, who made pure confessions and foresaw their deaths.’

https://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/974-about-the-importance-of-a-pure-confession

How to Confess?

Bishop Panteleimon (Shatov), Chairman of the Synodal Department of Church Charity and Social Service.

Bishop Panteleimon (Shatov)

At confession, you need to repent, listing your sins. Sometimes, coming to confession, people begin to tell something like the following: “I came home yesterday, my husband met me, he, as always, was drunk, I reproved him and he began to shout at me, I got angry and hit him in his face. I, of course, did the wrong thing. But what could I do?..” This is not a confession. The confession should be a repentance, and not a story about your life, and, moreover, with an attempt to justify your sins.

Although there are people who, by their simplicity, do not know how to repent in any other way. And, of course, their confessor will accept their confession in this form, but nevertheless it would be more correct to say this: “I am angry, I am very irritable; when my husband misbehaved, I got angry, hit him in the face. I am very sorry about this, I repent. I asked him for forgiveness and I promise God that I will never do this again.” This is how, it seems to me, the correct confession will sound.

Often people write a lot in their notes, they tell too much about something, it is not entirely correct. There is an opposite thing, also wrong, when a person simply lists his sins in separate words: “I sinned with vanity, despondency, irritation ...” “I broke my fast, I had bad thoughts,” the children say “I misbehaved...” What does “vanity” mean? What does irritation mean? What do bad thoughts mean? What do you mean saying “misbehaved”? We should not speak in general terms about the passion that works in you, it works in everyone, but about how this passion manifests itself in you. For example, it would be more correct to say not “I was annoyed with my daughter,” but “I humiliated my daughter, called her with bad words, hit her ...” Or, for example, pride... How does it manifest itself, your pride? You humiliate other people, look down on everyone, you are rude to someone, wanting to humiliate him? That is, confession should not be a detailed story of all the circumstances of a particular case, but should be repentance for specific sins, but, on the other hand, these sins should not be designated by one word.

It is Better to Deal with Bodily Impurities than with Pride

From the letters of the Venerable elder Leo of Optina.

St. Leo of Optina

We will not be afraid if we have to struggle after the confession

We will not be afraid, if we have to struggle after the confession, it is better to deal with bodily impurities than with pride, and although we fall in the battle, we should not leave the battle field: then we have much more need for a doctor.

Fear of God force us to confess sins

You are worried most of all and you reproach yourself that you care more about pleasing the mentors than God, that the thought that you should confess every sin to me holds you back more than the fear of angering the Lord. These thoughts lead you to self-assurance. Don’t you do this because of fear of God, when you repent of your sins before God, having as a witness His servant, who was entrusted the keys to bind and loose. St. John Climacus in the 4th step writes: “By resolving to make one’s confession, the soul is thereby held from sinning as by a bridle; for we do not confess our crimes to henceforth shamelessly repeat the manifested ulcers, as if in the darkness, not to make them set on the bitter, but healed, this opinion is contrary to yours.” Therefore, you clean yourself of passions and sins, you do not lose anything, but you gain piety and peace of conscience, not thinking that by yourself, but by the prayers of others you received this, while many who walked the high path fell with a great fall. Think, do you refrain from sins fearing me? I'm not a reader of the heart. If you hide anything from me, I will not call you to account and denounce you, and you have nothing to fear from me. From this you see that the fear of God compels you to confess your sins, and, consequently, to refrain from them, and not the fear of me. You see yourself prone to arrogance – try to reject self-assurance as much as possible, and rejecting this thought that disturbs you completely, please be peaceful and calm.

The Holy Fathers commanded those new in the faith to generally confess all their sins from their youth

But in order for you to foresee faults and to protect yourself and those who follow your wise admonition, you deign to ask our wickedness with a true sincerity about the previous bad impulses; although they were confessed to confessors, the burden of conscience is not alleviated, but you are burdened and embarrassed, i.e. you are not contented as you should, and it is evident that the confessor, who confessed you, was not very skillful. And therefore the holy spirit-bearing fathers commanded those new in the faith and wishing to adopt the monastic angelic life to confess all their sins in general from youth and, thus, purify their conscience and soul, and lay a new foundation, i.e. having cleansed themselves and relieved from such a burden, easily accept the obedience. - So I, sinful, advise your love to ask and pray to the Most Merciful Lord and God, so that by His providence He would send you such a spiritual father, to whom you could confess all your sins from youth to this age and who could instill in you the importance of them. Although we are now unable to satisfy them with penance, at least we must satisfy with repentance and tears, so that we will propitiate the Merciful Lord to relieve us from the burden and grant us courage and strength to resist the universal enemy, the devil. When the Lord, in response to your faith and diligence, grants you such a spiritual father and you do as written above, then you will see peace within your soul, and joy of the heart, and tenderness, comforting you with invaluable comfort.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/how-to-prepare-for-confession/865-the-venerable-leo-of-optina-on-confession

Venerable Ambrose of Optina on Confession

From the letters of the Venerable elder Ambrose of Optina.

St. Ambrose of Optina

It is useful to confess everything with self-reproach, however, if you do it with indignation at others, what is the use of full explanations?.

***

<From the memoirs of a spiritual daughter> to my confession - "I am sinful in everything," <the elder> asked: "Did you steal horses?" I answered: "No". “Well, you see, not in everything,” the elder said, smiling. In response to my words that I do not know how to confess at all, the father remarked: "You leave confession like a saint."

***

If you are carried away by something through weakness, do not be faint-hearted and embarrassed, but try to correct this by self-reproach and confession first to God, the reader of the human heart, and to your spiritual father in due time. Let the events happening teach you to eschew, be careful and guard yourself, through the fear of God. Surrender yourself to the will of God and wait with patience for the decision of your fate.

***

Question: "What does it mean to sincerely confess?" Answer: "It means not to hide anything, to speak directly, not to smooth over."

 

The Joy of the Evil Spirits Is That We Conceal Our Thoughts

Sts. Barsanuphious and John the Prophet. "Guidance Toward Spiritual Life".

A certain brother is appointed the abbot. He asks the Elder how to manage the monastery.
Letter 577

When he heard this, he glorified God and said to the Old Man: "Father, since I am a beginner and know nothing, what do you command me to say to the brothers?"

Response.

Tell them the following: "The Lord Jesus Christ, who cares for you, said: 'I shall not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you'. Pay attention to yourselves with all humility and love toward God, and he shall bless you and become your protection and direction."

Also tell them the following: "Let no one conceal any thought, because the joy of the [evil] spirits is that we conceal our thoughts in order that they might destroy our soul".

If any of the brothers reveals his thoughts to you, say the following within yourself: "Lord, everything that you have for the salvation of the soul, grant it to me in order that I may speak to the brother, and in order that I may speak your word rather than my own." Then say whatever comes to you, believing within yourself that this is not your own word; for it is written: "Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God."

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/596-the-joy-of-the-evil-spirits-is-that-we-conceal-our-thoughts

A Monk Took Communion without Reconciliation

Blessed John Moschus. "The Spiritual Meadow".

The life of abbot Isaac, and how a demon also appeared to him in the shape of a young man.

There is a mountain about six miles distant from Lycos, a city of the Thebaid, where some of the monks live in caves, others in cells. We went there and met abba Isaac, a Theban, who told us the following:

Fifty years ago I was making a mosquito net when I made a mistake in my work and I could not find out where it was, let alone repair it. I spent the whole day utterly defeated, unable to discover what I had done wrong. I was almost in despair, when I saw a young man come in through the window.

"You've made a mistake," he said, "but give me your work and I will put it right."
"Get out," I said. "You'll not get me to do that."
"But you will be damned if you do your work badly"
"No call for you to worry about that."
"But I am just sorry for you because your work is lost."
"Both you and he who sent you have come here with evil intent."
"No, it is you have drawn me here, and you are mine."
"What do you mean?
"For the last three Sundays you have communicated while harbouring uncharitable thoughts towards your neighbour."
"You're lying"
"I'm not lying. You are angry with him because he is so slow (propter lenticulam). And I am the one in charge of anger and the memory of insults. So, therefore, you are mine."

At this, I left my cell immediately, went to my brother, prostrated myself before him and begged his forgiveness, whereupon we were reconciled. When I returned to my cell I found that the demon had destroyed the mosquito net completely and also the rush mat on which I prayed, so envious of our charity had he become.

http://www.vitae-patrum.org.uk/page154.html

Noetic Prayer Is Incompatible with Concealment of Thoughts

Elder Joseph the Hesychast. "Monastic Wisdom". From Letter 55.

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Heart prayer is not susceptible to delusion, unless one is passionate and already deluded.  With heart prayer, as soon as the nous enters the heart, immediately its darkness is cleared and straightaway it becomes peaceful and calm.  It rejoices, is sweetened, rests, and is cleansed.  It rejoices and becomes like a small child free from passions.  Bodily members which used to tempt him become peaceful and humble, just like the hand, the nose, and the rest of the members of the body.

 

Therefore, whoever wants to, let him taste this honey, and it will become a fountain of joy and happiness within him, unless one is cunning, hypocritical, envious, miserly, sensual, vainglorious, or in general passionate; if one wants to say the prayer while voluntarily remaining with his passions, unrepentant, incorrigible.  Such a person obviously disdains the action of the prayer and the mercy of the Lord.  The prayer helps everyone, but each person must struggle in accordance with his own strength.  God gives His grace according to one’s intention.  If anyone says the prayer without repenting, either the prayer will cease, or he will fall into delusion.

 

Women in particular make progress in the prayer more easily because of the self-denial and obedience they have to their spiritual guide.  However, the faster they make progress, the more easily they fall into delusion, if they proceed thoughtlessly without caution.

 

It is not just a matter of saying the prayer, but it is also a matter of being attentive.  You must be vigilant with your thoughts, masterfully controlling them.  Otherwise, they will take control of you and in the end you will become the laughing-stock of the demons.  I have never seen a soul make progress in the prayer without frankly confessing secret thoughts.

 

My child, do you want to crush the head of the serpent?  Openly reveal your thoughts in confession.  The strength of the Devil lies in cunning thoughts.  Do you hold on to them?  He remains hidden.  Do you bring them to the light?  He disappears.  And then Christ rejoices, the prayer progresses, and the light of grace heals and brings peace to your nous and heart.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/309-noetic-prayer-is-incompatible-with-concealment-of-thoughts

It Is Impossible to Escape Delusion without Confession

Extracts from the book by Archimandrite Sofronii. "Saint Silouan the Athonite".

Saint Silouan the Athonite

Beware these two thoughts, and fear them. The first suggests "You are a saint;" the other, "You will not be saved". Both come from the enemy, and there is no truth in them.

Instead, think to yourself, "I am a great sinner but the Lord is merciful. He loves man with a great love, and will forgive my sins."

Evil thoughts afflict the pride soul, and until she humbles herself she knows no rest from them.

Be assured of this - if evil thoughts torment you, it means that you are not humble. The Lord said, "Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Without Christ-like humility the soul will never be at rest in God - she will always be agitated by divers thoughts and impulses which will not let her contemplate God.

The Lord gives the soul understanding to recognize His coming, to love Him and do His will. Fight the enemy with the weapon of humility.

Man falls under the spell of delusions either because he is unpractised or through pride. If it is because of inexperience, the Lord is swift to heal, but if pride is the cause, the soul must suffer long until she learns humility, and then the Lord will restore her to health.

We fall and are beguiled when we chink ourselves more intelligent and more practised than others, even our spiritual father. In my inexperience I thought this once, and suffered for it; and I give heartfelt thanks to God that through this He humbled me and gave me understanding, and did not remove His mercy from me. And now I think that it is impossible to escape beguilement unless we make confession to our spiritual father, for to a confessor the Lord has given power to loose and to bind.

If you see a light within yourself, or outside, put no trust in it unless at the same rime as you see the light, your heart within you is melted to tenderness for God and love for your neighbour; but have no fear either. Humble yourself, and the light will disappear.

If you see some vision or image, or dream a dream, put not your trust in it, for if it be from God the Lord will enlighten you. The soul that does not know the savour of the Holy Spirit is unable to apprehend the origin of a vision. The enemy offers the soul sweetness intermixed with vain self-satisfaction, and thereby is the presence of beguilement.

When we weep tor our sins and humble our soul, we do not see visions, and the soul has no desire for them; whereas when we give up weeping, and forsake humility, we may be attracted to seeing visions.

For a long time I did not understand why we must continue with contrite hearts once the Lord has forgiven us our sins. But afterwards I understood that where contrition is missing, one cannot hold out in humility; for evil spirits are proud and would instil pride in us, whereas the Lord teaches meekness, humility and love, and through these the soul.

The Lord loves the soul that is valiant and sage, and if we have neither courage nor good sense, we must ask God for them, and listen to our spiritual fathers — in them lives the grace of the Holy Spirit. In particular, the man whose mind has suffered harm from the working of the devil should in no wise trust himself but always listen to his confessor.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/how-to-avoid-or-get-rid-of-spiritual-delusion/264-it-is-impossible-to-escape-delusion-without-confession

Fear During Divine Service Because of Unconfessed Sins

The Letters of Saint Ambrose of Optina.

Saint Ambrose of Optina

I have received your letter dated 30 September. You write about yourself in this way: "For more than two years I have been ill with an unknown illness which doctors can not understand. The disease is such that I have more fear, especially reciting the Divine Liturgy, and also the constant melancholy, and pensiveness, and anguish. Though it is inconvenient to resolve this kind of confusion and disease without seeing you, but considering melancholy and fear you experience, I think that the beginning and the first cause of your disease were your childhood sins that probably you could not confess properly or were ashamed to do it; but you should had done it especially before your deacon ordination. The second cause may be that you haven’t always kept your conscience clear combining deacon ministry with married life, because a person ordained into this service is required a particular keeping of conscience, which is not infrequently prevented by either excessive use of strong drinks or intemperance with respect to irritation and anger. Each of these weaknesses alone has the power to bring great harm to the soul, especially if they are combined at the same time.

The same condition and state happens when a man despite his weaknesses and failures does not humble himself, but becomes arrogant and abases others. I think that in your sickness, first of all, you need to strive for release from aggravating anguish and fear. And you can achieve this, first, if you can find in your region such a confessor to whom with full faith and perfect sincerity you could humbly confess everything that lied heavy on your conscience from six years to this day; and secondly - if you firmly decide not to return to such actions that cause fear and anguish, as the Lord Himself said in the Gospel to the sinner, “go, and sin no more” (Jn 8: 11). If you do so and from now on you are determined to keep yourself and your conscience, then we can hope that you will not only get rid of the grief and fear aggravating you, but you can get such a relief in your bodily disease, with God’s grace and help, that will be useful for you, by the will of Lord, All-good, All-knowing, Almighty and having the providence of salvation for everyone.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/304-fear-during-divine-service-because-of-unconfessed-sins

The Man Who Engages in Prayer without Spiritual Director or Who Does not Trust His Confessor, Falls into Delusion

Archimandrite Sofronii. "Saint Silouan the Athonite".

On Prayer

He who loves the Lord is ever mindful of Him, and the thought of God begets prayer. If you are forgetful of the Lord, you will not pray, and without prayer the soul will not dwell in the love of God, for the grace of the Holy Spirit comes through prayer. Prayer preserves a man from sin, for the prayerful mind stays intent on God, and in humbleness of spirit stands before the Face of the Lord. Whom the soul of him who prays knoweth.

But the novice naturally needs a guide, for until the advent of the grace of the Holy Spirit the soul is involved in fierce struggle against her foes, and is unable to disentangle herself if the enemy offer her his delights. Only the man with experience of the grace of the Holy Spirit can understand this. He who has savoured the Holy Spirit recognises the taste of grace.

The man who sets out without guidance to engage in prayer (imagining in his arrogance that he can learn to pray from books), and will not go to a spiritual director, is already half beguiled. But the Lord succours the man who is humble, and if there be no experienced guide and he turns to any confessor he finds, the Lord will watch over him for his humility.

Think in this wise: the Holy Spirit dwells in your confessor, and he will tell you what is right. But if you say to yourself that your confessor lives a careless life, how can the Holy Spirit dwell in him, you will suffer mightily for such thoughts, and the Lord will bring you low, and you are sure to fall into delusion.

***

Some there are who say that prayer beguiles. This is not so. A man is beguiled by listening to his own self, not by prayer. All the Saints lived in prayer, and they call others to prayer. Prayer is the best of all activities for the soul. Prayer is the pith to God. Through prayer we obtain humility, patience and every good gift. The man who speaks against prayer has manifestly never tasted of the goodness of the Lord, and how greatly He loves us. No evil ever comes from God. All the Saints prayed without ceasing: they filled every moment with prayer.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/how-to-avoid-or-get-rid-of-spiritual-delusion/349-the-man-who-engages-in-prayer-without-spiritual-director-or-who-does-not-trust-his-confessor-falls-into-delusion

The Tactics of the Devil – Either Belittling or Increasing the Severity of a Sin

Saint Barsanuphius of Optina.

Do you know the Devil's tactics? You really need to know it. When the Devil knows that some man has a sin more or less serious, he tries to prevent him from repentance. To this end, he belittles the severity of the sin in any way, suggesting the following thoughts: "It does not matter, God will forgive this to you" - and so on. And the demon even tries to make a man forget about this sin. But when this man manages to confess the sin to his spiritual father in the confession, the Devil in every way increases the severity of sin, suggesting that this sin is so great that God will never forgive it. And he tries to bring a person into depression and despair. You see how cunning the enemy is. He knows that the sins are washed away in the confession, and therefore he does not admit people to confession, and if a man confesses, the enemy embarrasses him in every way.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/344-the-tactics-of-the-devil-either-belittling-or-increasing-the-severity-of-a-sin

Nothing So Harms a Monk As Hiding His Thoughts from His Spiritual Father

Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos. "Orthodox psychotherapy."

Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

An effective method of getting rid of thoughts is to confess them to an experienced spiritual father. St. John Cassian says that "just as a snake which is brought from its dark hole into the light makes every effort to escape and hide itself, so the malicious thoughts that a person brings out into the open by sincere confession seek to depart from him" (487). Nothing so harms a monk and brings such joy to the demons as hiding his thoughts from his spiritual father (488). In this way his whole spiritual life is twisted and he becomes a plaything in the hands of the devil, who can do what he likes with him. Therefore St. John Cassian teaches that nothing leads so surely to salvation as confessing our private thoughts to the most discriminating of the fathers and being guided by them rather than by our own thoughts and judgement (489). "He who conceals his thoughts remains unhealed" (490). Therefore we must confess the persistent thought, bring it to our spiritual father who has responsibility for our salvation. "Any thought that tarries in you and engages you in warfare, reveal to your Abba, and he, with God's help, will heal you" (491). When we speak of a persistent thought we mean one that does not go away in spite of our objection, scorn, and prayer, but continues to wage war against us, like the impassioned thought which is united with the passion. 

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/334-nothing-so-harms-a-monk-as-hiding-his-thoughts-from-his-spiritual-father

All Who Does Not Need to Repent Is in Delusion

Letters of Archbishop Theophan of Poltava.

What does it mean to say "we are all in prelest"?

Archbishop Theophan of Poltava

You write, "When I was reading the writings of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, the following questions came to mind: On page 230 it is written that we are all in prelest; why then, when someone speaks of 'a man in prelest', is this attributed a special meaning? and how should one treat such a person?

In order to understand the expression "we are all in prelest," it is necessary to consider the following. The ancient ascetics regarded "repentance or lamentation of one's sins" as their primary ascetic labor. Many of their sayings concerning this have come down to us. I will cite a few of these in confirmation of [Bishop Ignatius'] writings.

"A brother said to Abba Sisoes: I perceive that the remembrance of God (mental prayer) ever abides in me. The elder said: It is not so extraordinary that your mind is constantly turned toward God; what is extraordinary is when a person considers himself the worst of all creatures" (Ignatius Brianchaninov, Patericon, 4).
"When Abba Arsenius the Great passed away, and St. Poemen heard of his repose, he shed abundant tears and said: Blessed are you, Abba Arsenius, because you wept over yourself during this life! One cannot help but weep, either here according to his own will, or against his will in the torments of hell" (Patericon, 29).

The more advanced a man is in holiness, the deeper is his awareness of his own sinfulness. Conversely, the less refined a man is, the weaker is his awareness of his own sinfulness. In the majority of people Such an awareness is altogether absent. This is why they do not understand the ascetic labor of repentance and do not feel any need for it. Because they do not understand this labor and feel no need to repent, one may say that all such people are in prelest. And inasmuch as we have but a limited awareness of our sinfulness, one may say that we are all in prelest !

Sophia 11/23/1927

What constitutes "prelest proper"?

..St. Isaac the Syrian wrote about this kind of prelest: "The effect of the cross is twofold; the duality of its nature divides it into two parts, One consists in endurin~ sorrows of the flesh which are brought about by the action of the excitable part of the soul, and this part is called activity. The other part lies in the finer workings of the mind and in divine meditation, as well as in attending to prayer, etc.; it is accomplished by means of the desiring part of the soul and is called contemplation. The part of the soul by dint of its zeal, while the second part is the activity of soulful love, in other words, natural desire, which enlightens the rational part of the soul. Every man who, before perfectly mastering the first part, switches to the second, attracted out of weakness--to say nothing of laziness, is overtaken by God's wrath because he did not first mortify his members which are upon the earth (Col. 3:5). In other words, he did not cure his thoughts of infirmities by patiently bearing the cross, but rather dared in his mind to envision the glory of the cross" (Word 55).

It is evident from these words of Isaac the Syrian that what we call prelest proper exists when a man starts trying to live above his capabilities. Without having cleansed himself of passions, he strives for a life of contemplation and dreams of the delights of spiritual grace. Thus the wrath of God befalls a man; because he thinks too highly of himself, God's grace is withdrawn from him and he falls under the influence of the evil one who actively begins to tickle his vainglory with lofty contemplation and [spiritual] delights...

Briefly, the difference between "general prelest" and prelest in the particular sense of the word can, on the basis of the above. be expressed thus. General prelest is forgetting and not noticing one's sinfulness. That which we call prelest proper is attributing to oneself righteousness when it does not actually exist. If a man thinks he is righteous, then his righteousness is not divine, but diabolical, foreign to the grace of God and to humility. One should recall the famous saying of Abba Poemen the Great: "I prefer a man who sins and repents to one who does not sin and does not repent. The first has good thoughts, for he admits that he is sinful. But the second has false, soul-destroying thoughts, for he imagines himself to be righteous" (Bp. Ignatius, Patericon, 75).

Sophia, 11/24/1927 

(Archbishop Theophan's letters translated from the Russian by Antonina Janda)

http://www.roca.org/OA/66-68/66n.htm

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/what-is-spiritual-delusion/275-all-who-does-not-need-to-repent-is-in-delusion

The Elder Reveals Concealed Sins

Episode from the life of Saint Barsanuphius of Optina.

Saint Barsanuphius of Optina (1845 - 1913)

Here are the astounding memoirs about confession to the elder left by his spiritual daughter:
- We reached the skete, the Devil in every way distracted me and suggested to leave, but having crossed myself, I firmly entered the hut ... I made a sign of the cross before the icon of the Queen of Heaven and froze.
The Father entered, I was standing in the middle of his cell ... The Father came up to the Tikhvin icon of God’s Mother and sat ...
- Come closer.
I timidly approached him.
- Kneel down, my child ... It is accepted here that we sit and confessants stand on the knees near us because of humility.
I dropped down, not just kneeled... The Father took me by both shoulders, looked at me infinitely kindly, as no one has ever looked, and said:
- My dear child, my sweet child, my precious child! Are you twenty-six?
- Yes, Father.
- You are twenty-six, how many years were you fourteen years ago?
I thought a moment and answered:
- Twelve.
- True, and since that year you have begun concealing sins at the confession.

Do you want me to tell you them?

- Tell, Father, - I replied timidly.
And then the Farther began to name my sins for the previous years and even months as if he was reading them from an open book...

What Happens if a Priest Has a Mortal Sin and Serves Liturgy

Bishop Palladius. "The Lausiac History".

Chapter XVIII.  Macarius of Alexandria

Once I visited this holy Macarius and found a village priest lying just outside his cell, whose head was all eaten away by the disease called cancer, and the actual bone appeared on the crown of his head. He had come to be healed and Macarius would not grant him an interview. So I besought him: "I pray you, pity him and give him his answer." And he said to me: "He does not deserve to be healed, for it has been sent him as a punishment. But if you want him to be healed, persuade him to give up taking services. For he was taking services, though living in fornication, and for this reason he is being punished and God is healing his soul." So when I said this to the afflicted man he consented, and swore that he would no longer exercise his priesthood. Then he received him and said: "Do you believe that God is?" He said to him: "Yes." "Were you able to mock God?" "No," he answered. He said: "If you recognize your sin and the chastening of God, on account of which you suffered this, reform yourself henceforward." So he confessed his fault and gave a promise that he would sin no more nor take the service, but embrace the position of a layman. Then he laid his hands on him and in a few days he was cured and the hair grew and he went away healed.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/300-what-happens-if-a-priest-has-a-mortal-sin-and-serves-liturgy

Fight with Sensual Thoughts Because of Unconfessed Sins

The Letters of Saint Ambrose of Optina.

You are bothered with inappropriate fleshly lusts. When you should have a spiritual benefit, the Devil tries to tempt you. Despise it, because such suggestion from the enemy is an absurdity of absurdities. You write that it seems to you that someone is standing beside you during this struggle. Such things happen when a person either forgot some important sin at the confession, or did not manage to confess something as it should.

Pray to the Heavenly Queen and Guardian Angel asking their help to recall and confess sins. Then, the present dream will pass. Also you should be humble before God and men, considering yourself the worst of people.

I find it inappropriate for you to go to Moscow for the medical treatment because of the fleshly lusts. It will intensify the struggle ... It is better to suffer pain from the disease to cleanse your sins. It is more correct.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/308-fight-with-sensual-thoughts-because-of-unconfessed-sins

Blasphemous Thoughts Disappeared Only after Confession

Hegumen Mark (Lozinski). "Patericon of the preacher".

A novice got rid of the thoughts of blasphemy and disbelief only after a confession to the elder.

The former abbot of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, archimandrite Kronid, has told about himself the following: "In the Lavra, I was taken under the spiritual guidance of the elder, father Nicodemus, a man simple in heart but wise in his soul, very kind, and I made friends with him spiritually. Such a life, apparently, was not much liked by the enemy of our salvation. He attacked me with such a terrible rage, he confused me with thoughts of blasphemy against God and unbelief that my mind was almost clouded. Then the Lent of 1878 began. In the Clean Monday I went to matins in the refectory church, rejoicing that the Lord has vouchsafed me to live on till these great days and to fast in repentance. Here I fixed my gaze on the local icon of the Savior in the prayer to Him for help in the salvation. Suddenly, a thought of unbelief and blasphemy against Christ the Savior as a lightning flashed in my mind. That made me so scared that I was like deadened. At the same time I felt like a spark of the hellfire ran all over my body, and my heart was filled with deadly boredom. Then, fearing and trembling, I turned my gaze to the icon of the Mother of God, praying to protect me from the terrible and pernicious thoughts. But to my horror, I noticed that the thoughts of blasphemy against God and against the Mother of God rose in me even stronger. Then I turned to Saint Sergius in the prayer. But a bad mental abuse with terrible power fell upon him too. Then the words of abuse, unbelief and blasphemy poured out in my mind in an irresistible flow on all holy and, terrible to say, even on the Holy of Holies, that is, the Holy Mysteries. Because of excruciating anguish I deadened and went out of my mind with worry. My emotional torment was so great that my face changed completely in five days. Archimandrite Leonid once drew attention to me and asked, "Constantine! What’s wrong with you? I do not recognize you!” I answered him that I was feeling unwell. Friday came, but the thoughts still continued. I was going to confess to my spiritual father, and the thoughts told me: "Will you really tell your confessor all harmful, blasphemous thoughts?" I took the mental advice and said nothing about the thoughts at the confession. But coming out from the cell of the confessor I felt such heavy anguish that I could not restrain my sobs because of the terrible inner commotion and crying like a child I fell on the sofa which stood near the door. The confessor was confused and asked me: "Kostya, what's wrong?" I told him: "Father! I am ruined! "-" How can you be ruined? "Then I told him my mental thoughts tormenting me all week from the Clean Monday. Listening to me, the spiritual father asked, "Do you console yourself with these thoughts?" I told him: "I do not console myself, farther, but I suffer indescribably." Then the confessor led me to the cross and the Gospel again, read the prayer of absolution anew and dismissed me. After that, my heart was so easy that I did not go from the confessor but flew on wings of joy. All scary thoughts vanished, and I, a sinner, could proceed calmly to the Holy Chalice. " (Trinity monastery letters from the spiritual meadow. P. 43.)

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/307-blasphemous-thoughts-disappeared-only-after-confession

The Bodies of Sinners May Remain Non-decomposed Because of Unrepentant Sins

The Letters of Saint Ambrose of Optina.

In one letter you mentioned that you had a discussion with NN about relics and some bodies of the sinners, not having rotten after death. Indeed, now at Athos, there are no relics, as they say, by the following circumstance.

One pious elder lived there in stillness and solitude and always taught his disciple to keep still and solitary life. Upon the death of the elder in a year, according to the custom of Athos, monks dug up the grave and found the head of the elder, exuding fragrant and healing myrrh. Many people came to worship this head and anointed themselves with the healing myrrh, and so disturbed the solitude of the disciple. Therefore he said reproachfully to the deceased elder: "Father, in your lifetime you always schooled me to stillness and solitude, but after your death you break it."

After these words, fragrant and healing myrrh dried up, and there was only plain bone, and people stopped coming to worship it. And they said that thereafter monks found in the graves just bones, yellow, or white, or black ones, which helped them to distinguish states of the deceased souls; or they found bodies, non-decomposed and dark.

All brethren prayed about such souls for three years, each year digging up the grave and asking local bishops to read the prayer of absolution. Some of the bodies remain non-decomposed after three years.  So they are left as they are.

The reason is supposed to be the following: God forgives sins against God for prayers of others, especially for prayers of the church and for commemoration at the Bloodless Sacrifice, or for the alms given for those dead; while God does not forgive sins against a neighbor - an insult and unfair deeds- until the insulter or offender satisfy the hurt in time or reconcile himself with the neighbor requesting the forgiveness. (In monasticism such cases may happen for self-will and disobedience to the admonitions of Fathers and the commandments, for the lack of repentance and concealment of sins.) In the forties, or before, the Turks looted Bessarabia. The Russian government demanded satisfaction from the Turkish; the robbed inhabitants were ordered to demonstrate their damages. Those who showed the losses unfairly and doubled and trebled them, had their bodies non-decomposed and dark after death.

In Russia there are many relics of saints: Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Bishops Mitrophan of Voronezh, Tikhon of Zadonsk, Dimitri of Rostov and others which testify about their sanctity with the miracles.

Sinful bodies can also be non-decomposed. One day a body of the hierodeacon, non-decomposed and dark, was accidentally found in the monastery.

At that time a local bishop went to the diocese. The bishop was asked to read the prayer of absolution over this body. But after the prayer, the body remained in the same state. The bishop asked them who he was and what was the cause of this situation. The reply was that he was the only son of a poor widow and he retired to the monastery against his mother’s will, and his mother always complained at him due to poverty, and someone said that his mother was still alive. The bishop ordered to find his mother. They brought in a ninety-year old woman, who was bent. The bishop, pointing to the state of her son, asked her to forgive him. But the old woman, turning away, disagreed and said: "I have endured so much grief due to him!"

The bishop continued to persuade the old woman, and finally said: "If you do not forgive him, you will be bound yourself". The old woman, having been convinced, said, as it were unwillingly: "Well, God will forgive him!" The dark body crumbled to dust immediately.

Here is my humble discourse in response to your discussion. I am writing this in a great lack of time, and rubbing myself with simple alcohol because every morning I get up with difficulty and exhaustion, feeling freezing.

http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/concealment-of-sins-in-confession/306-the-bodies-of-sinners-may-remain-non-decomposed-because-of-unrepentant-sins