penitents
Those seeking absolution
Penitents is the plural of penitent—people who repent their sins or wrongdoing.
The word appears most often in religious contexts, where penitents confess to a priest or perform acts of penance: The penitents knelt before the altar.
In Catholic tradition, hooded penitents process through streets during Holy Week observances.
Moral law violators
- confessorsPriests hearing sins
- supplicantsThose humbly requesting aid
- seekersThose who pursue answers
- convertsThose who switched faiths
faithful · congregation · devotees · monks · nuns · clergy · laity · novices
Formal clearing of guilt
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- expiationRedress for offense
penance · forgiveness · purification · reconciliation · restitution · amends · pardon · salvation
Formal moving line
- barefootWearing no shoes
- Holy WeekDays preceding Easter Sunday
- LentChristian fasting season
- Good FridayCrucifixion memorial day
flagellants · scourging · candles · chains · crosses · purple robes · brotherhood · paso
Moral self-reproach
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
self-reproach · conscience · lamentation · reflection · apology · contrition · weeping · breast-beating
sinners
Moral law violators
- confessorsPriests hearing sins
- supplicantsThose humbly requesting aid
- seekersThose who pursue answers
converts · faithful · congregation · devotees · monks · nuns · clergy · laity · novices · friars
absolution
Formal clearing of guilt
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- reparationCompensation for injury done
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
expiation · penance · forgiveness · purification · reconciliation · restitution · amends · pardon · salvation · cleansing
procession
Formal moving line
Good Friday · flagellants · scourging · candles · chains · crosses · purple robes · brotherhood · paso
guilt
Moral self-reproach
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- sorrowDeep emotional distress
- shamePainful awareness of failure
regret · self-reproach · conscience · lamentation · reflection · apology · contrition · weeping · breast-beating · humility
journey
Travel from place to place
Rome · Varanasi · Ganges · Mecca · sacred site · vow · relics · sanctuary · monastery · abbey
- believersbeliever, believers, adherent, devotee, theist
- asceticsascetic, ascetics, hermit, hermits, recluse
- Colonial Catholicismfriars, Franciscans, Jesuits, Dominicans, Augustinians
- Spanish CatholicismCatholic Monarchs, Reconquista, Torquemada, penitentes, Isabella
- parade participantsmarching band, floats, drum majors, majorettes, baton twirlers
- Catholic OrganizationsKnights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Opus Dei, parish councils, missionary societies
- state penitentiaryGovernment-run facility for serious offenders
- penitential psalmsSacred songs expressing remorse
penitent, penitence, penitentiary, impenitent, penitential, penitently, penitences