Questions / Salvation, heaven and hell

Does an indulgence take time off purgatory?

Church teaching

Answered on video by Catholic Answers

Video: How Much Time Does an Indulgence Take Off Purgatory?, Catholic Answers Live, published Aug 28, 2024. Checked 10 October 2026. Loads from YouTube (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play. Watch on YouTube

In short: Think less stopwatch, more healing. An indulgence removes some or all of the temporal punishment left over after a sin is forgiven. CCC 1471

The answer, in writing

Church teaching

An indulgence removes part or all of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. CCC 1471

Our words

The old “300 days” language was dropped in 1967 because people took it as time in purgatory. It never meant that.

Watch another on this

Play video: What is Purgatory?, Ascension Presents, from Ascension Presents, 6 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

What is purgatory?

Play video: Is Purgatory a Good Experience?, Catholic Answers, from Catholic Answers Live, 4 min. Loads from YouTube when pressed.

Is purgatory a good thing?

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Sources on this page

How we know · 1 Catechism paragraph

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1471 (official text on vatican.va).

Stone & Incense restates Church teaching in plain words and cites every teaching claim. Our own wording is not an official Church text. Found a mistake? Report an errorCorrections.