Section I. On the Privileged Altar

I. Notion. The privilege of an altar is a privilege by virtue of which a plenary indulgence, under certain conditions, is attached to the celebration of Mass. This indulgence indeed has chiefly been granted for the departed, but sometimes also for the living.¹ Today, however, it is usually granted for the departed only. As regards it, the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences responded on July 28, 1840 - and these things otherwise agree with general principles - that "by an indulgence attached to a privileged altar, if the mind of the one granting and the use of the power of the keys are considered, there is to be understood a plenary indulgence which immediately frees the soul from all the punishments of Purgatory; but if the effect of the application is considered, there is to be understood an Indulgence whose measure corresponds to the good pleasure and acceptance of divine mercy."² Now this indulgence obtains its effect more certainly than others, insofar as on the part of the priest it requires nothing except the application of the Mass (n. 521).

As regards the sense of the privilege, observe furthermore: the indulgence is applied only to him for whom the Mass is said,³ and indeed only to one person, even if the Mass is celebrated for several.⁴

¹ If this indulgence has been granted for the living and the departed, it "is to be interpreted in such a way that a Plenary Indulgence is understood to be granted both for the living, if the sacrifice of the Mass is applied on the altar in question, and for the departed, if the Holy Sacrifice is applied for them: for the living by way of jurisdiction, for the departed by way of suffrage" (Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, August 25, 1897).

² Decreta authentica, n. 283.

³ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 18, 1885; August 25, 1897.

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 29, 1864 (Decreta authentica, n. 402, to I); June 19, 1880 (Decreta authentica, n. 451, to II).

II. Division. The privilege is distinguished as local, which is attached to an altar, so that all celebrating on it enjoy the privilege; personal, which inheres in the priest, so that, on whatever altar he celebrates, he enjoys the privilege; and mixed, which affects both altar and priest, so that only determinate priests, for example members of some Confraternity celebrating on such an altar, possess the privilege.

III. Local privilege.

1. First note these things, although less properly they constitute a local privilege: on the day of the Commemoration of all the faithful departed, all Masses enjoy the privilege as if they were celebrated at a privileged altar (canon 917, § 1).

2. All altars of a church, during those days on which the supplication of the Forty Hours is held in it, are privileged (canon 917, § 2). Understand: provided that in that supplication those things are observed which Pius X established by decree of the Holy Office on June 22, 1914.¹

3. Who besides the Roman Pontiff can designate some privileged altar, and to what extent, see n. 494.

Note 1. In order that the privilege be attached to some altar, the altar must be fixed. But it suffices that it be fixed in the broad sense, or such that its structure has some firmness, insofar namely as, even if it is not fixed to a wall, nevertheless ordinarily it is not moved, although it could be moved.² It is not an obstacle that the consecrated stone can be removed or another substituted for it.³ To what extent the privilege revives if a destroyed altar is rebuilt, see n. 515.

Note 2. In order to indicate that an altar is privileged, nothing else should be inscribed except: privileged altar, perpetual or for a time, daily or not, according to the words of the concession (canon 918, § 1).

¹ A.A.S. 1914, p. 74.

² Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, July 18, 1902.

³ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, September 27, 1843 (Decreta authentica, n. 324).

IV. Personal privilege. By force of common law, Cardinals (canon 239, § 1, n. 10), Bishops, whether residential or titular (canon 349, § 1, 1°), and Apostolic Vicars and Prefects (canon 294, § 1) enjoy this privilege.

Note 1. One who obtains a personal privilege from the Apostolic See is not bound to exhibit the said faculty to the Ordinary unless otherwise disposed in the concession obtained.¹

Note 2. One who enjoys a personal privilege for three or four times in the week and is aggregated to some Congregation which also enjoys such a privilege can use both, provided that in the indult something else is not expressly disposed.²

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 5, 1841 (Decreta authentica, n. 286, to II).

² Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, May 27, 1839 (Decreta authentica, n. 272).

V. Conditions to be fulfilled.

1. For Masses to be celebrated on a privileged altar, a greater Mass alms cannot be demanded under pretext of the privilege (canon 918, § 2).

2. The Mass must be offered for the departed only, one or several; since the privilege has no place if the Mass is offered for the living or for the living and departed at the same time.¹

3. The Mass should be offered for one soul only, or, if it is celebrated for several, also for the soul to whom the priest wills that the indulgence be applied. For the indulgence, as was said in n. 517, is not applied except to him for whom it is celebrated.

It is not required that either the one offering the alms or the priest intend to apply the privilege; for this, by the very fact that the celebration has place, is applied to the soul, or to one of the souls, for whom it is celebrated. This is deduced from responses of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences: in the case, the Church herself seems to ask God that, if the Mass is celebrated for one, He apply the indulgence to this one; if for several, to him to whom He Himself shall prefer. Hence it seems one must say that in the privilege of the altar the faculty of applying the indulgence does not belong to the celebrant himself. Finally, for validity the quality of a Requiem Mass, or of a feria or vigil, is now not required, nor the addition of the Prayer for the departed.²

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, January 23, 1901.

² Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 12, 1855 (Decreta authentica, n. 366, to I); June 19, 1880 (Decreta authentica, n. 451, to III); Holy Office, March 20, 1913.

VI. Gregorian altar; concerning this, some things must be noted in particular. Now by Gregorian Altar is understood the altar of St. Gregory on Monte Coeli in Rome. Moreover, the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences responded on March 15, 1884, that the trust by which the faithful hold the celebration of thirty Masses, which are commonly called Gregorian, as 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 approved in the Church.¹ And the Holy Office, on December 2, 1912,² declared that the said Altar is truly and properly privileged, that is, such that a plenary indulgence is attached to it. There are also altars called Gregorian ad instar, namely which are privileged after the likeness of the Gregorian altar; these, however, after the decree of the Holy Office of December 11-12, 1912, to VII,³ are no longer granted.

We spoke of the so-called Gregorian Masses in the treatise on the Most Holy Eucharist, n. 222.

¹ A.S.S. XVI, p. 500.

² A.A.S. V, p. 33, to VII.

³ A.S.S. 1913, p. 33.