100th Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions

Plenary indulgences aplenty

Under the mandate of Pope Francis, the Church’s centennial celebration of the apparitions of Fatima features a special plenary indulgence (the complete remission of all temporal punishment due to sin) from Nov. 27, 2016 to Nov. 26, 2017.

The plenary indulgence of the jubilee is granted:

  1. to the faithful who visit the Shrine of Fatima in pilgrimage and devoutly participate in a celebration or prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary, pray the Our Father, recite the symbol of faith (Creed), and invoke Our Lady of Fatima;
  2. to the pious faithful who visit with devotion an image of Our Lady of Fatima solemnly displayed for public veneration in any church, oratory or adequate place, during the days of the anniversary of the apparitions (the 13th of each month, from May to October 2017), and devotedly participate there in any celebration or prayer in honor of the Virgin Mary, pray the Our Father, recite the symbol of faith (Creed) and invoke Our Lady of Fatima;
  3. to the faithful who, due to their age, disease, or other serious reason, are impeded from moving, if, repentant of all their sins and having the firm intention of performing, as soon as possible, the three conditions mentioned below, in front of a small image of Our Lady of Fatima, spiritually unite in the days of the apparitions to the jubilee celebrations, offering with trust to God, all-merciful through Mary, their prayers and pains, or the sacrifices of their own lives.

A plenary indulgence can be gained once a day. In order to obtain it, the faithful must, in addition to being in the state of grace:

  • have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;
  • have sacramentally confessed their sins;
  • receive the Holy Eucharist (it is certainly better to receive it while participating in Holy Mass, but for the indulgence only Holy Communion is required); and
  • pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.