Today, 13 February 2015, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church licensed twelve priests of the Archdiocese of Bucharest as father confessors. The religious service was celebrated in the historical chapel of the Patriarchal Residence dedicated to Saint Great Martyr George.
To end with the celebration the Patriarch of Romania spoke to the servants of the holy altars about the importance of the service as father confessor: “This sort of service is very important because it shows a badly needed work in the life of the Church, namely the spiritual growth of man through the confession of his sins, accomplishment of the punishment, through the reception of forgiveness and the good beginning of the man repented. This service of the spiritual father needs good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, of the Church Tradition, of the experience of the mature father confessors of the Church, the Holy Apostles and Holy Fathers, as well as of the contemporary father confessors who have a deep spiritual equilibrium and spiritual growth in relation with Christ – the eternal High Priest – and with His Church. The service of the father confessor needs first of all special love for the salvation of the fellow beings, for guiding – on the way of salvation – the faithful entrusted to the priest who serves the respective community”.
The new father confessors received the certificate of father confessor on behalf of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel, a blessing cross, as well as the new edition of the Molitfelnic book.
According to the church regulations, those licensed as father confessors have previously passed an examination at the Eparchial centre.
