▁placed ▁a ▁G ospel ▁Book ▁and ▁a ▁bless ing ▁cross . ▁The ▁conf ession ▁often ▁takes ▁place ▁before ▁an ▁icon ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ . ▁Orth odox ▁understand ▁that ▁the ▁conf ession ▁is ▁not ▁made ▁to ▁the ▁priest , ▁but ▁to ▁Christ , ▁and ▁the ▁priest ▁stands ▁only ▁as ▁witness ▁and ▁guide . ▁Before ▁conf ess ing , ▁the ▁pen it ent ▁v ener ates ▁the ▁G ospel ▁Book ▁and ▁cross , ▁and ▁places ▁the ▁thumb ▁and ▁first ▁two ▁fingers ▁of ▁his ▁right ▁hand ▁on ▁the ▁feet ▁of ▁Christ ▁as ▁he ▁is ▁dep icted ▁on ▁the ▁cross . ▁The ▁conf essor ▁will ▁often ▁read ▁an ▁ad mon ition ▁warning ▁the ▁pen it ent ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁full ▁conf ession , ▁holding ▁nothing ▁back . ▁ ▁As ▁with ▁administration ▁of ▁other ▁sacr aments , ▁in ▁cases ▁of ▁emer gency ▁conf ession ▁may ▁be ▁heard ▁anywhere . ▁For ▁this ▁reason , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁Orth odox ▁Church , ▁the ▁p ector al ▁cross ▁that ▁the ▁priest ▁we ars ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁will ▁often ▁have ▁the ▁Icon ▁of ▁Christ ▁" Not ▁Made ▁by ▁H ands " ▁ins cribed ▁on ▁it ▁so ▁that ▁such ▁an ▁icon ▁will ▁be ▁available ▁to ▁pen it ents ▁who ▁are ▁experien cing ▁im min ent ▁death ▁or ▁life - th re aten ing ▁danger ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁a ▁priest ▁but ▁away ▁from ▁a ▁church . ▁ ▁In ▁general ▁practice , ▁after ▁one ▁conf esses ▁to ▁one ' s ▁spiritual ▁guide , ▁the ▁parish ▁priest ▁( who ▁may ▁or ▁may ▁not ▁have