Mea culpa
Mea culpa (Latin my fault ) are words from the confession Confiteor ( I confess ... ), which is spoken in the Catholic Church since the 11th century:
" Confiteor ... quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, opere et omissione: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa ... "
The German text reads:
"I confess ... I have sinned in thought, word and deed through my fault, through my fault, through my great debt ... "
The faithful are beat their breasts.
The expression mea culpa is often ironically, received as an excuse formula in the vernacular. Occasionally, the term is generally used for a far-reaching or meaningful for forgiveness.
In the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II on 12 March for the first time in history, a comprehensive " Mea Culpa " on behalf of the Catholic Church. He apologized for mistakes and sins in religious wars, the Inquisition and the persecution of Jews by Christians in history.