Indulgences and the Way of the Cross
(Viae Crucis exercitium)
A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful, who make
the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross.
In the Way of the Cross Christians recall the sufferings of
Christ while going from the praetorium of Pilate, where He
was condemned to death, to the mount of Calvary, where He
died on the cross for our salvation.
The gaining of the plenary indulgence is regulated by the
following norms:
-
The pious exercise must be made before stations of the
Way of the Cross legitimately erected.
-
For the erection of the Way of the Cross fourteen
crosses are required, to which it is customary to add
fourteen pictures or images, which represent the
stations of Jerusalem.
-
According to the more common practice, the pious
exercise consists of fourteen pious readings, to which
some vocal prayers are added. However, nothing more is
required than a pious meditation on the Passion and
Death of the Lord, which need not be a particular
consideration of the individual mysteries of the
stations.
-
A movement from one station to the next is required.
But if the pious exercise is made publicly and if it is not
possible for all taking part to go in an orderly way from
station to station, it suffices if at least the one
conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the
others remaining in their place.
Those who are "impeded" can gain the same indulgence, if
they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and
meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
For those belonging to Oriental rites, amongst whom this
pious exercise is not practiced, the respective Patriarchs
can determine some other pious exercise in memory of the
Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ for the gaining
of this indulgence.
To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform
the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill
the following three conditions:
From the Enchiridion of Indulgences (June 29, 1968)
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