Many have never heard of the pardon crucifix or the incredible graces attached to it.
Most sites online present a deluge of misleading claims about this sacramental.
The pardon crucifix is an incredibly powerful spiritual tool. I personally keep it on me at all times. A common misconception is indulgences attached to it. When it first was propagated, the pardon crucifix was attached to many powerful indulgences including:
- Whoever carries on his person the Pardon Crucifix, may thereby gain an indulgence.
- For devoutly kissing the Crucifix, an indulgence is gained.
- Whoever says one of the following invocations before this crucifix may gain each time an indulgence: “Our Father who art in heaven, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” “I beg the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray to the Lord our God for me.”
- Whoever, habitually devout to this Crucifix, will fulfill the necessary conditions of Confession and Holy Communion, may gain a Plenary Indulgence on the following feasts: On the feasts of the Five Wounds of our Lord, the Invention of the Holy Cross, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Immaculate Conception, and the Seven Sorrows (Dolors) of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
- Whoever, at the moment of death, fortified with the Sacraments of the Church, or contrite of heart, in the supposition of being unable to receive them, will kiss this Crucifix and ask pardon of God for his sins, and pardon his neighbor, will gain a Plenary Indulgence.
Most websites explaining or selling the pardon cruxific list the above with no disclaimer. According to the current Enchiridion Of Indulgences the above indulgences are no longer in effect. These practices, however, still grant those who use them many graces. In addition, these following indulgences do apply to any crucifix:
- The faithful, who devoutly use an article of devotion (crucifix or cross, rosary, scapular or medal) properly blessed by any priest, obtain a partial indulgence.
- To the faithful in danger of death who cannot be assisted by a priest to bring them the sacraments and impart the apostolic blessing with its attendant plenary indulgence (according to canon 468, 2 of the Code of Canon Law) Holy Mother Church nevertheless grants a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they are properly disposed and have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime. To use a crucifix or cross in connection with the acquisition of this plenary indulgence is a laudable practice.
Today’s effective indulgences are listed in the Apostolic Penitentiary’s Enchiridion of Indulgences, in addition to those declared by the Holy Father. (The Apostolic Penitentiary is a department within the Vatican responsible for items relating to the forgiveness of sins).
This is not to say that the pardon crucifix is not a beautiful and worthy sacramental to bring into one’s life. It is, but one must be careful not to use it as a tool in a fruitless quest for indulgences. Indulgences are a wonderful gift from Christ and His Church, but without a genuine pursuit of His Heart we might find ourselves lost. Indulgence’s and sacramentals should be used as a tool as we seek to draw closer to Christ, or should be applied to other souls needing Christ’s grace.
Attachment:
Where does it say that any items such as The Pardon Crucifix is NO LONGER able to IMPART an Indulgence in the Enchiridion Of Indulgences? Point to me a caveat, please? Just because it does not mention it by name does not exclude it from that of having the power from God to Impart Indulgences to The Faithful. I have went through it with word for word and there is nothing that states anything from the past that was Indulgenced no longer takes effect. What it does state is that these indulgences are present in and through various means of prayers it lists and places one may visit.
What it also gives rightly are NORMS for the use of Indulgences, not that those, like The Pardon Crucifix or any other objects, do not permit the exercise and reception of them. I challenge you to find me a single place where this is written.
Robert,
My sincere apologies. Your comment was caught in the spam filter and I do not update this website as much as I once did. You are absolutely correct in being concerned about the validity. As far as sources go, EWTN talks about Paul VI suppressing indulgences other than those that are specifically listed in the Enchiridion. There are also several threads and posts online claiming that due to this, the Pardon Crucifix is no longer indulgenced. I love the Pardon Crucifix and it is heartbreaking that if it is indeed no longer indulgenced. It appears that this post itself is a frequently used resource for the Pardon Crucifix. I will be investigating this and may temporarily take this page down until I have an answer that I am confident is correct. Thank you so much for your concern.
I think it says in the fourth paragraph of the Decree at the beginning that any indulgences not mentioned in the current Enchiridion are hereby revoked.
The Enchiridion very clearly states that all previous grants of indulgences are null and void. Right in the front there is the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, which states in part: “Pope Paul VI has on 15 June 1968 approved the new *Enchiridion Indugentarium* printed by the Vatican Press. He has ordered it to be the authoritative collection; suppressed are all general grants of indulgences not incorporated into the new Enchiridion as well as all the legislation on indulgences of the Codex Iuris Canonici, of apostolic letters, even motu proprios, and of decrees of the Holy See that are not included among the Norms for indulgences in this Enchiridion.”
Likewise, the Apostolic Constitution *Indulgentiarum doctrina* states in norm 20: “Indulgences attached to religious objects that are not mentioned in this Apostolic Constitution are suppressed three months after its publication in the *Acta Apostolicae Sedis*.”
But this doesn’t mean that the Pardon Crucifix “isn’t indulgenced”, it just means that it isn’t any more indulgenced than other crucifixes.
I think I found it.
The information you’re looking for is a tiny paragraph on page 60. It reads, “Indulgences attached to the use of objects of piety which are not mentioned above cease three months after the date of publication of this constitution in the Acta Apistolicae Sedis.”
So the Pardon Crucifix would need to have been specifically “mentioned above ” in order not to lose its distinctive indulgences.I
It is still an indulgenced object, if I read this rightly — just not differently indulgenced from any other crucifix.
Potentially relevant sections of the Enchiridion Of Indulgences are: “The faithful, who devoutly use an article of devotion (crucifix or cross, rosary, scapular or medal) properly blessed by any priest, obtain a partial indulgence.” [p.8, para 19 Norms On Indulgences] to which is added “Indulgences attached to the use of objects of piety which are not mentioned above cease three months after the date of publication of this constitution in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.” [p.60 under Transitional Norms]. Thus, it would seem that the Pardon Crucifix, properly blessed, is a source of partial indulgence unfortunately meaning the plenary indulgence aspect is no longer available UNLESS “But if the article of devotion has been blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff or by any Bishop, the faithful, using it devoutly, can also gain a plenary indulgence on the feast of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, provided they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate formula.”[ [p.8, para 19 Norms On Indulgences]. This, of course, means that the plenary indulgence opportunity is greatly reduced which is in keeping with “It has also been considered fitting to reduce appropriately the number of plenary indulgences in order that the faithful may hold them in greater esteem and may in fact acquire them with the proper dispositions. For indeed the greater the proliferation (of indulgences) the less is the attention given them; what is offered in abundance is not greatly appreciated. Besides, many of the faithful need considerable time to prepare themselves properly for acquisition of a plenary indulgence.”[APOSTOLIC CONSTITUTION THE DOCTRINE OF INDULGENCES, para. 12, section 5.]
Yes indulgences are wonderful, but if we are only saying and doing certain pious actions because we will gain something then we are not really living our faith to the fullest. Know The Word of God, pray and then pray some more, God knows our heart and I believe we will be judged on that, not if we have a huge account of indulgences that we racked up.
It seems that people lose sight of the most important point: “belief in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The prayers are a form of speaking to our creator and asking for petitions. The crosses, scapulars, even picture or medals are reminders (even statues in church) of our Lord and heavenly creatures, since we cannot seem Him or the saints. The indulgences are really you putting your time in to ” honor” the Lord and to wait patiently for answers. These are your merits which will be recorded in the “Book.” Amen