one who confesses. The term was used in early times to denote a Christian who made a solemn profession of the faith, and suffered in its defence. A mere saint is called a confessor, to distinguish him from the roll of dignified saints, such as apostles, martyrs, &c. In ecclesiastical history, the word confessor is frequently used as synonymous with martyr; but afterwards it was applied to those who, after having been persecuted and tormented, were permitted to live and die in peace; and at last it was also applied to those Christians who had lived a good life and died with the reputation of sanctity. According to St Cyprian, he who presented himself to torture, or even to martyrdom, without being called to it, was not denominated a confessor, but a professor; and if one, from want of courage, abandoned his country, and became a voluntary exile for the sake of the faith, he was called exterris.