Medicine today 

Adultery is a mortal sin. What the scriptures say. Reasons for forgiveness

Adultery is a voluntary sexual act of one of the spouses with a person who is not in an official (secular) marriage with him and is not married to him in church. In other words, it is non-fulfillment of marital fidelity.

The union of a man and a woman, concluded in accordance with all Christian traditions, is a church sacrament. This means that two loving people (bride and groom), by mutual agreement, promise to love, respect and remain faithful to each other.

For this, they receive the blessing and God's grace in the church for the birth of healthy children, for increasing the well-being of the family. "The great sacrament of marriage ..." is what the apostle called marriage in Orthodoxy. "... And there will be two one flesh ...", as he loved his believers and shed blood for their faith in the Church, so a husband should love his wife, and she should obey him in everything.

Both spouses should be equally responsible for the well-being, stability and harmony in the family. Adultery is a moral crime against your loved ones and, above all, against your other half. This is considered a great sin according to the Christian commandments “Do not commit adultery (do not commit adultery) - says the seventh commandment of the Old Testament of the Bible.

Ignoring Biblical laws by a believer leads to betrayal of their faith, loss of mental balance. Sometimes instant lustful thoughts dull moral feelings, corrupting his good disposition.

The clergy are sure that the body of a believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit living in it. The sin of adultery or fornication kills chastity. From chastity, love is born, and from love all other benefits.

What is the difference between fornication and adultery

Fornication is the constant satisfaction of one's physiological needs with different partners. The moral behavior, deeds and thoughts of such a lascivious person have nothing to do with Orthodox traditions and religion.

Fornication has a broader meaning in Christianity, but this act is considered a lesser sin (compared to adultery), since it occurs outside of marital status. This means that he does not break the seventh commandment of the Old Testament.

A vulgarly dressed woman of frivolous behavior can be accused of fornication, with all her appearance trying to draw the attention of unfamiliar men. The desire to be in the spotlight, to catch the coveted glances for the sake of their own vanity, cynicism and lust.

A man can fall under the status of lascivious due to his frivolous behavior with the opposite sex. An uncontrollable desire for sexual intimacy with different women is also a great sin, taking away from an Orthodox Christian his God's blessing, energy and strength.

Adultery involves breaking many of the commandments. This is not only adultery, betrayal of a loved one. The priests believe that the eighth commandment is also violated here - do not steal. After all, your body now belongs to your second half, having offered yourself for sexual pleasures to another person, you stole from your own wife or husband.

The ninth commandment is also violated - do not bear false witness. Usually, the one who changes begins in every possible way to hide it and lie. It is a lie in family relationships that becomes the first reason for divorce.

The Church urges not to communicate and not eat at the same table with the fornication and adultery, who openly declare this. Such pride and glory is the path to corruption of soul and body. This doomedly destroys the union of love, deprives the children of a parent.

In order not to arouse lust for another woman, a wife should always be attentive to her husband and extinguish the flame of passion, drawing the spouse's attention to her appearance, beauty, affection, humility and love. The husband, in turn, must be extremely sensitive to the wife's goodwill.

A couple in the sacred union of marriage should not shy away from each other. The only exception can be fasting and prayer. This is the only way to avoid the temptation of Satan from his own intemperance.

What loses the one who has fallen into fornication and adultery

  • Man not only destroys his family, he puts a huge wall between himself and God. And this means that in moments of despair it will be difficult for you (and even for priests) to offer prayer for the health, life of loved ones, as well as for your own blessing;
  • Immorality is the path to oblivion. If a person is controlled only by natural instincts and the need for physical pleasure, then he is not able to give love and make someone happy. Such personalities end up alone, forgotten by devoted relatives and those who once shared a bed of debauchery with you;
  • The authority and reputation of such sinners becomes very unstable. This behavior is always condemned and not accepted by a healthy society. In a business environment, they will not conclude a major financial deal with a person who is not stable in family affairs. If he easily betrays loved ones, then he can also simply deceive partners;
  • The unrestrained lifestyle of a family person leads to mental anxiety, nervous breakdowns, mental instability, gives rise to distrust of others, makes it impossible to enjoy simple human joys;
  • The unfaithful husband (or wife) begins to get sick more often and may die before their partner. It is affected by its early energy wear. The body does not have time to replenish physical and emotional resources, but the doors are simply closed for such replenishment. The habit of living "without brakes" gives rise to early death;
  • Adultery can cause loss of reason, logic, and business acumen. And this will become the reason for the loss of the main source of income. For many, such a life ends in poverty and lonely old age.

How to avoid punishment and return to the Orthodox faith

The first way to salvation is realizing your own sin. Only deepest repentance and humility can bring back God's blessing. Fornication is not considered an involuntary, impulsive offense. To sin in this way requires some calculation and preparation. The lascivious person always has time to come to his senses and stop.

That is why the sin of adultery is terrible, that a person goes to it deliberately, and not in a state of passion or stress. Counting on their impunity, the unfaithful husband (wife) does not take into account the fact that the atonement for their misdeeds can be passed on to future offspring.

No one is immune from temptation and temptation, especially among the wealthy strata of the population. But it will not be possible to avoid punishment even in a fabulous state.

Many people repented and seek salvation in prayer. To increase your desire to atone for sin, you need to go to church and confess. It is especially effective to be present at the morning service, when your thoughts have not swallowed up pressing problems and everyday vanity.

In such a period of rethinking reality, human values \u200b\u200bchange, or rather, they return to the right track. Repentance helps a person on the path to enlightenment, this can open up new facets of existence for him.

Returning to the family, a person begins to realize what he could lose and how hard it would be for him to be alone. But don't stop at church just once. Attend Sunday services, give alms, rush to help those in need of your support.

Patronage, charity, patronage of orphans and families with many children - everything will be important in drawing closer to God. The grace of God will begin to work the moment you begin to experience joy and happiness from your actions. Immersion in the realization of good deeds will take time in search of physical pleasures and pleasures.

But you shouldn't forget about your own household members. Pay attention to your spouse, remember what conquered you in your half, made your heart beat faster and faster. Why did you decide to connect your life with this particular person.

For such a perception of the moments of the past, joint walks in the fresh air, sports games, travel are suitable. Create your own family traditions, rituals. Make your time together more varied and rewarding.

Traditions and facts of world practice

In the history of the church, there are cases when for the facts of adultery priests were deprived of the rank of a clergyman, and the common people were excommunicated from church attendance, confession and communion for fifteen years.

Adultery in the modern way of life is the very first reason for divorce proceedings. In some countries, for such a fall, they could take their lives, but as a rule it concerned exclusively women. Such inequality was associated with the fact that the man was afterwards not sure of his relationship with blood children.

Not all cultural traditions around the world condemn extramarital sex. For some, this lifestyle allows the individual to maintain freedom of sexual behavior. In Russia, family relationships are regulated by the Family Code of the Russian Federation.

In our country (according to the law), adultery is not a valid reason for divorce. The final decision on divorce is taken personally by each of the spouses. But at the same time, the law can exempt one of the spouses from paying alimony for the other, if his unworthy behavior in the family is proved.

In Judaism, according to the Old Testament, it is forbidden for a man to live with an unfaithful wife. And in Christianity, even the longed-for glance at someone else's wife will be considered a great sin of adultery and fornication. In Islam, such extramarital affairs could be punished with a hundred lashes. In Muslim countries, even today, a woman can be executed for fornication and adultery (although the Koran does not say anything about this).

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Today, adultery is a hot topic. Everyone understands that this is dishonor, baseness and crime, but not everyone can explain the concept of adultery. In order to explain this sin, it is necessary to remember all unforgiven sins. There is a very extensive list of them, but only a few of them are considered mortal. These are vices that lead to subsequent grave offenses. And for their redemption, it is necessary to understand the meaning of the commandments and sins.

The church singles out seven deadly sinsfor which it is extremely difficult to beg forgiveness:

  1. Pride;
  2. Anger;
  3. Envy;
  4. Despondency;
  5. Greed;
  6. Adultery.

The concept of adultery

Adultery is included in the list of the ten commandments and the seven deadly sins. This concept evokes thoughts of treason and infidelity, but fornication is not only a betrayal of the other half. In the Middle Ages, infidelity could become the reason for the death penalty, as it was considered a devilish offense. Sexual attraction and love affairs on the side lead to the destruction of the family and the violation of the vow that the spouses made to each other at the wedding.

Sexual intercourse without marriage is considered adultery as well as sexual desire for another's spouse. Fornication is especially disliked in the Christian and Muslim world.

Examples of fornication

What, apart from intimate extramarital affairs and relationships with other people's spouses, is included in the concept of fornication? The following examples make it possible to understand what kind of person it could be considered an adulterer:

  1. A striking example is the intimate relationship between a free young man and a married lady;
  2. Sexual intercourse between married people, that is, betrayal of lovers to their legal spouses;
  3. A mortal sin is intimate relationships between blood relatives (brother with sister, father with daughter, mother with son, aunt with nephew). This kind of adultery is called incest.

This sin also includes thoughts about other people's spouses, the idea of \u200b\u200bpeople who are not yet tied in marriage in their dreams, in the place of their own second half.

What is adultery in Orthodoxy? The Orthodox Bible says that the longed-for look at a strange woman is already adultery in the heart. But some actions can not be attributed to fornication:

  1. An intimate relationship between a free guy and an unmarried girl who is going to enter into a marriage union is not considered a sin. But such a relationship is fornication, if after the first sexual intercourse the young man did not propose to his lady.
  2. In some religions, polygamy is allowed and a man can bring several women home. In such countries, the relationship of a married man and a free girl cannot be considered fornication if he is going to propose to her and bring her to his house as his next wife.

There is little difference between fornication and adultery: under the first concept, they mean betrayal of their legitimate second half, and fornication is the pleasure of extramarital affairs, which a person tries to achieve in any way, succumbing only to base physical needs and indulging his desires.

Consequences and punishment

Different countries were different punishments for adultery. In Muslim states, a man was punished for this offense with blows with a stick or a whip and was expelled from decent society for a year, and a woman was beaten with a whip in front of all the neighbors. Spouses who cheated on their second half were stoned to death in the central square. For the sin of adultery, the consequences may be as follows:

  1. Spoiled reputation of an adulterer;
  2. Fornication is the first step to hell;
  3. Destruction of personal happiness and spiritual harmony;
  4. The transformation of man into a base animal by indulging the flesh;
  5. The development of various diseases;
  6. Poverty and complete loneliness can also be the consequences of sin;
  7. Lack of trust and understanding with a loyal partner;
  8. Deprivation of the mind due to mental anguish.

For committing such an offense, parishioners were excommunicated, deprived of positions and ranks. Traitors were subjected to corporal punishment, mental anguish.

Atonement for sin

In order to atone for sin, you must visit the church, pray constantly about the forgiveness of sins, listen to the sermons of the clergy. It is necessary to confess and sincerely repent of what you have done.

The sinner will suffer until he understands the gravity of his actions and turns to God with sincere repentance. Prayer for adultery will ease mental anguish and help to achieve inner harmony, to keep yourself from subsequent sins. The one who committed adultery must pray to the Holy Virgin with these words:

“Great saint of Christ, Saint Mary! Hear the prayer of your unworthy servant (name) and deliver me from the passions that have filled my soul and tormented my body. In the hour of separation of body and soul, drive away, holy saint, evil thoughts and demons and lift my soul into the bright kingdom of Christ. Give me the cleansing of sins and the salvation of my soul. In the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. "

Adultery (zina) is recognized as one of the most serious sins in Islam. This word means, as a rule, voluntary intimacy between a man and a woman who are not spouses to each other.

The Holy Quran says:

"Do not approach adultery, for it is an abomination and a bad way" (17:32)

The gravity of committing this sin is evidenced by at least the fact that this verse says “do not approach adultery ...”. That is, everything that can lead to adultery is prohibited, for example, kissing, hugging, flirting, flirting, and so on.

Zina, being a grave sin, carries many negative consequences:

1. Destruction of families

The most common reason for the destruction of families is infidelity, that is, the intimacy of spouses on the side.

2. The birth of unplanned children

Often, as a result of zine, children are born, who subsequently either grow up in inferior families, or end up in boarding schools altogether.

3. An increase in the number of abortions

Often, as a result of adultery, young people resort to what, according to Islam, is equivalent to killing a person.

4. The spread of disease

A dissolute lifestyle contributes to the spread of many sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and so on. Many of them threaten the reproductive functions of men and women.

5. Waste

In addition, adultery is usually costly, which can be characterized as a waste of money, as spending money in an irrational way is

6. Drinking alcohol

Before falling into zina, it is not uncommon for people to consume alcohol, which, they claim, relaxes and promotes faster rapprochement and liberation.

Proof of treason in Islam

It is often quite difficult to prove the fact of adultery, since according to Sharia, this requires 4 reliable witnesses. Today it is difficult to imagine that people have sexual intercourse in the presence of four people who themselves have nothing to do with it. However, if, nevertheless, the guilt of a person in adultery is proven, then, according to Islam, he must be punished accordingly.

It should be noted that in this case, much depends on whether the sinner is in the marriage bond. If this is a person who is unmarried / unmarried, then the adulterer deserves 100 lashes. If the one who is married is convicted of adultery, that is, he has committed treason, then in Islam he is entitled to the death penalty (for example, stoning).

It is obvious that in our society, where the laws of Sharia do not apply, many people manage to avoid the earthly punishment for adultery, but do not forget about the punishment that can befall a person on the Day of Judgment, when we have to answer before the Lord for every act we do.

Zine varieties

In addition to the traditional understanding of adultery, other types of it also stand out, which bring the servant of Allah closer to committing a sin:

- Fornication of the eyes - deliberate glance towards the forbidden (viewing other people's naked bodies live, watching porn films, erotic magazines);

- Adultery of the ears - intentionally listening to something forbidden (phone sex);

- Adultery of the tongue - intentional statement of the forbidden (flirting);

- Fornication of hands - intentionally touching the forbidden with your hands (touching other people's genitals);

- adultery feet - deliberate adherence to the forbidden (going to a brothel or strip club).

Is it possible to atone for treason?

If a person who has committed adultery and who has realized all the perniciousness of this act wants to atone for his guilt, then the best way for this is tauba (repentance).

In His Book, our Creator calls out:

“Tell My slaves, who have exceeded themselves to the detriment of themselves:“ Do not despair at the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins, for He is Forgiving, Merciful ”(39:53).

Thus, the one who has sinned through zina should sincerely repent of the committed act of adultery and ask the Most High for forgiveness. And if it is His will, then the Lord will forgive the given sin.

In any of the three most common denominations in the world, adultery is condemned. About what actions are zina (adultery) and what punishments await sinners, within the framework of weekly lectures, an employee of the Dagwat department of the SAM RT told Timergali Hazrat Yuldashev.

It is worth noting that everything that the Almighty forbade people to do is harmful to a person, to his intellect, health, family and to society as a whole. For a person, committing a sin is a hundred times worse than using poison. After all, poison can deprive a person only of life in this world, and sin deprives of good things and happiness in life forever, opening the way to hell.

According to the Holy Qur'an, adultery is a violation of marital fidelity, an unlawful relationship under Sharia law, which is one of the grave sins. Despite the fact that with the passage of time, adultery gradually turned from being strictly condemned into the category of normal, it must be remembered that the Holy Qur'an and the hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) have always prohibited extramarital affairs between a man and a woman. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the punishment for adulterers, if both are unmarried or previously unmarried, is a hundred lashes (Surah al-Nur, 2 ayah).

This punishment allows people to atone for their sin during their lifetime, so that they do not have to bear severe punishment in the next world and experience hellish torments. After all, what is a hundred lashes compared to the punishments of the Day of Judgment ?! If adulterers are not punished in this world, then on the Day of Judgment they will be punished before all creatures by the blows of hellish lashes created from fire.

The fact that one should beware of adultery is mentioned more than once in the Qur'an. For example, in Surah Al-Isra, verse 32, it says: "You do not approach zina and beware of it, truly zina is an obscene and disgusting act." And in Surah Al-Anam, verse 151, it is explained that not only the process itself, but also what leads to it refers to zina: “You do not approach the abominations, of which the zina is obvious, and the hidden ones, which are passionate touches and kisses. " It is not for nothing that the Creator commanded men and women to dull their eyes from the forbidden and preserve their genitals.

The prohibition of adultery is also said in the Sunnah: “O people! Avoid adultery. For adultery has six consequences, three of which will manifest in this world, and three in the hereafter. In this world (after adultery) the beauty of the face, its light disappears, poverty comes and life is shortened. In the future life (adultery leads to) the wrath of Allah, heavy judgment and (if adultery is recognized as permissible (halal)) eternal punishment in Hell. "

The terrible punishment of Allah befalls people who are mired in disbelief, drunkenness and debauchery. One of the clearest examples of the cruel punishment for zina is the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, whom the Almighty punished for their disobedience, destroying every single one. They were destroyed after many years and fruitless call of the prophet Lut (peace be upon him) to renounce debauchery, to a righteous way of life. Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) was the son of Harun, the brother of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He was sent to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The prophet's admonitions were not crowned with success, and then the Creator punished all the inhabitants with a terrible earthquake. Now this country is under a 20-meter layer of water, in a crevice, reminding people what can expect those who have gone too far in disobedience to the Creator, who are mired in disbelief and debauchery.

Once the angels Dzhabrail and Mikail (peace and blessings be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: “In Hell we saw an oven from which terrible groans were heard. We looked in there: it was a stove with a narrow neck and a wide bottom, in it lay naked men and women. Flames were visible below, and terrible screams were heard from there. They were raised again and burned again. " “O Jabrail, who are these people?” Asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). “These are people who committed adultery,” was the answer.

The stove gives off such a disgusting smell that people in hell suffer from it.

Much is said about what punishment awaits those who performed zina on the Day of Judgment. One of the hadiths says: “In Hell there is a gorge in which snakes and scorpions are as big as horses. They bite adulterers with poisonous teeth, the pain from these bites does not go away for a thousand years. They tear sinners to pieces, after which they are resurrected, and everything begins anew. "

In order to protect a person from committing zina, a number of specific actions and prohibitions are prescribed in Islam.

1. Voluptuous glances, nudity, being alone for men and women, women traveling alone, alcohol are prohibited.

2. A woman must be supported by a father, husband or brother. This prevents poverty, which often leads to adultery.

3. Divorce is made easier, polygamy is allowed.

4. Islam has forbidden directly or indirectly to engage in prostitution, and for adulterers, whether man or woman, has established the most severe punishment.

“If a society violates the obligation to live in accordance with the commands and prohibitions of Allah, then Allah will bring down their enemies on them. (Enemies will capture all their material and spiritual benefits). If a society does not observe the laws sent down from Allah (social, economic and moral), then poverty will spread in it. If adultery spreads in society, and it is even no longer hidden, then it will increase (mental disorders and) mortality. If the society cheats when weighing (and measuring), then the harvest will decrease, and there will be a lack of food. If the community does not pay zakat, then the rains will stop. (There will be a drought. If people do not keep livestock, then it will not rain at all). "

Ilmira Gafiyatullina, Kazan

The law of God can become a wonderful guiding star for every person. Do not think that these are prohibitions similar to parental ones. The commandments are, rather, the name of the laws of spiritual life, which are similar to the physical ones: as soon as you step off the roof, your physical body will be broken; it is worth committing the sin of adultery, murder - your soul will be broken. The Orthodox Church is a spiritual hospital, a moral support, proven over the centuries. Alas, this is not obvious to every person today. In the modern world, with its diversity of opinions and possibilities, a person often loses his moral, spiritual, ideological guidelines. Today it is very easy to lose yourself.


The grief that betrayal brings to the family - adultery - is akin to the death of a person. And by fornication, that is, sexual intercourse, people allow the integrity of their personality, their body. Many, living in a civil marriage, "trying" relationships only destroy them. According to statistics, most of such trial cohabitation ends in a discrepancy, a breakdown in relations.


Adultery is a crime of the seventh commandment

The commandments of God were given in the Old Testament to the prophet Moses. Today they are more than once interpreted and explained by the Church and Christ Himself in the Gospel: after all, the Lord Jesus concluded a New Testament with a man, which means that he changed the meaning of some commandments (for example, about how to honor the Sabbath: the Jews necessarily kept rest on this day, and the Lord said that it is necessary to help people too). The very names of the deadly sins are also explanations of how the transgression of this or that commandment is called.


There are seven deadly sins, and ten commandments, because not all commandments are prohibitive, and sin is the failure to fulfill a certain commandment.


Also, the Ten Commandments are called the Decalogue (translated into Latin).


Note that when setting prohibitions, God takes care of our spiritual health, so that we do not damage our spirit and soul, and do not perish for eternal life. The commandments allow us to live in harmony with ourselves, other people, the world and with the Creator Himself.


Adultery is a crime of the seventh commandment. It prohibits sexual intercourse outside of marriage. The Lord also does not bless shamelessness, viewing explicit and pornographic visual materials, monitoring your thoughts and feelings.


It is especially sinful because of your lust to destroy an already existing family, betraying a person who has become close. Even allowing yourself to think too much about another person, to fantasize - you denigrate your feelings, and betray the feelings of the other person.



Sex outside of marriage - adultery and fornication


The spiritual and physical level of the sin of adultery and fornication

The concepts of fornication and adultery have a wide meaning, that is, not just sexual intercourse. Prodigal sins include


  • Handjobs (masturbation), since it is considered a perversion of the God-given need for childbirth (however, priests are condescending to this sin, which affects so many people in the modern world with its visual temptations).

  • The enjoyment of certain fantasies, perverted thoughts also often leads to the commission of sin and is a sin of prodigal thoughts.

  • Especially true for girls and women - the deliberate use of carnal, vulgar make-up and clothing. Of course, every woman wants to like her own spouse or future spouse, and, in principle, to be confident in herself, however, even modern fashion gives a wide enough scope for interesting and not vulgar clothing.

  • Many do not consider different types of bed pleasures (petting) to be fornication and adultery, however, they also refer to prodigal sins, they must be confessed.

To understand what prodigal sins are and not to sin anymore, read the Orthodox literature on sins and on Confession. An example of such a book is "The Experience of Building Confessions" by Archimandrite John (Krestyankin), a contemporary elder who died in 2006. He knew the sins and sorrows of modern people.


The Lord does not give us commandments in vain. There are many known cases of sins destroying people's lives.


According to statistics, most couples today “try to live together, that is, cohabit and commit fornication. However, statistics show that those who did not cohabit before marriage are less likely to divorce. Often in this case, the man seeks to avoid responsibility, and the woman really wants to get married. After marriage, a woman first feels a sense of satisfaction with what has been achieved, and then begins to "gain sight", to notice the shortcomings of her husband. Meanwhile, if people did not live together before marriage, the need for physical intimacy does not overshadow the person's shortcomings, does not tie him to you.


It is known that today wives cheat on their husbands no less often than they do to their spouse. On the one hand, if a man is cheating, a woman can forgive if necessary, because she can hardly imagine life without a husband (especially with a child), but polls show that many wives cannot forget this episode. They often take revenge on mutual betrayal. One way or another, the marriage is cracking.


The betrayal of a married woman is easily reflected in children. They receive little attention from the mother, and she, in turn, feels guilty. And if the marriage breaks up due to the fault of the wife, the children may even stay with their father. Longing for a child destroys a woman - what happens next can be easily predicted, even remembering the novel "Anna Karenina".


In all these cases, it is obvious that it is not just the Lord who sends some kind of heavenly punishment - people punish themselves.



Penance for adultery and how to repent in Confession

During Confession, a person calls his sins to the priest - but, as it is said in the prayer before confession, which the priest reads, this is confession to Christ Himself, and the priest is only a servant of God, who visibly gives His grace. We receive forgiveness from the Lord: the Gospel preserved His words, which Christ gives to the apostles, and through them to the priests, their successors, the power to forgive sins: “Receive the Holy Spirit. To whom you forgive sins will be forgiven; on whom you leave, on whom they will remain. "


In Confession, we receive the forgiveness of all the sins that we have named and those that we have forgotten. In no case should you hide your sins! Of course, you will be ashamed of the sins you have committed in the flesh, but name them briefly, without giving details: "I sinned (a) with fornication (or) adultery."
Perhaps the priest will prescribe penance for this grave sin. This is a special way of obedience, adopted since ancient apostolic times. It heals the soul, it is a certain remedy for feelings of guilt and for lifestyle changes. Christ himself and the apostles left the covenants of the Church so that every Christian who crossed the line of God's commandments would confess.


However, the Church does not have a single list of penances for certain sins. Often, priests do not prescribe penances at all, limiting themselves to explanations, conversations, and offers to read the instructions of the holy fathers of the Church about this.



Types and possible options for penance


  • Several - usually 40 days in a row, the pronunciation of a prayer or akathist (long prayer);

  • Giving alms to those in need or serving others in the form of volunteering for orphanages, shelters, nursing homes;

  • Fasting;

  • Regular attendance at divine services;

  • Regular Communion.

In fact, this is the ordinary church life of people who love God. Periodic attendance at All-night Vigils in the evening and Divine Liturgies in the mornings on Saturdays and Sundays and on holidays, daily prayer is the need of the soul of a believer.


In order for your requests for a prosperous earthly life and salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven to be accepted by the Lord and blessed by Him, become churches yourself, try to lead a spiritual life, do good deeds.


    Work hard in prayer - pray more often, read morning and evening prayers, which the Church blesses to read daily and which are in every prayer book. Go to the temple and pray during services.


    If you are not baptized, accept Holy Baptism, so that the Lord will be your Patron and Helper.


    Get married with your spouse, especially if you wish to conceive a child.


    If possible, help those in need: orphanages, nursing homes, charitable foundations - and just support people who share their sorrows with you, help as much as you can


Confession, despite the fact that many Orthodox people confess once a week or two, that is, quite often, is called the second baptism. During Baptism, a person is cleansed from original sin by the grace of Christ, who accepted the Crucifixion for the deliverance of all people from sins. And during the time of repentance in confession, we get rid of new sins that we have committed during our life's journey.


Prepare for Confession at home - write down the sins that you remember, realizing your unrighteousness and promising God not to repeat these mistakes. Confession usually takes place half an hour before the start of each Liturgy (you need to find out about the time from the schedule) in any Orthodox church.



Prayers to avoid the temptation of adultery, adultery

They pray for this to the Venerable Mary of Egypt - the great ancient saint. From her youth she was ... a prostitute, and she had sex not only for food, but also just for pleasure. However, the Lord enlightened her with a terrible vision, and the future saint sincerely repented - she retired to the desert, where she ate almost nothing and repented for 40 years, enduring mental temptations, but not giving up. They pray to her that she is not so drawn to carnal pleasures and to avoid consent to sin, sinful thoughts:


“O great saint of Christ, the reverend mother Mary! Hear my unworthy prayer, sinful servant (slave) of God (God's) (name), deliver me, O reverend mother, from the passions that attack our souls, from sorrow and sinful danger that has come, from sudden death and from any evil. During our departure to the Lord, drive away, O holy saint, all evil thoughts, so that we worthily confess all our sins, both now and before death, deliver us from evil spirits, so that our souls may receive our souls in peace to His bright paradise Christ the Lord God ours, after all, only He gives the cleansing of sins, and He Himself saves our souls, and glory, honor and worship deserve Him, in the Most Holy Trinity forever. Amen"


Through the prayers of St. Mary of Egypt, may the Lord bless you!