When did the Catholic Church Stop Selling Indulgences?

St Peter’s basilica was partly financed by the sale of indulgences, a practice which was formally banned by the Church in 1567. (Photo: David Edkin/unsplash
Question: When did the Catholic Church stop selling indulgences?
Answer: The practice of selling indulgences, which involved the exchange of money for the remission of sins or time in purgatory, was a controversial practice that became widespread in the late Middle Ages, though it was never officially approved by the Church. It reached its peak during the 15th and 16th centuries, and was used (or abused) as a way to raise funds for various projects, including the construction of churches and other religious buildings, most famously St Peter’s basilica.
The idea was that those who contributed financially would receive spiritual benefits in return, such as the remission of temporal punishment for sins. However, this practice became corrupted over time, with some people abusing the system for personal gain, which led to widespread criticism and backlash.
The selling of indulgences played a significant role in launching the Protestant Reformation, with people such as Martin Luther vehemently opposing it as a form of corruption within the Church.
The Council of Trent in the 16th century condemned the selling of indulgences, deciding that “all evil traffic in the indulgences, which has been a most prolific source of abuses among the Christian people, be absolutely abolished”. In 1567, Pope Pius V duly cancelled all grants of indulgences involving any financial transaction. The Council clarified that indulgences were not a transactional commodity by which to buy forgiveness or salvation but rather a means of obtaining remission of the temporal punishment due to sin by performing spiritual acts of piety.
Also refer to paragraphs 1471-1479 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Published in the October 2024 issue of The Southern Cross magazine
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