penance

Is an old version of the word “repentance,” and refers to: 1) the Catholic sacrament also referred to as Confession where remorseful sinner (the “penitent”) confesses sins to a priest (the “confessor:”) who grants absolution; 2) the activities stipulated by the priest to be performed by the penitent in order to satisfy justice in order to obtain full forgiveness of sin; 3) inward state of penance in the soul of the penitent also called contrition. Protestants reject this Catholic sacrament.