Pokornička slavlja u liturgijskoj praksi
PENITENTIAL CELEBRATIONS IN LITURGICAL PRACTICE

Summary/Abstract: The author first gives a short historical overview of the penitential celebration. In the beginning, it was a canonical penance for particularly grave sins where the penitent was imposed a penance in the community, and equally so – after the penance – the sinner would solemnly reconcile himself to God and the Church before the community of believers. From the 8th century, when the tariff penance started to replace the canonical penance, there is an increasing development of individual confession and reconciliation. After the Second Vatican Council, the possibility of a penitential service in the community of believers is re-introduced. However, the book of rites prioritizes the order of reconciliation of an individual penitent. Another way is the common penitential celebration with individual confession and absolution. For exceptional cases there is the possibility of a general recognition of sin with the common absolution. Finally, the book of rites allows the possibility of penitential celebration, which would be only a preparation for a later sacramental celebration of reconciliation. The author points out that the penitential celebration with individual confession and absolution is possible only when there is a favorable ratio of confessors and penitents. A further possibility of celebrating this kind of ceremony is in small groups. As for the penitential celebrations that should be a preparation for individual reconciliation, the author suggests caution, that the believers do not start to regard such non-sacramental celebrations as sacramental and complete.

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