Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, announced that like in 2020, Pope Francis has expanded the possibility of obtaining a plenary indulgence for the faithful deceased throughout the month.
This decision comes in response to the health crisis, and particularly the need to avoid groups of people, announced the Vatican press office.
In certain countries, the tradition of visiting the cemetery on these days is widespread, and the groups of people that can congregate at the graves can be quite large.
For the whole month
By means of the decree, the Apostolic Penitentiary “confirms and extends for the entire month of November 2021 all the spiritual benefits already granted on 22 October 2020” – that is, it allows the faithful to gain plenary indulgences for the souls in purgatory by visiting a cemetery on every day in November and praying for those who have died. Normally, this indulgence is limited to the first eight days of the month.
A second plenary indulgence is offered on All Souls’ Day, November 2. The current decree allows the faithful to obtain that indulgence for the benefit of the deceased on any day of November.
The All Souls' Day indulgence is obtained by devoutly visiting a church or an oratory and reciting an Our Father and the Creed. According to the judgment of the local bishop, this could ordinarily be moved to the Sunday preceding or following All Souls Day, or on the solemnity of All Saints.
This is the third time that the Holy See has issued a decree on indulgences since the start of the pandemic. On March 19, 2020, a similar decree was issued to respond to the critical health situation, a few days before the memorable urbi et orbi blessing from Pope Francis.
The elderly, sick, and all those who for serious reasons cannot leave their home will also be able to obtain the indulgence by joining spiritually with the faithful, specifies the decree.
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Requiem aeternam dona ei (eis), Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (eis).
Requiescat (-ant) in pace Amen.
Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
