DECRETUM ANNI 1877.

Iamdiu necessitas, nedum utilitas perse rat, ut in lucem prodiret authentica atq Sylloge seu Collectio, quae omnes et sing piaque opera, quibus peragendis ex provi que Romanorum Pontificum liberalitate tiae concessae fuere, rite accurateque com Postrema enim Collectio, neque omnis im expers videbatur, nec, quod potissimum et singulas Indulgentias hucusque imper sebat. Iamvero magni interest, ut C probe noverint quae et quales Indulgenti operibus, una cum adiectis ad eas luc ditionibus, applicitae coniunctaeque fuer doquidem coelestis Indulgentiarum thes Christo Domino concredita fuit Ecclesi pensatio identidem facienda, ut fideles ii gentiis, sive ad temporalem suorum pec in vita poenae reatum exsolvendum, sive torum animas piacularibus poenis det vandas, uti iuvarique possent.

His igitur rationum momentis merit factaque per infrascriptum, S. Congre dulgentiis et SS. Reliquiis tuendis praep nalem Praefectum, SS. Domino Nostro relatione, Summus idem Pontifex benig ut authentica omnium et singularum pre que operum, quae usque ad praesentem gentiis ditata vel aucta fuere, Sylloge per Secretariam eiusdem S. Congrega diligentissime conficeretur, ac dein in luc

DECREE OF THE YEAR 1877.

IT has long been felt that the publication of a complete and authentic collection of the prayers and good works to which the watchful and beneficent generosity of the Roman Pontiffs has attached indulgences, would be very useful, not to say necessary, since the last collection, or Raccolta, neither appeared to be free from imperfection, nor, what is of more consequence, contained all the indulgences granted up to the present time. Now, it is very important that the faithful should know what indulgences have been granted, to what practices they have been attached, and on what conditions they can be gained; since our Lord Jesus Christ intrusted to his Church the dispensation of the heavenly treasure of indulgences, in order that the faithful might profit by them to pay, in this life, the debt of temporal punishment due to their own sins, or to relieve the suffering souls in purgatory.

These considerations having been duly laid before our Holy Father, Pope Pius IX., by the undersigned Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics, his Holiness kindly gave his consent and approval that an authentic collection of all the prayers and good works which have been enriched with indulgences up to the present time, should be made with the greatest care by the Secretary of the said Congregation, and published for the use of the faithful.

This collection, compiled with all care and accuracy, according to the orders of his Holiness, and

Hanc ergo Collectionem, iuxta Sancti mandatum, rite accurateque absolutam, t Congregationis de Propaganda Fide edita N. Pius Papa IX apostolica sua auctorit bavit; praecepitque a cunctis Christific genuinam et authenticam Indulgentiarum concessarum Syllogen prorsus habendam vero aliquod dubium vel disceptatio de Indulgentiae concessione, vel de ratione lu suboriri contingat: Sanctitas Sua express voluit, ut praesens Sylloge, cuius original in Archivo huiusmet S. Congregationis ad facti normam adservari debeat, pro dubiis versiis dirimendis unice consulatur. Ide hoc Decretum exarari atque Editioni ei loges praefixum imprimi.

Datum Romae ex Secretaria eiusdem gationis Indulgentiis et SS. Reliquiis prae 3 Junii 1877.

A. CARD. OREGLIA A S. ST

[Loco Signi.]

A.

published by the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda, has been approved by the Sovereign Pontiff, in virtue of his apostolic authority, and, by his order, is to be received by all the faithful as the genuine and authentic collection of the indulgences which have been hitherto granted.

His Holiness has also wished it to be expressly declared that, in all cases of doubt or discussion about the existence of any indulgence whatever, or about the manner of gaining it, this present collection alone shall be consulted as having authority; and that the original copy shall be preserved in the Archives of the said Sacred Congregation as a perpetual standard and memorial of his decision.

Hence, it is ordered by the same Sovereign Pontiff that this decree shall be prefixed to every copy of this collection.

Given at Rome, from the Office of the Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics, on the 3d day of June, 1877.

[L.S.]

A. CARD. OREGLIA A S. STEPHANO,

Prefect.

A. PANICI,

Secretary.

ON HOLY INDULGENCES

AND THE

CONDITIONS REQUISITE FOR GAINING THEM.

I. After the guilt of mortal sin and its eternal punishment have been forgiven the repentant sinner, the obligation of satisfying Divine Justice by some temporal punishment, to be undergone in this life or in the next, generally remains. A temporal punishment is, likewise, the sad heritage of every venial sin, and must, in like manner, be borne either here or hereafter. Our Divine Lord, however, has so disposed in his infinite mercy that the faithful can be freed, either wholly or partially, from these temporal punishments. And this can be done either in the present life, or in the life to come: in the present life, as well by meritorious works which they themselves do, as by sacred indulgences which the Church, the depositary of the superabundant satisfactory merits of Christ and of his Saints, grants, by way of absolution, to her children and which they gain for themselves: in the life to come, by the application made by way of suffrage, of these same sacred indulgences to the holy souls in Purgatory. For a sacred indulgence is nothing else but the remission of the temporal punishment due to God for sins already forgiven as to guilt; a remission granted by ecclesiastical authority to the faithful, from the treasury of the superabundant satisfactory merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Mary most Holy, and of the Saints.