It has been an ancient custom of the Romish Church, observed by our predecessors, not only in the commencement of their supreme pontificate, but always when the Lord chastened his people, to resort to the prayers of the community, and to rouse all to penitence by freely opening for them the sacred treasury of the indulgences; with a view that, detesting their iniquities, and humbly making confession of them, they should with confidence draw near to the Throne of Grace, that is to God, who is magnanimous to pardon, and refuses not his mercies even when he is provoked. With this example before us, we, after calling on the Father of Mercies with constant and fervent prayer, promulgate throughout the whole Catholic world an indulgence in the form of a general jubilee; cheerfully hoping that the Author of all comfort shall shorten the days of tribulation, so that, the storm having entirely ceased, the peace of the Church may be firmly established, and public happiness everywhere restored. Hence, confiding in the mercy of Almighty God, and in the authority of the blessed Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul,—and exercising the power to bind and unbind, which, though of ourselves unworthy, the Lord conceded to us,—we have resolved to concede, and we do grant by the tenor of these presents, full indulgence (such as it has been customary to concede on the year of jubilee) of all their sins to all and to each of the Christians of both sexes residing in and entering into this our capital (Rome), who in the term of three weeks current from the fourth Sunday of Advent,—that is, from the 23rd day of this month, December, till the 13th inclusive of the following January, on which falls the first Sunday after the Epiphany,—and on the eighth day of the same, shall have twice visited the Basilics of St. John of Lateran, of the chief of the Apostles, and of St. Mary la Mayor, or one of these at least, and there will have devoutly prayed for some time, and fasted Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of one of the said weeks; and within the same period, having confessed their sins, will have received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist, and may have given the poor some charity, as to each individual his devotion may dictate: moreover to all the faithful Christians existing in all parts without our capital we concede plenary indulgence, provided they shall have twice visited all or some one of the churches, which may be assigned to them by the local ordinaries, or their vicars or officers, or others under their orders; and, in their default, by the curates of souls, after these our letters may have reached their notice;—it being further required that they should have practised with devotion the other foresaid works in the space of three weeks, to be fixed upon by the churches.