In medieval times, there were different ways of administering the Sacrament of Penance: there was both private and public confession. Historically, what steps were followed regarding these customs?
Newsroom (13/04/2022 11:15, Gaudium Press) Down through the centuries of Christianity, Holy Church has had the opportunity to clarify and define – under the inspiration of the Divine Holy Spirit – many theological and doctrinal issues, including those concerning the Sacrament of Penance.
As early as the end of the twelfth century, assiduous frequenting of this Sacrament was encouraged. For medieval people, as for Christians of all times, it was clear that God was the One who forgave sins, but the role of the minister (bishop or priest), of the penitent and of the power of the keys, exercised by Holy Church for the absolution of sins, were still questions that were not fully clarified and explained.
Diverse opinions and the seal of the Pope
Throughout this period of time, there were various opinions based on the Fathers of the Church, the Saints and theologians, about the form and effect of this Sacrament. Some interpreted it by stating that the fruit of contrition is God’s forgiveness, and therefore prior to the Sacrament, the sacramental process was a reconciliation with the Church. Others, like Hugo of St. Victor, affirmed that by sin having a double penalty, the “fault” was forgiven by contrition, and the “debt of eternal damnation” by absolution; he said that the Apostles themselves imposed the obligation on sinners to confess. Richard of St. Victor, on the other hand, believed that the forgiveness of faults was united to contrition followed by absolution, transforming the eternal penalty into a temporal one, through penance given by the minister.
These issues surrounding the Sacrament of Penance were clarified during the 13th century, thanks to the Victorines, especially when harmonized with the sacramental theology of St. Thomas Aquinas: in addition to the need for contrition on the part of the sinner, the requirement of a minister as the representative of God and of the Church for the forgiveness of sins, would become evident.
Later Popes pronounced their positions concerning this Sacrament, such as Innocent III, who proclaimed, in accordance with the Tradition of the Church, at the IV Lateran Council (1215), Confession as a value of divine right; and, in accordance with the custom of the Latin Church, established the discipline of annual confession to every baptized person with the use of reason and in a state of grave sin.[2]
Finally, the Council of Trent (1551) corroborated this doctrine, giving its full assent and definitive seal of approval.
Penitential forms of confession
The Roman-Germanic method, for example, written in 950, presents two forms of penance: private and public.
The private form, fruit of the Carolingian Reformation, required on the part of the penitent a preparation carried out with the confessor, meditating on the fundamental truths of the Faith, as well as the analysis of faults and offences shown in the penitential books for the examination of conscience. After each confessed sin, penance was given; the penitential psalms were prayed with the minister and then the faithful were absolved of their faults. Finally, it ended with the Eucharistic celebration of Holy Mass.
The system of public Penance was based on the confessional acceptance of penitents on Ash Wednesday, where ashes were imposed upon their heads as a sign of the penance they would exercise throughout Lent in reparation for their sins. Abstinence was concluded on Holy Saturday by receiving absolution or public reconciliation from the priest.
Another Pontifical form, that of the Roman Curia at the beginning of the 13th century, offered a triple confessional discipline: private, public solemn, and public but not solemn Penance.
Private and public solemn Penance followed the same rite indicated by the Roman Pontifical,[3] while public non-solemn Penance was intended for laymen with non-public sins and for priests with scandalous sins, since by the dignity of the priesthood they could not receive such humiliation as in the case of public solemn Penance. Another name given to this form of confession was that of “penitential pilgrimage”, for the rite consisted in setting out in a spirit of pilgrimage to an established shrine, such as those existing in Rome, in Santiago or in Jerusalem, where a staff and a bag, symbolic of the pilgrim’s utensils, were handed to the parish priest of the place, who thus received absolution from his faults.[4]
Holy Church determined – from the 13th century onwards – that these absolution formulas would be accepted on condition that the penitent had previously repented and confessed his sins.
Finally, with the Councils of Lateran and Trent, the forms of public Penance disappeared, leaving only private Penance, which remains to this day.
By Guilherme Motta
Compiled by Sandra Chisholm
