Sarah Mitchell
A plenary indulgence is a form of forgiveness in the Catholic Church. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. In other words, it can help shorten or complete a person's stay in Purgatory, allowing them to enter Heaven sooner. To gain a plenary indulgence, one must fulfil certain conditions, including sacramental confession, receiving the Holy Eucharist, and praying for the Pope's intentions. Additionally, the individual must be completely detached from sin. Plenary indulgences can be obtained through various acts, such as visiting holy sites, participating in religious rituals, praying, or performing spiritual exercises.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of plenary indulgences that can be obtained per day | 1 |
| Prerequisites | 3 |
| Requirements | Complete detachment from sin, receiving the Holy Eucharist, sacramental confession, prayer for the Pope's intentions |
| Who can obtain it? | Faithful Christians |
| Who cannot obtain it? | Excommunicated or in schism |
| Where to obtain it | Patriarchal Basilicas in Rome, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., St. Peter's in Rome, St. John Lateran in Rome, St. Mary Major in Rome, St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth |
| When to obtain it | During the octave of November 1st to 8th, on Good Friday, during the Ordinary Jubilee Year, on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, on the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ King |
| What to do | Devoutly visit the sites, recite the Rosary, participate in Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, Stations of the Cross, the Rosary or Akathist, a penance service, or a celebration of the Word of God, read the Sacred Scriptures, spend at least three whole days in spiritual exercises, publicly recite specific prayers, piously receive a papal blessing |
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What You'll Learn
Receive a papal blessing
Receiving a papal blessing is one of the ways to obtain a plenary indulgence. A plenary indulgence can be granted to those who "piously and devoutly" receive the Pope's blessing when imparted to Rome and the world (Urbi et Orbi). Here are the steps to receive a papal blessing:
Choosing the Occasion
Firstly, identify the occasion for which you are seeking the Apostolic Blessing. Papal blessings are typically granted for the following occasions:
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation (only for a single person)
- Marriage
- Priestly Ordination
- Religious Profession
- Ordination of Permanent Deacons
- Anniversary of Marriage, Priestly Ordination, or Religious Profession
- Birthday (specific milestones)
Choosing the Template
After determining the occasion, choose the appropriate parchment template from the available options.
Providing Necessary Data
The next step is to provide the required information for the preparation of the parchment. This includes personal and contact details, as well as the name(s) of the person(s) for whom the blessing is intended, the occasion, and the date, name of the church, and place where the occasion will take place.
Requesting the Parchment
The Office of Papal Charities (Elemosineria Apostolica) in Vatican City is responsible for distributing papal blessing parchments. Requests can be made in person by visiting their office during their opening hours, which vary depending on the day of the week. Alternatively, you can submit your request online through their official website. It is important to note that only this website is authorized to receive parchment requests.
Registration and Collection/Delivery
As part of the request process, you will need to register by creating a personal account. This account can be useful for future requests. You can choose to collect the parchment in person from the Vatican during their opening hours or have it mailed to an address of your choice worldwide. There is a contribution fee, which can be paid by credit card (VISA or MasterCard). Once the process is complete, you will receive a confirmation email from the Charities Office.
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Pray for the Pope's intentions
To obtain a plenary indulgence, a Catholic must fulfil certain conditions, including praying for the Pope's intentions. This is left to the choice of the faithful, but an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" are suggested. This prayer for the Pope's intentions can be performed within several days before or after the indulgenced act. However, it is considered most fitting to pray for the Pope's intentions on the same day as the indulgenced work is performed.
Praying for the Pope's intentions is one of the requirements to obtain a plenary indulgence, which can be granted in several ways. For example, one can obtain a plenary indulgence by piously and devoutly receiving the Pope's blessing when imparted to Rome and the world (Urbi et Orbi). Another way is to devoutly visit one of the Patriarchal Basilicas in Rome and recite an Our Father and the Creed.
Plenary indulgences can also be obtained during special times of the year, such as the octave of November 1st to 8th. During this period, a plenary indulgence is bestowed on those who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the departed.
It is important to note that plenary indulgences can only be gained once a day, and there are specific prerequisites that must be met, such as being in a state of grace and having complete detachment from sin. These indulgences can be applied to oneself or to the souls of the deceased in Purgatory, helping to shorten or complete their stay before entering Heaven.
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Receive the Holy Eucharist
Receiving the Holy Eucharist is one of the three basic conditions that must be fulfilled to obtain a plenary indulgence, the other two being sacramental confession and prayer for the Pope's intentions.
To receive the Holy Eucharist, one must participate in the Holy Mass and receive the Eucharist with a heart full of love and reverence for Christ. It is better to receive the Holy Eucharist while participating in the Holy Mass, but for the indulgence, only Holy Communion is required. A separate Holy Communion is required for each plenary indulgence.
The prayer for the Pope's intentions is left to the choice of the faithful, but an Our Father and a Hail Mary are suggested. This condition is satisfied by reciting one "Our Father" and one "Hail Mary", but one may also choose to recite any other prayer, as long as it is recited with the required intention.
Plenary indulgences can be obtained once per day and require complete detachment from sin, even venial sin. They are a gift from the Catholic Church, providing a path to spiritual purification and closeness to God.
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Spend time with those in need
Spending time with those in need is one of the ways to obtain a plenary indulgence during the 2025 Jubilee Year. This includes visiting prisoners, spending time with the lonely elderly, aiding the sick or disabled, and helping those who are in need. The Apostolic Penitentiary refers to this practice as "making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them."
The Jubilee Year is a time when Catholics are particularly encouraged to engage in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. This involves practising penance by giving up "futile distractions" and "superfluous consumption" for at least one day through fasting, abstinence, or almsgiving. It also includes supporting efforts to defend life at all stages, helping abandoned children, struggling youth, the needy, the lonely elderly, or migrants, and performing community service.
In addition to these works of mercy, there are several other practices that can be performed to obtain a plenary indulgence during the Jubilee Year. These include making pilgrimages to specific churches, such as the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (tomb of St. Catherine of Siena) and Santa Maria della Vittoria (St. Teresa of Ávila) in Rome, as well as visiting churches connected to great female saints. Catholics can also receive a plenary indulgence by praying before a Nativity scene in a Franciscan church from December 8 to February 2.
It is important to note that, in addition to performing these works, certain conditions must be met to obtain a plenary indulgence. These include being in a state of grace, having an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, and receiving the Holy Eucharist. Sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the Pope's intentions are also recommended, although they can be performed within several days before or after the indulgenced act.
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Receive the Sacrament of Confession
To receive the Sacrament of Confession, one must be a Catholic, not excommunicated or in schism. The faithful must be in a state of grace and have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin.
The Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences states that sacramental confession is required to acquire a plenary indulgence. There is no exception for those who are not conscious of mortal sin. To acquire a plenary indulgence, it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the supreme pontiff.
One sacramental confession suffices for several plenary indulgences, but a separate Holy Communion and a separate prayer for the Holy Father's intentions are required for each plenary indulgence. For the sake of those legitimately impeded, confessors can commute both the work prescribed and the conditions required (except for detachment from even venial sin).
To receive the Sacrament of Confession, one must confess their sins with genuine contrition and a desire to amend their life. This can be done by participating in the Holy Mass and receiving the Eucharist with a heart full of love and reverence for Christ. It is appropriate, but not necessary, that the sacramental Confession, Holy Communion, and prayer for the Pope's intentions take place on the same day that the indulgenced work is performed. However, it is sufficient that these sacred rites and prayers be carried out within several days before or after the indulgenced act.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the Manual of Indulgences of the Church, a plenary indulgence is the total remission "before God of the temporal punishment for sins, whose guilt is forgiven" and can be earned for oneself or for a deceased relative in purgatory.
To obtain a plenary indulgence, the faithful must be in a state of grace and have an interior disposition of complete detachment from sin. In addition, they must receive the Holy Eucharist, participate in sacramental confession, and pray for the Pope's intentions.
A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day.
