A confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the Lutheran Church. In the Catholic Church, confessions are only to be heard in a confessional or oratory, except for a just reason (1983 Code of Canon Law, Canon 964.3).
The priest and penitent are in separate compartments and speak to each other through a grid or lattice. A crucifix is sometimes hung over the grille. The priest will usually sit in the middle and the penitents will enter the compartments to either side of him. The priest can close off the other compartment by a sliding screen so that only one person will be confessing at a time. Kneelers are provided in the compartments on each side of the priest, sometimes a prie-dieu style kneeler, or sometimes a diagonal kneeler built into the walls of the confessional. Confessions and conversations are usually whispered. Sometimes a confessional will be built into the church walls and have separate doors for each compartment; other confessionals can be free-standing structures where curtains are used to conceal penitents (and even the priest in some confessionals) from the rest of the church.
Confessional is the debut album by Danish pop singer Bryan Rice. It was released in Denmark on 24 April 2006 by EMI. The album includes the lead single "No Promises", which was a huge hit in Denmark in late 2005/early 2006, before Shayne Ward covered the song. The album reached #4 in the official Danish album chart.
Confessional is an internationally awarded mockumentary indie film by Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto. It won Best Film in the First Features Section of 10th Osian Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema in New Delhi, India.
On a trip to Cebu to document the Sinulog Festival, Ryan Pastor meets Lito Caliso, an erring politician, who confesses to Ryan's camera all the crimes he committed while in office.
Intrinsic rot, traces of future
Your past will rise haunting you again
Tonguing the glue stamp seal of your fold
Cased in forests of black steel rod
Vines of nerve float downstream
Sections of horror
This is something you must never do again
Falling spiral down
You know not what you are looking for
But it will find you anyway
I've confessed this disease to you
Handed you a key to control
Fuel for your malicious intent
Punish me for my failure
Dissect my faith, twisting my trust