Origin of the Indulgence

10. But We have not yet set out all the reasons for Our present exhortation. What is said to have occurred in 1300 in the time of Boniface VIII is well known. At that time a rumor spread that in the first year of every century a plenary indulgence for sins was granted to all who approached the tombs of the holy apostles. The originator of this rumor, which was rife not only in Rome but also in many other parts of the world, despite a long and careful search, was never found. Thereupon Boniface VIII at the very turn of the century published his famous constitution Antiquorum habet fida relatio in which he granted the fullest forgiveness of sins to all who confessed with true repentance and visited the basilicas of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul fifteen times if they were strangers and thirty times if they were Romans. And furthermore he conferred forever on the first year in future centuries the same benefit of most ample indulgences obtainable on the same conditions. The whole progress of this affair was recorded by the trustworthy pen of Jacobus Cajetan Cardinal Deacon of St. George in Velabra, the nephew of this Pontiff, and is printed in Bibliothecae Maximae Patrum, tome 25, p. 937f, of the Lyons edition. Similarly the period of a hundred years prescribed by Boniface VIII was reduced to fifty years by Clement VI, to thirty-three years by Urban VI, and finally to twenty-five years by Paul 11. Clement VI added a visitation of the Lateran basilica and Urban VI, of the Liberian basilica. In Our recently published Constitution, We have made no changes in the customary practice of the Church, either regarding the churches to be visited or the number of visits or works prescribed for obtaining indulgences, except for adding the reception of the Holy Eucharist.

Exhortation

Finally, Our aim is to ensure that the pious works undertaken on these pilgrimages are accomplished with the proper humility and devotion. For the performance of these works is mandatory, not just advisable. Now We address all the faithful with the words with which Augustinus Valerius, the watchful bishop of the church of Verona (soon to be an excellent Cardinal of the holy Roman Church), exhorted the beloved people of his city and diocese in his in Pastorali epistola in 1574. This was published on the occasion of the Jubilee Gregory XIII solemnized in the following year. The citation from the epistle is translated from Italian into Latin: "Brothers, the grace of the Holy Spirit summons you to Rome in the coming year of Jubilee; likewise the great treasure which is offered to you invites you. I exhort you all equally for your part to don the vestment of joy which is the permanent companion of a good conscience. For so it will come about that on receiving the grace of sanctification in this year of Jubilee, you will return from the holy pilgrimage more ready than before to serve God".