ite ▁regularly ▁before ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Div ine ▁Lit ur gy . ▁The ▁best - known ▁asking ▁of ▁mut ual ▁forg iveness ▁occurs ▁at ▁V es pers ▁on ▁the ▁Sunday ▁of ▁F org iveness , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁with ▁this ▁act ▁that ▁Great ▁L ent ▁begins . ▁ ▁Luther an ism ▁ ▁Luther ans ▁differ ▁from ▁other ▁Protest ants ▁as ▁they ▁practice ▁" conf ession ▁and ▁absol ution " ▁( in ▁two ▁forms ). ▁They , ▁like ▁Roman ▁C athol ics ▁and ▁many ▁Ang lic ans , ▁see ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁as ▁bib lic al ▁evidence ▁for ▁conf ession . ▁The ▁first ▁form ▁of ▁conf ession ▁and ▁absol ution ▁is ▁done ▁at ▁the ▁Div ine ▁Service ▁with ▁the ▁assemble d ▁con greg ation ▁( similar ▁to ▁the ▁Ang lic an ▁tradition ). ▁Here , ▁the ▁entire ▁con greg ation ▁p aus es ▁for ▁a ▁moment ▁of ▁silent ▁conf ession , ▁rec ites ▁the ▁conf ite or , ▁and ▁receives ▁God ' s ▁forg iveness ▁through ▁the ▁past or ▁as ▁he ▁says ▁the ▁following ▁( or ▁similar ): ▁" U pon ▁this ▁your ▁conf ession ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁stead ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁my ▁Lord ▁Jesus ▁Christ , ▁I ▁forg ive ▁you ▁all ▁your ▁s ins ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁Father ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁Son ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Spirit ." ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁form ▁of ▁conf ession ▁and ▁absol ution ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁" H oly ▁Ab sol ution ", ▁which ▁is ▁done ▁priv ately ▁to ▁the ▁past or ▁(