Eight centuries after St. Francis of Assisi created the first crèche in Greccio (Italy), the Apostolic Penitentiary has granted a plenary indulgence for “visiting the churches run by Franciscan families [i.e., religious institutes] throughout the world and stopping in prayer in front of the Nativity scenes set up there.”
The plenary indulgence may be gained between December 8 and February 2, under the usual conditions (Confession, Communion, prayer for the Pope, detachment from all sin).
The heads of Franciscan religious institutes wrote that sick and those “unable to participate physically” may also receive the plenary indulgence by “offering their sufferings to the Lord or carrying out practices of piety.”