Indulgences

The remission of the temporal punishment due to sin after the sin itself is forgiven.

In the past, a person could pay money to the church or do a good deed and obtain remission of the temporal punishment due to sin. After the Protestant Reformation, money no longer became an acceptable way to obtain an indulgence. Instead, acts of merit, such as prayers, rosary, fasting or sacrifices were required. Indulgences can only be done by the living and then credited to the dead.

Indulgences would not save a person from hell, but could shorten their stay in purgatory. The pope announces indulgences and determines their value. For example, an indulgence of 500 days less in purgatory can be granted once a day, every day if the person carries a properly blessed rosary, if they kiss the rosary and recite the hail Mary.