Absolution

Absolution is the act by which a priest, through the authority entrusted to the Church by Christ, pardons the sins of the penitent in the Sacrament of Penance. It is not the priest's own forgiveness — he acts in the person of Christ (CCC 1424, 1442, 1449).

The Formula of Absolution

The essential words of absolution in the Latin Church are: "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." These words, spoken by the priest, constitute the essential form of the sacrament (CCC 1449).

The Priest Acts In Persona Christi

When a priest absolves, he does not act in his own name. He acts in persona Christi — in the person of Christ — as the minister through whom Christ himself forgives. The priest's absolution is Christ's absolution. This is why the sacrament gives certainty of forgiveness — not merely a hope or a feeling, but the actual forgiveness of God mediated through the Church (CCC 1461–1462).

The Power to Forgive

This power was given by Christ to the Apostles on Easter Sunday: "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John 20:22–23). Through apostolic succession, this power passes to the bishops and to priests who minister under their authority (CCC 1461).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any priest absolve any sin? Most sins can be absolved by any priest with faculties (the bishop's authorization to hear confessions). Certain grave sins are reserved to the bishop or the Pope. Some excommunications require special faculties to lift before absolution can be given (CCC 1463).