Did you know you can receive a plenary indulgence on August 1st and 2nd? August 2nd is the feast of Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula, a devotion of particular importance in the Franciscan tradition.
This day marks the consecration of the Portiuncula church, or the "little portion," to which Saint Francis of Assisi was called by Christ to "rebuild my Church."
He himself rebuilt this ancient Benedictine chapel in the 13th century.
Pope Innocent III gave Saint Francis permission to found his religious order, which resided at Portiuncula. Due to his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin, the saint dedicated the chapel to Our Lady of the Angels.
Saint Francis of Assise spent much of his life at this place, ultimately dying there. The chapel is now located within the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi, Italy.
In a vision in July 1216, Jesus, Our Lady, and angels presented him with the "Pardon of Assisi," which the Church recognizes today.
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Jesus said to him:
"Francis, you are very zealous for the good of souls. Ask me what you wish for their salvation."
Prostrating himself on the ground, Francis replied:
"Lord, I, a miserable sinner, beseech You to grant an indulgence to all those who enter this church, who are truly contrite and have confessed their sins. And I beseech Blessed Mary, Your Mother, intercessor for mankind, to intercede for this grace."
Jesus replied:
"What you ask is a very great thing; but you are worthy of even greater things, Brother Francis, and you shall have greater things. Thus, I accept your request, but I want you to go to my Vicar, to whom I have given the power to bind and loose in Heaven and on earth, to ask him in my name for this indulgence."
Francis then went to Pope Honorius III, who approved this indulgence.
Here is how to obtain the "Pardon of Assisi," or the Portiuncula Indulgence:
- Visit a Catholic church between noon on August 1st and midnight on August 2nd.
- Receive the sacrament of confession (within the preceding 20 days).
- Receive Holy Communion (within the preceding 20 days).
- Pray the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father, and pray for the intentions of the Pope.
Note: To obtain a plenary indulgence, detachment from all sin is required. If a soul is not detached, a partial indulgence is granted.
Saint Francis of Assisi and Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us! 🙏
This article was originally published by EWTN (Article Link).