confessor, confess our

[Lat., from con fe us, pa. par. of confiteor.] [CONFESS.] I. Ord. Lang.: One who confe es any fault or crime. II. Technically : 1. Ch . Hist .: The name given by the early Christians to one who manfully faced death rather than deny or conceal the Christian faith, but who had not his life actually taken away. If he were put to death he was a martyr and not a confe or. Both were deemed exceedingly honorable titles, but the martyr was the higher of the two. some confe ors , who had manfully refused to save themselves from torments and death by throwing frankincense on the altar of Jupiter, "-Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. xiv. 2. Eccles .: A priest who officially hears confe ions and prescribes penance to penitents, or grants IMG:content-0547.png:[blocks in formation] Rowe : Royal Convert.