▁on ▁the ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁last ▁Conf ession . ▁ ▁Eastern ▁Catholic ism ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Orth odox y ▁ ▁In ▁general , ▁Eastern ▁Catholic ▁and ▁Orth odox ▁Christians ▁choose ▁an ▁individual ▁to ▁trust ▁as ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁spiritual ▁guide . ▁In ▁most ▁cases ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁parish ▁priest , ▁but ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁st are ts ▁( E lder , ▁a ▁mon astic ▁who ▁is ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁or ▁her ▁adv ancement ▁in ▁the ▁spiritual ▁life ). ▁This ▁person ▁is ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁one ' s ▁" sp irit ual ▁father ". ▁Once ▁chosen , ▁the ▁individual ▁turns ▁to ▁their ▁spiritual ▁guide ▁for ▁advice ▁on ▁their ▁spiritual ▁development , ▁conf ess ing ▁s ins , ▁and ▁asking ▁advice . ▁Orth odox ▁Christians ▁tend ▁to ▁conf ess ▁only ▁to ▁this ▁individual ▁and ▁the ▁clos eness ▁created ▁by ▁this ▁bond ▁makes ▁the ▁spiritual ▁guide ▁the ▁most ▁qualified ▁in ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁person , ▁so ▁much ▁so ▁that ▁no ▁one ▁can ▁override ▁what ▁a ▁spiritual ▁guide ▁tells ▁his ▁charges . ▁What ▁is ▁conf essed ▁to ▁one ' s ▁spiritual ▁guide ▁is ▁protected ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁se al ▁as ▁would ▁be ▁any ▁priest ▁hearing ▁a ▁conf ession . ▁Only ▁an ▁ord ained ▁priest ▁may ▁pron ounce ▁the ▁absol ution . ▁ ▁Conf ession ▁does ▁not ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁conf essional , ▁but ▁normally ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁church ▁itself , ▁usually ▁before ▁an ▁analog ion ▁( lect ern ) ▁set ▁up ▁near ▁the ▁icon ost asion . ▁On ▁the ▁analog ion ▁is