On the Privileged and Gregorian Altar

What is a privileged altar? A privileged altar is an altar to which the Supreme Pontiff has annexed a plenary indulgence, which, if the mind of the one granting and the use of the power of the keys are considered, would immediately free a soul from all the punishments of Purgatory; but if the effect of application is considered, it is understood as an indulgence whose measure corresponds to the good pleasure and acceptance of divine mercy. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, July 28, 1840; Benedict XIV, Instruction 56, n. 15.

This indulgence does not differ from other plenary indulgences which are applied to the departed, except insofar as it has a more certain effect. For, according to the common opinion of the doctors, it does not depend on the personal dispositions of the priest, but on the offering of the divine victim, since it is attached solely to the celebration of the divine sacrifice on such an altar. Hence a priest who, from a stipend received, must celebrate at a privileged altar, does not satisfy the obligation undertaken by celebrating at another altar and gaining a plenary indulgence annexed to some pious work or object; but he does satisfy if he enjoys the privilege of a personal privileged altar. Those who make the heroic act of charity have such a privilege. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 13, 1745; February 22, 1847; May 2, 1852.

For a privileged altar is one thing local, another personal, according as the privilege adheres either to a determined altar or to a person, in whatever altar he celebrates, whether privileged or not, whether fixed or portable. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 15, 1852; March 20, 1846.

What are the required conditions for a local privileged altar? It is necessary that the church or oratory in which it is present be blessed; it is not required that they be consecrated. But it is necessary that the altar be fixed, that is, that it cannot be moved from the place. Therefore, to establish the quality of a fixed altar, it suffices that in the middle of a stable and immovable altar, although not consecrated, there be placed a consecrated stone, even one that is movable. It suffices that the altar be wooden, by no means fastened to the wall, with a stone consecrated in the middle of the mensa, and specially dedicated to some Saint.

The indulgence is granted to the fixed altar itself, not to the movable consecrated stone, which can be substituted one for another as necessity or opportunity requires. Nor can the aforesaid indulgence be transferred from one fixed altar to another fixed altar in the same church or oratory without a special faculty. And the indulgence is lost even if the fixed altar itself is transferred from one church to another; but not at all if it is transferred from one place to another in the same church, while nevertheless remaining under the same invocation; or if because of age it is constructed anew, or is repaired as to the greater part, provided it is constructed again under the same title or invocation. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, April 22, 1752; January 30, 1760; November 17, 1764; December 15, 1841; April 24, 1843; March 20, 1846; March 26, 1867; September 27, 1843; September 16, 1723; June 27, 1836; April 24, 1843; July 15, 1902.

What are the conditions required for gaining the indulgence of a privileged altar? 1. The indulgence of a privileged altar cannot be separated from the application or fruit of the sacrifice of the Mass. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, August 25, 1897.

2. It is necessary to apply the Mass for the same soul for whom the Mass is celebrated. Holy Office, July 8, 1846; Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, January 31, 1848; December 18, 1885.

3. The indulgence cannot be applied except to one soul only, although someone celebrates Mass for several. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, July 28, 1840; February 29, 1864; June 19, 1880; December 19, 1885; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 13, p. 139, vol. 18, p. 340.

4. On days not impeded, the Mass of Requiem had to be read. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, April 11, 1840; February 22, 1847. On other days impeded by reason of the rite, one gained the indulgence by reading another Mass corresponding to the day. And this was valid also if someone did not read the Mass of Requiem by reason of the exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament, whether of the station of the church or of another solemnity. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, April 11, 1840; April 22, 1847; June 30, 1760; November 27, 1764; February 29, 1864, etc. But now from the Decree of the Holy Office, February 19, 1913, "for gaining the indulgence of a privileged altar, in the future there is no longer required, under pain of nullity, that a Mass of Requiem, or of a Feria or Vigil, be celebrated with the prayer proper for the departed; nevertheless this is laudably done, when it is lawful and fitting, by reason of piety toward the departed."

Note. When someone celebrates Mass at a privileged altar for some departed person, the Mass is of itself privileged, and it is not necessary that either the one offering the alms or the priest intend to apply the privilege. For an explicit intention of application is not required; an implicit one suffices. But when someone celebrates for several departed persons, if he does not explicitly apply the privilege to one determined soul, the aforesaid privilege does not thereby become useless. For then it is applied either to some soul as it shall please God, or to all, not fully to all, but partially to each. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 5, 1855; June 19, 1880; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 13, p. 141.

A Mass of the departed is to be celebrated only in black vestments: violet vestments cannot be used except in the case in which, on November 2, the sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist is exposed for the public adoration of the faithful for the solemn Prayer of the Forty Hours. Sacred Congregation of Rites, June 27, 1868, General Decree.

A priest who has celebrated Mass for a departed person at a privileged altar, and has applied to him the indulgence of the privileged altar, can on the same day, by force of the sacred Communion performed in the sacrifice, gain another plenary indulgence for himself or for the souls of Purgatory; indeed he can gain several plenary indulgences for the souls of Purgatory, if sacred Communion is prescribed for gaining them. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, May 10, 1844. E.M.

What of Gregorian Masses and the Gregorian altar? When a monk named Justus had died, St. Gregory pitied his state, because he had confessed that he had gravely offended the rule. Hence St. Gregory called another monk and said to him: Go therefore from this present day and for thirty continuous days offer the sacrifice for him; take care that no day be omitted on which the saving Victim is not offered for his absolution.

From this fact flowed the use of Masses which are named from St. Gregory, and which have special efficacy from the intercession of St. Gregory and from the particular destination of the Church.

But Gregorian Masses and the Gregorian altar are distinguished. The Gregorian altar is the altar of St. Gregory, on the Caelian Hill, in the City, which also is specially efficacious for the liberation of a soul from Purgatory when Mass has been celebrated upon it. And this same efficacy is also had by other Gregorian altars ad instar from a special concession of the Church.

A privileged altar is not to be confused with a Gregorian altar. A privileged altar has its effect for freeing a soul from the punishments of Purgatory from the use of the power of the keys. But a Gregorian altar has a special title to divine acceptance, namely the mediation of St. Gregory and the particular destination of the Church; but a concession of a plenary indulgence for Gregorian altars is not established. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, August 24, 1888; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 1, p. 254 ff.

Hence the confidence by which the faithful hold that the celebration of Mass at the altar of St. Gregory, in his church on the Caelian Hill, is specially efficacious, from the good pleasure and acceptance of divine mercy, for the liberation of a soul from the punishments of Purgatory, is pious and rational, and the practice of celebrating these same Masses is approved in the Church. The same is to be said of Gregorian altars ad instar. Likewise the confidence by which the faithful hold that the celebration of thirty Masses, which are commonly called Gregorian, is specially efficacious, from the good pleasure and acceptance of divine mercy, for the liberation of a soul from the punishments of Purgatory, is pious and rational, and the practice of celebrating these same Masses is approved in the Church. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 15, 1884; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 16, p. 508 ff. E.M.

The privilege of a Gregorian Altar was granted to the high altar, dedicated to Saints Benedict and Scholastica, of the Benedictine Crypt at Monte Cassino. Pius X, Brief Archicoenobium Casinense, February 10, 1913.

Gregorian Masses are to be celebrated on thirty continuous days, and laudably as Requiem Masses, when they can be celebrated.

It is not necessary that the aforesaid thirty continuous Masses, without any interruption, be celebrated by the same priest and at the same altar, although they must be applied for one and the same soul, whose liberation is implored. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, January 14, 1889. "Decree, December 11, 1912. The following doubts were presented concerning the thirty Masses which are called Gregorian, and also concerning the Altars, both of the church of St. Gregory on the Caelian Hill of the City and those existing elsewhere, which after the likeness of that one are called Gregorian:

I. Whether it is necessary that the thirty Masses which are called Gregorian be celebrated on thirty continuous days without interruption? And insofar as affirmative:

II. Whether in the case a priest satisfies who on the same day, twice or three times, either by himself, for example on the day of the Nativity of the Lord, or through others, resumes the celebration, so that all the Masses are celebrated within the space of thirty days? And insofar as negative:

III. Whether the same priest is bound to substitute another for himself who will celebrate some Mass of the tricenary?

IV. Whether someone satisfies the obligation of seeing to a Gregorian tricenary if he commits thirty Gregorian Masses, distributed to several priests, to be celebrated on the same day or within the space of a few days, for the said intention?

V. Whether on days occurring in the tricenary, on which a Mass of Requiem is permitted by the rubrics, it must itself be read in order to satisfy the burden of the Gregorian tricenary?

VI. Whether the Altar of St. Gregory on the Caelian Hill in Rome is truly and properly privileged?

VII. What conditions are required for obtaining the privilege of a Gregorian Altar ad instar?

VIII. Whether a personal privilege of a Gregorian Altar ad instar is granted? And insofar as negative:

IX. What is to be said of concessions of a personal Gregorian Altar perhaps already made?

Response. To I: In the affirmative, as in the decisions of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, January 14, 1889.

To II: In the negative. To III: In the affirmative. To IV: In the negative. To V: In the negative; nevertheless it can laudably be read, by reason of piety toward the departed, on days on which it is lawful and fitting. To VI: In the affirmative, according to the Rescript from the audience of His Holiness, dated February 18, 1752. To VII: Henceforth Gregorian Altars are not to be granted. To VIII: In the negative. To IX: Let them be considered as mere concessions of a simply privileged personal Altar."

What of the heroic act of charity with regard to the privileged altar? A personal indult of a privileged altar on each day of the year, as also the faculty of applying to the departed all indulgences granted and to be granted for the living, has been granted for the heroic act of charity toward the souls of Purgatory. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, Decree Urbis et Orbis, November 20, 1854.

This act consists in this: that one of Christ's faithful, either using some formula or only mentally, offers to God for the souls of Purgatory all satisfactory works which he himself will perform as long as he lives, and all indulgences which he can gain, and also all suffrages which in any way can come to him after death. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 18, 1885.

But an heroic act of this kind does not prevent someone from satisfying the obligations which he has, and from offering suffrages for this or that soul. The heroic act of charity can be revoked. Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 20, 1907; Acta Sanctae Sedis, vol. 40, p. 370 ff. E.M.