What are plenary indulgences and how can I get two this New Year’s?

Photo by James Ramos/Herald

Looking for a way to go into the new year with some extra grace? Did you know the Church offers TWO chances for plenary indulgences as we ring in the New Year?

New Year’s Eve

The first opportunity comes on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, as we reflect on all God has done in 2025 and prepare for a new year. For those who publicly recite the Te Deum, a plenary indulgence is granted under the normal conditions detailed below.

The Te Deum is a traditional prayer of profound thanksgiving and joy originally attributed to St. Ambrose, St. Augustine or St. Hilary and now attributed to Nicetas, a 4th-century bishop of Remesiana. Regardless of its author, the hymn certainly has a long history of prayer and praise! It is prayed at the end of the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours on certain days throughout the liturgical year and lifts beautiful praise to God: “You are God: we praise you; You are God, we acclaim you.”

On the final day of the year, as faithful from around the world reflect on what God has done in 2025 and prepare for his grace-filled blessings in 2026, the Church sets forth the Te Deum as a powerful prayer of thanksgiving to God, in union with the saints who have gone before us. Those who publicly recite the Te Deum in thanksgiving on the final day of the year, New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, are granted a plenary indulgence under the normal conditions detailed below.

Scroll down to hear both prayers chanted in Latin, and follow along in prayer!

New Year’s Day

The second opportunity comes on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, as we begin the new year by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, a Holy Day of Obligation. For those who publicly recite the Veni, Creator Spiritus, a plenary indulgence is granted under the normal conditions detailed below.

The Veni, Creator Spiritus is also an ancient prayerful hymn in the Church. Attributed to 8th-century Rabanus Maurus, it is often sung on Pentecost, at Confirmation and Holy Orders, and whenever the Holy Spirit is solemnly invoked. In this way, the prayer begs the Holy Spirit to come among God’s people to “take up thy rest,” to “come with thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which thou hast made.”

On the first day of the year, as we look to the Mother of God, Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the Church recommends the Veni, Creator Spiritus as a serious source of grace in the New Year. Those who solemnly invoke the Holy Spirit on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, by reciting the Veni, Creator Spiritus are granted a plenary indulgence under the normal conditions detailed below.

What is public recitation?

For the plenary indulgence attached to the Te Deum (Dec. 31) or Veni Creator (Jan. 1), public recitation means devoutly joining a solemn communal chant or recitation in a church or oratory. You can sing, recite aloud, or follow mentally with pious attention, for example, at a Vigil Mass this evening at your parish. Private recitation (e.g., at home) of these prayers grants a partial indulgence.

Both indulgences are still granted under the usual conditions noted below. Those who are legitimately impeded from public prayer (such as distance or illness) may still gain indulgences through private recitation with the same conditions. The prayers are beautiful ways to thank God for 2025 and ask for His blessings in 2026 all while receiving a special grace.

What is a plenary indulgence, and how do I receive one?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1471) and the Code of Canon Law (canon 992), “an indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints.”

In other words, an indulgence removes some of the penitential punishment for sins that have already been forgiven, through the “treasury of satisfaction which Christ and the saints won for the remission of temporal punishment” (Indulgentiarum doctrina, 8).

Because we are part of the Body of Christ, we may benefit from the graces God gives his Church because of her holiness and the holiness of her members: “The union of the wayfarers with the brethren who have gone to sleep in the peace of Christ is not in the least weakened or interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the perpetual faith of the Church, is strengthened by a communication of spiritual goods” (ID, 5).

A gift from God through his Church, indulgences — the remission of temporal punishment for our sins — may help us along the way to Heaven. While sins are completely absolved in the sacrament of Confession, an atonement remains necessary. This atonement begins with our penitential practices and prayers and can be enhanced by special opportunities for indulgences granted by the Church, which was given the authority to forgive sins and dispense grace (cf. Mt 16:19).

The Church sets forth the following conditions for a plenary indulgence to be granted (ID, norm 7):

1. Be in a state of grace when the indulgenced work is completed;
2. Have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin;
3. Have sacramentally confessed one’s sins;
4. Receive the Holy Eucharist;
5. Pray for the intentions of the Pope.

The Church also adds some extra clarification to some of these conditions:

• A plenary indulgence can only be acquired once per day (ID, norm 6).
• One may make a sacramental Confession and receive Holy Communion “within several days before or after the prescribed work” (ID, norm 8).
• One sacramental Confession can satisfy the requirement for several plenary indulgences, but separate receptions of Holy Communion and prayers for the Holy Father are required for each plenary indulgence (ID, norm 9).
• An Our Father and a Hail Mary are suggested prayers for the Pope’s intentions (ID, norm 10).
• Indulgences can either be applied to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but not to other living persons (ID, norm 3). It is worth noting that some indulgences can only be applied to the souls of the faithful departed, like the ones offered by the Church in early November for the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (All Souls).

Te Deum

Latin:
Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur. Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur. Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates; Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae. Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus, Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus, Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus. Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia, Patrem immensae maiestatis: Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium; Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum. Tu Rex gloriae, Christe. Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius. Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum. Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum. Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris. Iudex crederis esse venturus. Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti. Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.

V. Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
R. Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.

V. Per singulos dies benedicimus te.
R. Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.

V. Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
R. Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.

V. Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
R. In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.

English:
You are God: we praise you; You are God: we acclaim you; You are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you: Father, of majesty unbounded, Your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, And the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the king of glory, The eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free You did not spurn the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come, and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, Bought with the price of your own blood, And bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.

V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name forever.

V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

V. Lord, show us your love and mercy; For we put our trust in you.
R: In you, Lord, is our hope: And we shall never hope in vain.

Español
A ti, oh Dios, te alabamos, a ti, Señor, te reconocemos. A ti, eterno Padre, te venera toda la creación.
Los ángeles todos, los cielos y todas las potestades te honran. Los querubines y serafines te cantan sin cesar:
Santo, Santo, Santo es el Señor, Dios del universo. Los cielos y la tierra están llenos de la majestad de tu gloria.
A ti te ensalza el glorioso coro de los Apóstoles, la multitud admirable de los Profetas, el blanco ejército de los mártires.
A ti la Iglesia santa, extendida por toda la tierra, te proclama:
Padre de inmensa majestad, Hijo único y verdadero, digno de adoración, Espíritu Santo, Defensor.
Tú eres el Rey de la gloria, Cristo. Tú eres el Hijo único del Padre.
Tú, para liberar al hombre, aceptaste la condición humana sin desdeñar el seno de la Virgen.
Tú, rotas las cadenas de la muerte, abriste a los creyentes el reino del cielo.
Tú te sientas a la derecha de Dios en la gloria del Padre. Creemos que un día has de venir como juez.
Te rogamos, pues, que vengas en ayuda de tus siervos, a quienes redimiste con tu preciosa sangre.
Haz que en la gloria eterna nos asociemos a tus santos. Salva a tu pueblo, Señor, y bendice tu heredad.
Sé su pastor y ensálzalo eternamente. Día tras día te bendecimos y alabamos tu nombre para siempre, por eternidad de eternidades.
Dígnate, Señor, en este día guardarnos del pecado.
Ten piedad de nosotros, Señor, ten piedad de nosotros. Que tu misericordia, Señor, venga sobre nosotros, como lo esperamos de ti.
En ti, Señor, confié, no me veré defraudado para siempre.

Veni, Creator Spiritus

Latin:
Veni, Creator Spiritus, mentes tuorum visita, imple superna gratia quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus, altissima donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, caritas, et spiritalis unctio.
Tu, septiformis munere, digitus paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus: infunde amorem cordibus: infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti.
Hostem repellas longius, pacemque dones protinus: ductore sic te praevio vitemus omne noxium.
Per te sciamus da Patrem, noscamus atque Filium; Teque utrisque Spiritum credamus omni tempore.
Deo Patri sit gloria, et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit, ac Paraclito, in saeculorum saecula. Amen.

English:
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High, O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known; Thou, finger of God's hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o'erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead; so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.

Español

Ven, Espíritu Creador, visita las almas de tus fieles llena con tu divina gracia, los corazones que creaste.

Tú, a quien llamamos Paráclito, don de Dios Altísimo, fuente viva, fuego, caridad y espiritual unción.

Tú derramas sobre nosotros los siete dones; Tú, dedo de la diestra del Padre;  Tú, fiel promesa del Padre; que inspiras nuestras palabras.

Ilumina nuestros sentidos; infunde tu amor en nuestros corazones; y, con tu perpetuo auxilio, fortalece la debilidad de nuestro cuerpo.

Aleja de nosotros al enemigo, danos pronto la paz, sé nuestro director y nuestro guía, para que evitemos todo mal. 

Por ti conozcamos al Padre, al Hijo revélanos también; Creamos en ti, su Espíritu, por los siglos de los siglos. 

Gloria a Dios Padre, y al Hijo que resucitó, y al Espíritu Consolador, por los siglos de los siglos. Amén.

This article was first published at the Denver Catholic, official news outlet of the Archdiocese of Denver. Republished with permission.