The spirit of penance and call to repentance

The need of being purified of sins, reconciled with Got and willingness of having the wrongs committed repaired, has always been present not only in Judaism and Christianity but also in all other religions. The Old Testament shows the Chosen Nation’s sinfulness, the mystery of its iniquity as well as the ability to do penance and be converted. Various peniten-tial practices are its expression. Among them a distinctive place is given to fasting, prayer and almsgiving. The Old Testament speaks about Got who is full of mercy and forgives those who repent and shows them His love. Jesus began his teaching with the call to repentance and penance. Christianity has accepted penitential legacy of the New Testament and that of the first Christians, creating numerous pious practices and devotions for the benefit of the spiritual revival. In the course of the ages the spirit of penance in the Church has developed and in various ways enlivened hearts of the faithful. This article deals with the spirit of penance in the Old and New Testament. It also analyses penitential liturgy and ascetic practices that were in support of spiritual revival. The final part points to the most popular contemporary penitential acts and devotions that prompt repentance among the faithful