Everyday from 1st to 8th of November a plenary indulgence applicable only to the souls in purgatory, is granted to the faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed.
The usual conditions for indulgences apply:
- One plenary indulgence can be granted per day.
- Be in a state of grace by the completion of the work.
- Detachment from sin, even venial; if lacking the indulgence is partial.
- Holy Communion (20 days before or after the indulgenced act).
- Prayers for the intentions of the Pope (20 days before or after the indulgenced act). One Our Father and one Hail Mary is sufficent.
- Sacramental Confession (20 days before or after the indulgenced act). One confession with the intention of gaining all the indulgences is sufficient for all indulgences during the 20 day period.
An indulgence is the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. There are two kinds of punishments attached to certain sins. Mortal sins have an eternal punishment which is completly removed through Sacramental Confession. All sins also have a certain temporal punishment attached to them, for when we sin we do damage to ourself and depending on our degree of sorrow, some of this temporal punishment can remain after Confession. Good works help remit any temporal punishment still effecting us, and temporal punishment left when we die is expiated in purgatory.
However, indulgences are an application of the merits of Christ to our temporal punishment. A plenary indulgence removes all temporal punishment due to sin, while a partial indulgence removes some it. We can apply indulgences to ourselves, but we can also apply them to the souls in purgatory and expiate the temporal punishment due to their sins and assist them to enter heaven sooner.
