Understanding Indulgences in the Catholic Church

Indulto is a Latin word that has been adopted into English as "indulgence". In the context of the Catholic Church, an indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. This means that through the Church's intercession and the merits of Christ's sacrifice, the faithful can be freed from the burden of temporal punishment and be granted forgiveness for their sins.

In the Middle Ages, the Church taught that certain acts of devotion, such as praying for the souls in purgatory or making pilgrimages to holy sites, could earn indulgences that would reduce or eliminate the time a person spent in purgatory. The sale of indulgences became a common practice, with the Church offering them for sale in exchange for financial contributions or other forms of penance.

The abuse of indulgences was one of the key factors that led to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Protestant reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin rejected the idea of indulgences, arguing that salvation could be obtained only through faith in Christ's sacrifice and not through good works or financial contributions to the Church. The Catholic Church has since reformed its teachings on indulgences and no longer sells them for financial gain.