Indulgence as one of the constitutive elements of the Jubilee Year

Abstract

An important element of the Jubilee Year 2025 is the sign of indulgence. To obtain it, one must fulfill the conditions set by Pope Francis and the Apostolic Penitentiary in the relevant documents. To deepen its theological significance, it is essential to look at the historical genesis of the proclamation of indulgences by the popes. Indulgences were understood as a release from the harmful consequences of sin in the sinner themselves. They gradually contributed to the development of the doctrine on purgatory, the intercessory role of the Church, and the mystery of the communion of saints. The conditions for obtaining indulgences were also recalled during the jubilee year of 2025.