Decree on plenary indulgences for the faithful departed in the current pandemic situation

The Church’s senior tribunal, which handles all matter of the internal forum and indulgences, the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary, issued a decree on 22 October 2020 concerning the annual opportunity to gain indulgences for the souls in Purgatory in time of COVID.

It is summarised as follows:

• The plenary indulgence for those who visit a cemetery and pray for the departed, which is normally applicable between 1 and 8 November, will now apply to the entire month of November and need not be on consecutive days.
  
• The plenary indulgence of All Souls’ Day, 2 November, whereby the faithful may visit a church, chapel or oratory to pray the Our Father and the Creed, can be transferred not only to the preceding or successive Sunday, or, indeed, the solemnity of All Saints’, but may now also be gained on any other day within the month of November, too.
  
• Those faithful who are shielding, or for whatever genuine reason are unable to leave their homes, may also achieve the plenary indulgence by offering prayer for the departed and offering any hardships they may presently be enduring. The following provisions would also apply: namely spiritually uniting themselves with all other faithful; detachment from sin; and, having the intention as soon as possible to meet the three usual conditions of sacramental Confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.