What is an Indulgence?

An indulgence is the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. An indulgence can either be partial or plenary. It is partial if it removes only part of the temporal punishment due to sin, or plenary if it removes all punishment.

To obtain this remission certain conditions must be met, predetermined by the Church, which has the power "to loose and bind" granted through Jesus Christ.