By Daniel Payne

CNA Staff, November 1, 2024 / 5:35 p.m.

Many Catholics may not be aware that they can obtain not one but eight plenary indulgences for the souls of the departed during the first week of November.

For centuries, the Catholic Church has largely observed All Saints’ Day (November 1) as an octave, extending the holy celebration to eight days.

This observance was established by Pope Sixtus IV in the 15th century and demoted in the liturgical calendar around the mid-20th century, although some Catholics still mark this eight-day observance.

Notably, the Church itself still indirectly recognizes the old octave of eight days in the granting of plenary indulgences for the first week of November.

What is a plenary indulgence?

A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.

It is not a question of forgiveness of sins but of remission of punishment for sins already forgiven. This can apply either to oneself or to souls already in purgatory.

To obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful must, in addition to being in a state of grace, have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial), have sacramentally confessed their sins and have received the Eucharist (i.e. ‘interior, or inside). outside of Mass), and must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

And the octave of All Saints’ Day?

The Apostolic Penitentiary of the Vatican, in its “Enchiridion indulgentiarum» (“Manual of Indulgences”), specifies that the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence for the faithful deceased “every day, from November 1 to 8”, if, in addition to fulfilling the normal conditions for a plenary indulgence, one “ devoutly visits a cemetery and prays at least mentally for the dead.”

The conditions for a plenary indulgence may be met a few days before or after the work is carried out to obtain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that communion and prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.

The octave of All Saints’ Day was notably extended throughout the month of November both in 2020 And 2021 amid fears of avoiding large gatherings of people in churches or cemeteries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The root of All Saints dates back to the fourth century when the early Church abandoned the commemoration of individual martyrs on the day of their martyrdom and established a common celebration of all martyrs, and ultimately all saints.

Daniel Payne is an editor at the Catholic News Agency. He previously worked at the College Fix and Just the News. He lives in Virginia with his family.