in the ancient Christian church, a name given to certain prebys ters or priests, appointed in every church to receive the private confessions of the people, in order to facilitate public discipline, by acquainting them what sins were to be expiated by public penance, and to appoint private penance for such private crimes as were not proper to be publicly censured.

at the court of Rome, is an office in which are examined and delivered out the secret bulls, graces, or dispensations relating to cases of conscience, confessions, &c.

is also an officer, in some cathedrals, vested with power from the bishop to absolve, in cases referred to him. The pope has at present his grand penitentiary, who is a cardinal, and the chief of the other penitentiary priests established in the church of Rome, who consult him in all difficult cases. He presides in the penitentiary, dispatches dispensations, absolutions, &c. and has under him a regent and 24 proctors, or advocates of the sacred penitentiary.