There are plenary indulgences available during Holy Week

 

Here are 6 Easy Ways to Gain a Plenary Indulgence during the Holy Week. A plenary indulgence is remittance for temporal punishments for sin and can reduce or eliminate our time in purgatory. They can be applied to the souls in purgatory. Holy Week 2023 Dates: Palm Sunday April 2; Holy Thursday  April 6; Good Friday April 7; Holy Saturday April 8; Easter Sunday April 9.

Holy Thursday

1. “Down in Adoration Falling” (Tantum ergo) (Roman Breviary) PLENARY INDULGENCE when recited or sung on Holy Thursday - Down in adoration falling, Lo! the Sacred Host we hail, Lo! o'er ancient forms departing Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail. To the Everlasting Father, And the Son Who reigns on high With the Holy Ghost proceeding Forth from Each eternally, Be salvation, honour, blessing, Might, and endless majesty. Amen. ℣. Thou hast given them bread from heaven. ℟. Having within it all sweetness. ℣. Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the Sacred Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. ℟. Amen.

2. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who visit the Most Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour ( together with the General Rules of a plenary indulgence, see below)

Good Friday (Holy Friday)

3. A plenary indulgence is granted for those who piously exercise the Way of the Cross, actually moving from station to station where they are legitimately erected and while mediating on the passion and death of our Lord (“Enchiridion of Indulgences,” No. 63).

Holy Saturday

4. If we pray in community the prayer of the Holy Rosary

Vigil of Easter

5. Plenary indulgence for renewing one’s baptismal promises during the Easter Vigil or on the anniversary of one’s baptism.

Easter Sunday

6. Participation devoted to the blessing proposed by the Pope in Rome and to the world (Urbi et Orbi), even if heard by radio, internet, or television.

Throughout the Year: the Manual of Indulgences Explains: "Deserving of special mention are grants pertaining to these works by any one of which the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence each day of the year," always remembering "a plenary indulgence can be acquired no more than once a day." 

The Manual lists them as four:

1. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour; 

2. The pious exercise of the Way of the Cross; "The pious exercise must be made before stations of the Way of the Cross legitimately erected...According to the common custom, the pious exercise consists of 14 devotional readings, to which some vocal prayers are added. To make the Way of the Cross, however, it is sufficient to meditate devoutly on the Lord's Passion and Death, and therefore reflection on the particular mysteries of the individual stations in not necessary... Progression from one station to the next is required." But if we're making it publicly such as done for a parish, only the one conducting it has to move while we remain in our place.

3. Recitation of the Marian rosary or of the hymn Akathistos, in church or an oratory; or in a family, a religious community, or a sodality of the faithful or, in general, when several of the faithful are gathered for any good purpose; 

4. The devout reading or listening to the Sacred Scriptures for at least a half an hour. 

GENERAL RULES for ALL INDULGENCES:
To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill the following three conditions:

Sacramental confession (within 8 days), Eucharistic Communion, and Prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

It is further required that all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent.

The condition of praying for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff is fulfilled if we pray one Our Father and one Hail Mary; however, every faithful Christian is granted the faculty to pray with any other formula, according to his piety and devotion. The plenary indulgence is a gift of God, through the Church, which is granted to nourish us with grace that strengthens us on our journey of faith.