GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -An indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment for sins after the sinner confesses and receives absolution. Under Catholic teaching, every sin must be purified either here on earth or after death in a state called purgatory.

Detailed explanation-2: -Indulgences were intended to offer remission of the temporal punishment due to sin equivalent to that someone might obtain by performing a canonical penance for a specific period of time.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Church started granting two kinds of indulgence: ‘plenary’ (or full), which remitted all need for the punishment of sin, or ‘partial’ to deal with a part of one’s debt of sin. This was both a relief to Christians hoping to avoid purgatory, and also a way for them to be encouraged to fight in the Crusades.

Detailed explanation-4: -In the Catholic Church, the Apostolic Pardon is an indulgence given for the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. The Apostolic Pardon is given by a priest, usually along with Viaticum (i.e. reception of Communion by a dying person, see Pastoral Care of the Sick, USA numbers 184, 187, 195, 201).