1. To the three general grants of indulgences considered above under nn. I-III, a few others are here added. These it has seemed beneficial to include, either because of traditional esteem in the case of the old, or because appropriate to the needs of the present in the case of the new.
All these grants complement one another and, while by the offer of an indulgence they move the faithful to perform works of piety, charity and penance, they at the same time bring them into an ever closer union through charity with Christ the Head and with the Church his body.
2. Certain prayers of venerable antiquity and in practically universal use have been retained from the previous edition of the Enchiridion of Indulgences, as for example, the Profession of Faith (n. 16), the psalm Out of the Depths (n. 19), the Magnificat (n. 30), the prayers We fly to your Patronage (n. 57), Hail, holy Queen (n. 51), Direct, we beg you, O Lord (n. 1), We give you thanks (n. 7).
On closer inspection it will be seen that many of these prayers come within the scope of the first of the three general grants, as for example, the prayers Direct, we beg you, Lord (n. 1) and We give you thanks (n. 7).
It has, however, been judged expedient to single them out as indulgenced prayers, for the twofold purpose of eliminating all doubt in this regard and of emphasizing their excellence.
3. Other prayers, formerly included in the Enchiridion of Indulgences, have been omitted, for the reason that they are prayers proper only to particular rites of the East or to particular regions of the West. The respective Patriarchs and Bishops of these rites and regions, moreover, can by using the faculties given them by law always indulgence these prayers, should they so wish.
4. Retained, moreover, from the previous edition of the Enchiridion of Indulgences, are certain works of greater importance, though somewhat changed where this was deemed appropriate.
5. The individual works, described in the following pages, are each enriched with indulgences. The grant of a partial indulgence is sometimes expressly stated; very often, however, it is merely indicated by the words: Partial indulgence.
If a particular work, when performed in special circumstances, is enriched with a plenary indulgence, this fact, as well as the special circumstances in which the work must be performed, are expressly noted each time; but other requirements for the gaining of a plenary indulgence are, for the sake of brevity, left understood.
As stated in Norm 26, the requirements for the gaining of a plenary indulgence are: the performance of the work, the fulfillment of the three conditions, and a disposition of mind and heart which totally excludes all affection to sin.
6. If the work, enriched with a plenary indulgence, can fittingly be divided into separate parts (for example, the decades of the Marian Rosary) and if for a reasonable cause it cannot be performed in its entirety, a partial indulgence can be gained for the part completed.
7. Deserving of special mention are the following works, for any one of which the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence each day of the year -- saving, however, the provision of Norm 24, 1, according to which no one can gain more than one plenary indulgence in the course of a single day:
-- adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for at least one half an hour (n. 3);
-- devout reading of the Sacred Scriptures for at least one half an hour (n. 50);
-- the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross (n. 63);
The various grants of indulgences in the official Latin text of the Enchiridion are listed in alphabetical order. In the case of prayers, it is the first words of the prayer that determine its position in this arrangement (for example, Agimus tibi gratias - Angelus Domini); in the case of works, it is the first words by which the work is described (for example, Viae Crucis exercitium - Votorum baptismalium renovatio).