The Conference of the Franciscan Family is pleased to announce that a plenary indulgence has been granted from December 8, 2023, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, until February 2, 2024, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The indulgence may be obtained by visiting a church served by Franciscans and praying before the nativity scene set up there.
In the letter the Conference wrote to all the confreres, it states that this indulgence, linked to the Franciscan Centenary of the Christmas at Greccio, was requested and obtained from Pope Francis in order to promote the spiritual renewal of the faithful and increase the life of grace. Even those who cannot physically visit a Franciscan church can experience the Indulgence by offering their sufferings or carrying out a spiritual sacrifice.
Conference of the Franciscan Family
Prot. N. 31/2023
Assisi, October 4, 2023
Solemnity of the Seraphic Father St. Francis
To the attention of the
brothers and sisters
of the Franciscan Family
Plenary Indulgence on the Occasion of the Eighth Centenary of the Christmas at Greccio
as Experienced by St. Francis of Assisi
Dear brothers and sisters,
may the Lord give you peace!
We write to you from Assisi, where we are gathered on the occasion of the celebrations for our Seraphic Father, to share with you the great gift and privilege that the Holy Father wanted to grant us on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Christmas at Greccio. Here St. Francis wanted to commemorate the birth of the Lord starting with a nativity scene, leading to the Eucharistic celebration, where Jesus Christ makes himself present in the bread and wine.
During this Centenary, on April 17, 2023, we addressed the following petition to the Holy Father: “in order to promote the spiritual renewal of the faithful and increase the life of grace, we ask that the faithful receive a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions from December 8, 2023, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to February 2, 2024, the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by visiting the churches run by Franciscan families throughout the world and stopping in prayer in front of the nativity scenes set up there. Likewise, those who are sick or unable to participate physically can equally benefit from the gift of the plenary indulgence, offering their sufferings to the Lord or carrying out practices of piety.”
The Apostolic Penitentiary favorably welcomed the request, granting the right to announce it publicly.
Therefore, in all the churches entrusted to us for pastoral care,
it will be possible for all the faithful
to receive a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions,
from December 8, 2023 to February 2, 2024.
We ask you to share this “privilege” in all our locations which fits in well with the special relationship that was established between St. Francis and the Church when he asked the Pope for the Indulgence for those who visited the Portiuncula; and we hope that it will be an opportunity for communion and spiritual renewal for every brother and sister in the entire Franciscan family.
May the Lord guide your steps
and give you his mercy!
Your President and Ministers General,
Frances Duncan, OSF
President IFC-TOR
Tibor Kauser, OFS
Minister General
Massimo Fusarelli, OFM
Minister General
Roberto Genuin, OFMCap
Minister General
Carlos Alberto Trovarelli, OFMConv
Minister General
Amando Trujillo Cano, TOR
Minister General
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