12 Ways to Obtain a Jubilee Indulgence
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from the National Catholic Register
The Vatican has detailed how to obtain plenary indulgences — removing temporal punishment for sin through Christ’s merits — during the 2025 Jubilee Year.
Requirements: detachment from sin (even venial), confession within about 20 days, Communion, and prayer for the Pope’s intentions (e.g., an Our Father and Hail Mary). Each indulgence requires a separate Communion and prayer, ideally on the day of the indulgenced act. Only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day, but a second is possible if applied to souls in purgatory.
Ways to obtain the indulgence include:
Pilgrimages
1. National. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., is the only nationally designated “Jubilee site” in the U.S. While there, participate in Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, Stations of the Cross, the Rosary or Akathist, a penance service, or a celebration of the Word of God.
2. International. In Rome, visit St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major or St. Paul Outside the Walls. In the Holy Land, visit the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem), Basilica of the Nativity (Bethlehem) or Basilica of the Annunciation (Nazareth).
3. Close to Home. Visit any site designated for Jubilee pilgrimages by the local bishop. (See our list below.
Eucharistic Visits
4. Pilgrimage Sites. At any site listed above, spend time in Eucharistic adoration, concluding with the Our Father, a Profession of Faith, and prayers to Mary.
5. Italy. Do the same at any of six other churches in Rome (Santa Croce, San Lorenzo, San Sebastiano, Divino Amore, Santo Spirito in Sassia, Tre Fontane), the “Iter Europaeum” route (28 churches connected to European nations), the “Patronesses and Doctors” route (seven churches dedicated to female saints), the Roman Catacombs, or five churches outside Rome (St. Francis and the Portiuncula in Assisi, St. Anthony in Padua, Our Lady of Loreto, Our Lady of Pompei).
6. Close to Home. Do the same at any church designated by a local bishop, or any basilica, cathedral or shrine (Marian, national or international) worldwide.
Pilgrimages in Spirit
7. Those impeded by “serious reasons” — cloistered religious, the elderly, the sick, prisoners, caregivers — can get the indulgence by uniting spiritually with pilgrims, especially through EWTN or other media, and reciting an Our Father and Creed, “offering up their sufferings or the hardships of their lives.”
Works of Mercy and Penance
8. Formation. Participate in a study on the Vatican II documents or the Catechism, held in a church or other suitable place, “according to the mind of the Holy Father.”
9. Visits. Spend time with those in need — the sick, prisoners, lonely elderly, the disabled — “making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them.”
10. Fasting and Abstinence. In a spirit of penance, give up “futile distractions” (real or online) and “superfluous consumption” (through fasting, abstinence or almsgiving) for at least one day.
11. Defend Life and Volunteer. Support efforts defending life at all stages or helping abandoned children, struggling youth, the needy, lonely elderly or migrants. Do acts of community service.
12. Blessing. Receive the “papal blessing” from your bishop.
Source: “Decree on the Granting of Indulgence during the Ordinary Jubilee Year 2025” (March 13, 2024)
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