St. Nicodemos the Hagiorite - Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession

A MANUAL OF CONFESSION

The Works
of Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite

Volume 1: ExomologetarionA Manual of Confession

Volume 2: Concerning Frequent Communion

A MANUAL OF CONFESSION

by our Righteous Father among the Saints

Nikodemos the Hagiorite

A Book Most Profitable to the Soul

Containing

Concise instruction to the Spiritual Father on how to conduct a fruitful confession, the Canons of St. John the Faster meticulously interpreted, pleasing counsel for the penitent on how to confess as one should, and a homily on repentance profitable to the soul.

Gathered from various teachers and put into good order.

Translated by Fr. George Dokos

Uncut Mountain Press

EXOMOLOGETARION

A MANUAL OF CONFESSION

Copyright 2006

by Uncut Mountain Press

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Designed and published in Thessalonica, Greece by Uncut Mountain Press. Distributed by Uncut Mountain Supply, The Dalles, Oregon.

uncutmountainpress.com

www.uncutmountainsupply.com

This translation has been made from the Greek text of the sixth edition published by Nektarios Panagopoulos (Athens, 2002), while also checked against earlier editions.

Front Cover Photograph: Portable icon from the Holy Monastery of the Annunciation, Ormylia, Greece.

Back Cover Photograph: Portable icon from the Holy Monastery of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, Goumenissa, Greece.

Scriptural quotations are primarily taken from the King James Version. The translator to better reflect the original Greek text has emended some quotations. All citations of the Psalms are taken from The Psalter Acording to the Seventy, translated from the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Nikodemos the Hagiorite, Saint, 1749-1809

Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession / by Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite: translated and annotated by George Dokos.1st ed.

I. ChristianityEastern Orthodox Spirituality

II. ChristianitySpiritual Instruction

Manufactured in the Republic of Greece

Published March, 2006

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and

just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse

us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

,

,

,

.

Apolytikion

Tone 3. Awed by the beauty.

Adorned were you O Father* by the grace of wisdom*

inspired you appeared as* a trumpet of the Spirit*

and as a teacher of virtues* Nikodemos who speaks of God*

for to all have you offered* teachings of salvation*

and of purity of life* pouring forth enlightenment*

by the richness of your virtuous writings*

through which as light you have illumined the world.

The Synodical Act of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Concerning the Registering in the Company of the Saints of the Righteous Monk Nikodemos the Hagiorite

Protocol Number 1717/31/5/55

Athenagoras by the mercy of God Archbishop

of Constantinople

New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch

It is right and most profitable for the whole body of the Church that they who excelled in virtuous deeds while in the body, and are now departed this life, be venerated and honored and glorified and celebrated yearly, in that the praise given to them that lived virtuously is directed to God Himself, from Whom is every virtue that comes to man, as Gregory the Theologian declaringly theologizes, and also because the praise of good deeds admonishes and stirs those who are slothful and idle to acquire virtue.

In so much therefore as Nikodemos the Hagiorite, in the beginning at the Sacred Royal Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Dionysiou, in which monastery he received the sacred monastic schema, then in the Sacred Royal Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Great Lavra and in other places, did excel in such eminent feats of virtue on the Holy Mountain, and by sanctity and holiness of life did make himself to be a pattern of the life in Christ, and a living icon of virtue, showing and poising himself to be a teacher of the Church and of the whole Christian body through his various Orthodox and edifying works, our Modesty together with the most sacred and most honorable Metropolitans with us, our beloved brethren and concelebrants in the Holy Spirit, recognizing his God-pleasing life and his works and achievements, and foreseeing the common benefit of the faithful, also taking into account all of his contributions to the Church, as Elder Ananias of the Cell of Lavriotes in Karyes personally submitted, along with all of the holy monks living in asceticism on the Holy Mountain, requesting that the anniversary of his death be established in honor of a Saint, we decree, in accord with the customary practice of the Church and our divine Fathers before us, to bestow upon him the honor due to holy men.

Wherefore we decree synodically, and do ordain, and in the Holy Spirit direct that from this day forth and unto all ages Nikodemos the Hagiorite be numbered among the holy men and Saints of the Church and that he be honored with annual sacred and holy rites and venerated with hymns of praise on the fourteenth day of July, on which day he blessedly departed to the Lord.

In witness thereto, and confirmation, this our present Patriarchal and Synodical Act is made, drawn up, and signed in the Sacred Codex of our Holy and Great Church of Christ, and transmitted without change or alteration to the Sacred Community of the Holy Mountain that it be placed in their archives.

In the year of salvation 1955, on the 31st day

of the month of May, Eighth Indiction.

Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople pronounces

Thomas of Chalcedon

Iakovos of Derkoi

Dorotheos of the Princes Islands

Leontios of Theodoroupolis

Constantine of Eirenoupolis

Maximos of Sardis

Iakovos of Iconium

Meliton of Imbros and Tenedos

Jerome of Rhodopolis

Iakovos of Philadelphia

P R E F A C E

Almost all that were wounded by sin left hierarchs and confessors and ran to shabbily dressed Nikodemos, in order to find their cure and consolation from their afflictions; not only monks from monasteries, sketes and kellia, but also many Christians from various places.