Are there any good homilies from the Church Fathers on confession I can read to prepare myself?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

Preparation for the Mystery of Repentance and Confession is essential for every Coptic Orthodox Christian. The Church Fathers emphasize that confession is not a legalistic trial, but a spiritual hospital where the physician is Christ and the medicine is His forgiveness.

Here are several foundational homilies and writings from the Fathers of the Church that will help you prepare:

1. St. John Chrysostom: "On Repentance and Almsgiving"

St. John Chrysostom is perhaps the most prolific writer on the mercy of God. In his homilies on repentance, he often uses the metaphor of the Church as a "surgery of spirits."

• Key Insight: He teaches that no sin is too great for God’s mercy. He famously says, "Have you sinned? Come to church. Tell God, 'I have sinned.' I do not demand anything else of you than this."
• Preparation Tip: Read his Second Homily on Repentance, where he explains that the devil tries to take away our shame when we sin and give it back to us when we think about confessing. He encourages us to be "ashamed when we sin, but bold when we repent."

2. St. Athanasius the Apostolic: "Letter to Amun"

While often cited for other matters, the "Father of Orthodoxy" emphasizes the importance of the disposition of the heart.

• Key Insight: He reminds the faithful that just as the sun is not defiled by shining on a sewer, the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Mystery of Confession is not compromised by the gravity of the sins being confessed.
• Coptic Perspective: As our 20th Pope, St. Athanasius reminds us that our identity is found in Christ, not in our fallen state.

3. St. Cyril of Alexandria: "On the Festival Letters"

St. Cyril, the "Pillar of Faith," frequently wrote about the necessity of cleansing the soul during the seasons of fasting and before receiving the Holy Eucharist.

• Key Insight: He explains that through confession, we "wash away the filth" of our souls so that we may be worthy dwellings for the King of Kings. He focuses heavily on the restoration of the "Image of God" within us.

4. The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Apophthegmata Patrum)

The Egyptian monastics lived a life of constant confession and "opening of the heart" to their spiritual fathers.

• Abba Hippo: He taught that the greatest thing a person can do is to "cast his faults before the Lord."
• Abba Poemen: He was asked, "What is repentance?" He replied, "Not to do the same thing again." This teaches us that confession requires a firm "resolution to change."

5. St. Isaac the Syrian: "The Ascetical Homilies"

Though he was from the East, his writings are deeply cherished in the Coptic tradition (often referred to as).

• Key Insight: He speaks of the "tears of repentance" as a second baptism. He writes that he who groans for one hour over his soul is greater than he who raises the dead. His homilies help create the "contrite heart" necessary for a sincere confession.

Practical Preparation Steps (Based on Patristic Teaching):

1. Examine Your Conscience: Use the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes as a mirror.
2. Avoid Excuses: The Fathers warn against the "sin of Adam," which is blaming others (the woman, the serpent, circumstances).
3. Be Specific but Brief: In the Coptic tradition, the goal is to name the sickness so the Physician can apply the cure. You do not need to tell "stories," but rather confess the "sins."
4. Pray the Psalm of Repentance: Recite Psalm 50 (51) before you go, as it provides the perfect vocabulary for a penitent soul.

By reading these Fathers, you will see that confession is not about guilt, but about the divine love of God who waits for His prodigal son to return.