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The '''Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation''' (also known colloquially as '''Confession''', '''Reconciliation''', and '''Penance''') is one of the seven [[sacrament]]s of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]], [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], and Old Catholic churches. Among [[Protestant]]s, it is not considered a sacrament but is practiced in one fashion or another, often as a general confession recited by the entire congregation prior to receiving [[Communion]]. The admission of guilt usually is coupled with a request for forgiveness from sin.

The '''Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation''' (also known colloquially as '''Confession''', '''Reconciliation''', and '''Penance''') is one of the seven [[sacrament]]s of the [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]], [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], and Old Catholic churches. Among [[Protestant]]s, it is not considered a sacrament but is practiced in one fashion or another, often as a general confession recited by the entire congregation prior to receiving [[Communion]]. The admission of guilt usually is coupled with a request for forgiveness from sin.

One may confess privately to God, but the [[Bible]] calls on believers to confess to each other, and many denominations—especially the ones named above—expect members to confess their sins to a priest so that he can absolve the penitent of his sins or reassure him of God's forgiveness. In the Catholic Church, the penitent is customarily given a penance (certain prayers) to be performed so that there will be a sense of reparation for sin and to remove some of the temporal punishment consequent to sin.

One may confess privately to God, but the [[Bible]] calls on believers to confess to each other, and many denominations—especially the ones named above—expect members to confess their sins to a priest so that he can absolve the penitent of his sins or reassure him of God's forgiveness. In the Catholic Church, the penitent is customarily given a penance (certain prayers) to be performed so that there will be a sense of reparation for sin and to remove some of the temporal punishment consequent to sin.<ref>[http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c2a4.htm#1430 Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1430-1498.]</ref>

In the Catholic and Orthodox churches, all mortal sins are to be confessed in order to obtain full forgiveness, while not all venial (lesser) sins need be expressed.<ref>"We commit a venial sin (one which can be forgiven outside confession) [...]" and "God will forgive the sinner of these minor sins if he confesses them to God in prayer with sincere repentance." - Reaching Catholics For Christ: [http://www.reachingcatholics.org/mortal.html Mortal and Venial Sin]</ref>  The sacrament of confession is for baptized believers; if one has not been baptized yet, then sins are forgiven through the sacrament of [[baptism]] instead.

In the Catholic and Orthodox churches, all mortal sins are to be confessed in order to obtain full forgiveness, while not all venial (lesser) sins need be expressed.<ref>"We commit a venial sin (one which can be forgiven outside confession) [...]" and "God will forgive the sinner of these minor sins if he confesses them to God in prayer with sincere repentance." - Reaching Catholics For Christ: [http://www.reachingcatholics.org/mortal.html Mortal and Venial Sin]</ref>  The sacrament of confession is for baptized believers; if one has not been baptized yet, then sins are forgiven through the sacrament of [[baptism]] instead.