BLESSED CROSSES, CRUCIFIXES, MEDALS, ETC.

203.

However ancient may have been the custom of the Sovereign Pontiffs to bless and distribute to the faithful sacred articles of gold, silver, or other metals (whence originated the pontifical blessing and distribution of crosses, crucifixes, rosaries, medais, etc.), yet it would seem that, previous to the sixteenth century, no indulgences were annexed to such articles. Pope Sixtus V., on the rebuilding of the patriarchal Lateran arch-basilica (when, by the falling of the walls of the former building, in various places were found many medals of gold, on which were impressed the holy cross and other figures bearing the cross), caused a distribution to be made of them, and granted many indulgences to those who had any one of these medals in their possession, provided they fulfilled certain works enjoined them, as we learn from the constitution, Laudemus viros, Dec. 1, 1587. From that time the popes, his successors, annexed indulgences to other objects besides medals blessed by them,― such as chaplets, rosaries, crosses, crucifixes, etc.,—persuaded that the usage of these sacred objects excites, in the minds of the faithful, faith and acts of adoration toward God, and reverence for the blessed Virgin and the saints.

A SUMMARY OF THE INDULGENCES

Granted by his Holiness, Pope Pius IX., to the faithful who shall do the pious works mentioned in this summary, and possess one of the chaplets, rosarics, crosses, crucifixes, statues, or medals blessed by his Holiness, or by some one who has faculties for the purpose. This grant, renewed by every Sovereign Pontiff on his election, and published in Latin and in the vulgar tongue, was reformed and augmented by the above-named Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IX., through the S. Congr. of Indulgences, May 14, 1853.

All the faithful of both sexes are instructed: -In the first place, that, in order to gain the indulgences with which his Holiness the Pope by his apostolic blessing enriches chaplets, rosaries, crosses, crucifixes, statues, and medals, it is necessary to wear or to keep in their possession some one of these blessed objects.

In the second place, they must say the devout prayers described below as the conditions required in order to gain the indulgences, at the time that they are wearing some one of the aforesaid chaplets, crucifixes, etc.; or, if not wearing them, they must at least keep them in their own room, or in some other fitting place in their abode, and say the prayers before them.

Furthermore, his Holiness does not allow for this purpose prints, or pictures, or crosses, crucifixes, statues, medals of tin, lead, or of any material that can be easily broken or destroyed. He allows them to be made of iron, although that material was hitherto forbidden.

He also wills that the images of saints engraved upon them should be of those who are already canonized, or of others mentioned in the Roman martyrology.

Having said thus much to make the intention of his

Holiness as clear as possible, the indulgences which can be gained by those who possess one of these objects, and the pious works to be performed, are as follows;

To all who shall say, at least once a week, the Chaplet of our Lord, or of the blessed Virgin Mary, or the Rosary, or a third part thereof, or the Divine Office, or the Office of the blessed Virgin, or of the Dead, or the Seven Penitential Psalms, or the Gradual Psalms; or whose custom it is to teach the catechism, or visit prisoners, or the sick in a hospital, or to help the poor, or hear mass, or say mass if they be priests, provided that, being truly penitent, and having confessed their sins to a confessor approved by the Ordinary, they shall go to communion on any of the following days, viz., Christmas Day, the Epiphany, Easter Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost, the feast of the most holy Trinity, of Corpus Christi, the Purification, Annunciation, Assumption, Nativity and Conception, of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of S. John Baptist, the feasts of the holy Apostles, SS. Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, Philip and James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude, Matthias, S. Joseph, the Spouse of the blessed Virgin, and All-Saints; at the same time praying devoutly to God for the extirpation of heresy and schisms, for the propagation of the Catholic faith, for peace and union an ong Christian princes, and for the other necessities of holy Church:

A PLENARY INDULGENCE, on any of these days.

To all those who shal! do the aforesaid good works on the other feasts of our Lord and of the blessed Virgin Mary, on each of these days:

AN INDULGENCE OF SEVEN YEARS AND SEVEN QUARANTINES.

To those who shall do them on any Sunday or feast in the year:

AN INDULGENCE OF FIVE YEARS AND FIVE QUARANTINES,

To those who shall do them on any other day in the year: AN INDULGENCE OF ONE HUNDRED DAYS.

To those who are accustomed to say at least once a week the Chaplet, or the Rosary, or the Office of the blessed Virgin Mary, or of the Dead, or Vespers, or at least one Nocturn together with Lauds, or the Seven Penitential Psalms with the litany and prayers:

AN INDULGENCE OF ONE HUNDRED DAYS, every time. To all who, at the point of death, shall devoutly recommend their souls to God. and who, according to the instruction of Benedict XIV., of happy memory, expressed in his constitution, April 5, 1747, which begins Pia Mater, shall be ready to receive death with resignation from the hands of God; provided that, being truly penitent, after confession and communion, or, if unable to comply with this duty, being at least heartily sorry for their sins, shall invoke the most holy name of Jesus from the heart, if not able to do so with their lips:

A PLENARY INDULGENCE.

To those who shall use any kind of prayer as a preparation before saying mass, or before holy communion, or before saying the Divine Office, or the Office of the blessed Virgin :

AN INDULGENCE OF FIFTY DAYS, every time.

To those who shall visit prisoners, or the sick in hospitals, assisting them by some pious action, or who shall teach the catechism in church, or at home to their own children, relations, and servants :

AN INDULGENCE OF TWO HUNDRED DAYS, every time

To all who, at the sound of the bell of some church, in the morning, at midday, or in the evening, shall say the usual prayers, Angelus Domini, etc.; or, not knowing them, one Our Father and one Hail Mary; or who, in like manner, when the bell for the dead is rung at one hour after nightfall, shall say, kneeling, the psalm De profundis, etc.; or, not knowing it, one Our Father and one Hail Mary:

AN INDULGENCE OF ONE HUNDRED DAYS.

To those who, on Friday, shall devoutly meditate on the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and say the Our Father and the Hail Mary, each three times:

AN INDULGENCE OF ONE HUNDRED DAYS.

To all those who, being truly sorry for their sins, shall, with a firm purpose of amendment, examine their conscience, and say with devotion the Our Father and the Hail Mary, each three times, in honor of the most holy Trinity, or the Our Father and the Hail Mary, each five times, in memory of the five wounds of Jesus Christ:

AN INDULGENCE OF ONE HUNDRED DAYS.

To those who shall pray devoutly for the faithful who are near their departure out of this life, or at least shall say for them the Our Father and the Hail Mary once: AN INDULGENCE OF FIFTY DAYS.

All these indulgences his Holiness permits every one to gain for himself, or to apply to the souls in purgatory. His Holiness further declares that, by the grant of these indulgences, he in no way intends to derogate from the indulgences already granted by different Sovereign Pontiffs, his predecessors, in favor of certain pious works named above; but desires that they should all remain in their full force.

His Holiness also commands that, in the distribution