The Papal or Apostolic Blessing

I. Notion. A papal blessing is a blessing granted by the Supreme Pontiff or in his name. It is a sacramental, to which a plenary indulgence is usually attached.

II. Granting of the blessing.

1. Who can grant it by common law, see n. 494.

2. In granting the blessing the prescribed formula is to be used (canon 914). Moreover: 1. Bishops and other secular Prelates are to use the rites and formula prescribed by Clement XIII, September 5, 1762, and inserted in the appendix of the Roman Pontifical. 2. Regular Prelates are to use the formula established by Benedict XIV through the Encyclical Exemptis praedecessorum, March 19, 1748, and reported in the Roman Ritual, title VIII, chapter 32. 3. Missionaries can grant it with the sign of the Cross alone and the formula: "May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, descend upon you and remain always. R. Amen";¹ nevertheless it is permitted to use the formula of the Roman Ritual.

¹ Sacred Congregation of Rites, May 11, 1911, to III.

III. Acquisition of the indulgence. Unless something else is expressly established, for acquiring the indulgence it suffices that one be: 1. present to the one blessing; 2. contrite in heart, or in the state of grace.¹

¹ Cf. Fanfani, p. 74.

I. Notion. The blessing of which we speak is understood as a blessing granted by the Supreme Pontiff, or in his name, to one dying. To this likewise a plenary indulgence is attached, which obtains its effect at the moment at which the soul is separated from the body; and it is applicable only to the living.¹

¹ Raccolta, I, p. XXII, 4 and 11, Avvertenze, 1°; cf. A.S.S. 32, p. 238.

II. Granting of the indulgence.

1. Who can grant it, see n. 494.

2. It is to be granted "to those sick persons who either asked for it while they were of sound mind and with their senses intact, or would probably have asked for it, or have given signs of contrition; it is to be imparted to them also if afterward they have been deprived of the use of the tongue and of the other senses, or have fallen into delirium or insanity. But it is altogether to be denied to the excommunicated, the impenitent, and those who die in manifest mortal sin."¹ Nor are children excluded, even if they have not yet received their first Communion, provided they are capable of sinning.² Likewise it can be granted to all those to whom death is imminent from an external cause, as to those condemned to death or to soldiers before battle.³

3. It can be granted as soon as one is in such danger that Viaticum can be administered to him; but the custom is, and it is founded in the Roman Ritual, of granting it after the Sacraments of Penance, Holy Eucharist, and Extreme Unction have been received.

4. It is to be granted with the formula prescribed by Benedict XIV through the Bull Pia Mater, April 5, 1747, and inserted in the Roman Ritual, title V, chapter 6, and indeed under pain of nullity both as regards the formula itself⁴ and as regards the Latin language⁵ to be used.

The practice of imparting the blessing to several sick persons at once can be tolerated, provided that the formula of blessing, "Our Lord Jesus Christ," down to the words "Holy Spirit, Amen," is pronounced individually over each one, even if all the rest has been recited in the plural.⁶

5. Since the indulgence is applied at the last moment of life, a blessing once granted in the same illness cannot be granted again;⁷ and this holds even if it could be received under several titles,⁸ or if someone received it in the state of grave sin or fell back into sin after receiving it.⁹ Otherwise, if someone, having been delivered from grave danger, falls into it again.¹⁰

¹ Roman Ritual, title V, chapter 6, n. 1. Likewise the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, September 23, 1775 (Decreta authentica, n. 237, to V), responded that the blessing at the point of death with application of the plenary indulgence can, if there is danger in delay, be granted both validly and licitly to those who, even culpably, have not been refreshed from the beginning of the illness by the Sacraments of Penance, or Eucharist, or Extreme Unction, or by any of these, and suddenly are turning toward death.

² Sacred Congregation of Rites, December 16, 1826 (Decreta authentica, n. 2650).

³ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, December 18, 1885.

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 5, 1841 (Decreta authentica, n. 286, to VIII); March 22, 1879; Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, May 7, 1882; Brief of Leo XIII, July 7, 1882 (Decreta authentica, n. 444, to III, pp. 411 and 491).

⁵ Cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, June 3, 1904 (A.S.S. XXXVIII, p. 340, to I).

⁶ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, June 10, 1886.

⁷ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, September 23, 1775, to 6 (Decreta authentica, n. 237, to VI); June 20, 1836 (Decreta authentica, n. 237, to VII); September 24, 1838 (Decreta authentica, n. 263, to II).

⁸ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, March 12, 1885.

⁹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, June 20, 1836 (Decreta authentica, n. 257, to VII).

¹⁰ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, June 10, 1886.

III. Acquisition of the indulgence. In order that the indulgence be acquired, the following are required for validity:

1. That the person constituted in danger be in the state of grace, at least at the last moment of life (n. 500).

2. That he invoke with his mouth, if he can, otherwise in his heart, the Most Holy Name of Jesus.¹

3. That he receive the pains of sickness and death itself from the hand of the Lord with a calm and willing mind, in satisfaction for sins.²

Note 1. Neither the Bull Pia Mater nor the Raccolta (p. 529) requires Confession and reception of the Holy Eucharist; hence they are not prescribed, unless the rescript by which the faculty of imparting the blessing is granted to someone requires them, which today is usually the case.³

Note 2. When Viaticum, Extreme Unction, and the papal blessing are conferred at the point of death, the Confiteor, etc., must be recited three times.⁴

¹ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, September 23, 1775 (Decreta authentica, n. 237, to VII); September 22, 1892 (A.S.S. XXV, p. 315).

² The Bull Pia Mater, already cited.

³ Beringer-Steinen, I, n. 1027 (A.A.S. IX, pp. 54, 69).

⁴ Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, February 5, 1841 (Decreta authentica, n. 286, to VII).

VI. Observations. - 1) To the dying to whom the sacraments are ministered, the general absolution according to can. 468 is also to be granted by any priest: "To any priest who assists the sick there belongs the faculty of granting to them the Apostolic Blessing with plenary indulgence in the article of death, according to the form handed down by approved liturgical books, which blessing he should not omit to impart."

Therefore under the name of general absolution comes the plenary indulgence which the Roman Pontiff imparts to the dying, by himself or by delegates, under the form of a blessing; and under this aspect it is altogether distinguished from the plenary indulgence which, without any blessing, those can gain in the article of death who possess a blessed or pious object, e.g., a cross or plaque, to which an apostolic indulgence is attached, or members of a confraternity to which such a privilege has been granted.

General absolution can be granted to all placed in grave danger, even from a cause other than illness, but the indulgence remains suspended and does not attain its effect except in the true and physical article of death. And therefore it neither ought nor can be repeated, nor given under several titles, in the same illness however long-lasting, since this would be altogether useless, even if afterward the dying person fell into a new mortal sin; - but it is to be repeated only if the sick person recovers and afterward falls into a new danger, S. C. Indulgences, 24 Sept. 1838; 12 March 1855; 12 Feb. 1842.

The conditions required in the sick person for gaining it, from the bull of Benedict XIV Pia mater, 5 Apr. 1747, are: a) that he not be excommunicated or manifestly impenitent; but if he is doubtfully disposed, let the apostolic blessing be granted as often as absolution or Extreme Unction is given, even only under condition;

b) that he has received the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, if he can; but if he cannot, the state of grace suffices while he gives forth his supreme breath;

c) that he offer himself prepared to accept whatever shall please God, and to undergo death itself patiently in satisfaction for the punishments which he has merited by sinning;

d) that he devoutly invoke the most holy Name of Jesus by mouth if he can, otherwise in heart; and elicit an act of sorrow and charity.

708. The apostolic blessing, or general absolution, as it is customarily called, must also be granted to the dying to whom the sacraments are ministered, and can be granted by any priest, according to can. 468, § 2: "to the priest who assists the sick there is the faculty of granting them the Apostolic Blessing with plenary indulgence at the article of death according to the form handed down by approved liturgical books, which blessing he is not to omit imparting."

Therefore under the name of general absolution comes the plenary indulgence which the Supreme Pontiff, by himself or through delegates, imparts to the dying under the form of a blessing: under this respect it is wholly distinguished from the plenary indulgence which, without any blessing, can be gained at the article of death either by those who have with them a blessed or pious object (for example, a cross or tablet), to be carried with them or in the room until death, to which an apostolic indulgence is annexed; or by members of a confraternity to which such a privilege has been conceded.

General absolution can be granted to all adults, or those capable of malice, constituted in grave danger, even from a cause other than disease, who have sought it or probably would have sought it, or have given signs of contrition; - but the indulgence remains suspended and does not obtain its effect except in the true and physical article of death. And therefore it neither should nor can be repeated or given under several titles in the same infirmity however long-lasting, since this is wholly useless, even if afterward the dying person has fallen into a new mortal sin; - but it is only to be repeated if the sick person has recovered and afterward has fallen into a new danger (S. C. Indg., Sept. 24, 1838; Mar. 12, 1855; Feb. 12, 1842).

The conditions required in the sick person for gaining it, from the bull of Benedict XIV, Pia mater, Apr. 5, 1747, are:

a) That he not be excommunicated or manifestly impenitent; but if he is doubtfully disposed, the apostolic blessing should be granted whenever sacramental absolution or Extreme Unction is given, even only under condition.

b) That he have received the sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist, if he can; but if he cannot, the state of grace suffices while he gives forth his last breath.

c) That he offer himself as prepared for accepting whatever shall have pleased God, and for patiently undergoing death itself in satisfaction for the punishments which he himself has deserved by sinning.

d) That he devoutly invoke the Most Holy name of Jesus by mouth if he can, otherwise in heart; and that he elicit an act of sorrow and charity.

The aforesaid indulgence cannot be applied to the dead.

Caius, a missionary priest, was called to a dying member of the Third Order of St. Francis who, after receiving the sacraments, asked that, according to the privilege granted to Tertiaries, the Apostolic Blessing with a plenary indulgence at the moment of death be given to him. Caius indeed granted it according to the approved formula and, so that the dying man might be more secure, immediately gave him the apostolic blessing according to the Ritual. When another priest heard these things, he rebuked him, saying that a plenary indulgence at the moment of death can be gained only once, and that it is better to give the apostolic blessing when the dying man is at the point of dying, lest by sinning afterwards he incur penalties to be discharged. Hence it is asked:

1. Can the apostolic blessing with a plenary indulgence at the moment of death be given several times to a dying person?

2. Must the actual moment of death be awaited for this blessing to be given?

3. What is to be said of the case?

1. Can the apostolic blessing with a plenary indulgence be given several times to a person in danger of death?

No, it can only be given once while the person is in the same danger of death either by different priests or by the same priest on different titles.¹

1 Ojetti, Synopsis Rer. Moral., s.v. Indulgentia.

2. Is the moment of death to be waited for in order that the blessing may be given?

No, the apostolic blessing may be given as soon as the recipient is in danger of death and capable of receiving the sacrament of Extreme Unction. The blessing only takes its effect in the true moment of death, and in the meantime its effect is suspended.²

2 Génicot, vol. ii, n. 410.

3. The case, Caius did right to accede to the pious wish of the dying tertiary, and give him the papal blessing to which he had a right. He did wrong to repeat it immediately after according to the form in the Ritual. The Sacred Congregation of Indulgences has several times answered that the blessing may be given only once. On the other hand the second priest was wrong in saying that the papal blessing should be given when the recipient is actually dying; it takes its effect at that time if it were validly given and received, but it may be given as soon as the recipient is in danger of death, as was said above.

Discussing recently, with some fellow priests, the question of the papal benediction in articulo mortis, there seemed to be a considerable difference of opinion as to how often it might be given to the same sick person during the progress of the same sickness. Some of the clergy thought that it might be given or repeated whenever Extreme Unction was given or repeated. Others thought that if it were given to a sick person while in mortal sin it ought to be repeated when such person made a good confession. Others seemed to think that if the sickness continued for some time and the sick person had the misfortune to fall, from time to time, into mortal sin, the blessing ought to be repeated each time that the sick person received absolution for mortal sin. Is there any certainty in this matter, or may a priest follow whatever seems good and reasonable to him?

Answer.—A priest may not follow whatever seems good to him in this matter, as the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences has, at various times, answered all the above questions. Let us take them up, one after another. First, may the papal blessing be given more than once during the same sickness? At least, may it be repeated whenever Extreme Unction may be repeated during a protracted sickness? No, the papal blessing, in articulo mortis, may not be given more than once during the same sickness, even though it might be allowed to repeat the administration of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. St. Alphonsus and the theologians generally permit the repetition of Extreme Unction during the same sickness about once a month, because if the sick person continues to live for a month or more after having been anointed, the original crisis or danger of death, or periculum mortis, is supposed to have passed and a new danger to have supervened, which renders lawful a new administration of Extreme Unction. But the same can not be said for the repetition of the papal blessing, because the Congregation of Indulgences forbids it. Asked whether the last blessing might be given “twice or more in the same illness, which is unexpectedly prolonged, even if the sick person has not recovered,” the Sacred Congregation replied, September 23, 1775: “Once in the same condition of illness.” Again, when the Sacred Congregation was approached with the doubt: “Whether the apostolic blessing can be imparted several times to the sick when a new danger of death returns,” it replied on September 24, 1838: “No, while the same illness continues, even if prolonged; yes, if the sick person has recovered and afterward, from whatever cause, returns to a new danger of death.” The reason why it is not permitted to repeat the blessing during the same sickness is because such repetition is useless. The plenary indulgence granted by the Pope to the dying can be gained only once and that only at the instant of death. If the sickness continues, the indulgence also continues, to be gained at the moment of death. If the sick person does not die, neither does he gain the indulgence. If the sick person recovers and later on contracts a new sickness, he must receive a new blessing, because the former one passed with the passing of the sickness, for which alone it was granted. The second question to be answered is this: If the last blessing was received in the state of mortal sin, ought it to be repeated when the sick person is absolved from mortal sin? Again the answer is no. This was the answer made to this question by the Congregation of Indulgences on June 20, 1836. As the plenary indulgence is not gained when it is given, but only at the moment of death, it makes no difference quoad hoc, whether the sick person be in the state of grace or in mortal sin at the time the blessing is given. The indulgence is gained at the instant of death, at the moment when the soul leaves the body, and if at that moment the dying person is in the state of grace and has complied with the other conditions for gaining the indulgence he gains it, even though he was in mortal sin at the time the priest gave him the blessing. Therefore, Fr. Schneider, S.J., in his work, “Rescripta Authentica,” p. 701, after reminding his readers that the blessing can be given only once during the same sickness adds: “For none of these things hinders the effect if the sick person is disposed at the true moment of death; the indulgence is given precisely for that moment,”

For the reasons just given it follows that it is not lawful to repeat the last blessing, even though the sick person, after having received it in the state of grace, should afterward fall into mortal sin. As was just said, the plenary indulgence granted by the blessing is intended only for the moment of death. If the dying person, who has received the blessing while in the state of grace and then has had the misfortune to fall into mortal sin, is in the state of grace at the moment of death, that. is all that the sovereign pontiff requires for the gaining of the indulgence. And for this reason the Congregation of Indulgences, on June 20, 1836, replied that it was not necessary, and therefore not lawful, to repeat the papal blessing in articulo mortis, even though the dying person should fall into mortal sin, after having received it. And this was the third question to be answered.;

For the further illustration of this matter it might be well to recall to mind that all persons who are in danger of death, and who are capable of receiving sacramental absolution, may and should ‘receive this papal blessing. Therefore, first, even those who are unconscious and who, even through their own fault have not received the last Sacraments, ought to receive the last blessing; second, also children who have never been to Confession or holy Communion, provided only they are old enough and capable of committing sin; third, all those who are condemned to death for crime, provided they repent; fourth, soldiers, before going into battle: fifth, and all persons who are in danger of death, whether through sickness or from some external cause.

The conditions for gaining this plenary indulgence are:

First, the same conditions that are required in order to gain any indulgence, that is to say, the person must be in the state of grace when the indulgence is gained and must have the intention of gaining the indulgence.

Second, he must be fully resigned to the will of God in dying.

Third, he must pronounce the holy name of Jesus with his lips, if possible, and if he be not able to speak he must at least invoke the holy name of Jesus in his heart.

Special attention is called to this last condition of pronouncing the most holy name of Jesus. It is required by the Congregation of Indulgences in order to gain the plenary indulgence in articulo mortis. September 22, 1892. It is something that is very easily overlooked, and, therefore, we direct especial attention to it.

Finally, it is customary to give this blessing after Confession, Viaticum and Extreme Unction. It is not necessary to follow this order, but it is generally followed. In which case it is necessary to repeat the confiteor three times, i. e., once before giving Viaticum, a second time before Extreme Unction, and the third time before giving the last blessing.

In a case of extreme need, where no time is to be lost, the confiteor is omitted and the priest begins the blessing at the words “Dominus noster Iesus Christus,” etc. If there were danger even in the delay required for this formula, then the priest ought to begin with the words: “Ego facultate mihi ab apostolica sede tributa, indulgentiam plenariam et remissionem omnium peccatorum tibi concedo, in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti, Amen.” If there be no time even for this much of the prescribed formula, some theologians are of the opinion that the formula “Benedicat te, Omnipotens Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, Amen” is sufficient for the valid imparting of the apostolic blessing and the plenary indulgence. (Cf. Schüch, O. S. B., “Pastoral Theologie,” p. 823.)