Eli’s Mind

An indulgence is a term historically used in the context of the Roman Catholic Church to refer to the remission of the temporal punishment for sins, either for oneself or for a deceased person. It was believed that through acts of piety, such as prayer, fasting, or charitable deeds, individuals could receive indulgences as a way to lessen the time spent in purgatory or to alleviate the consequences of their sins. However, the concept of indulgences has evolved over time, and the Catholic Church’s understanding and practice of indulgences have undergone significant changes since the Reformation in the 16th century.