Gone Medieval How to Get to Heaven: Papal Indulgences
Feb 24, 2026
Dr. Felicity Hill, a medieval history lecturer at St Andrews, explains how indulgences fit into confession, penance and purgatory. Short scenes cover their practical use as penance or fundraising for projects like St Peter’s, their growth after the Crusades, debates over papal authority and corruption with pardoners. The conversation ends by tracing reforms and how indulgences survive in a changed form.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Indulgences Reduce Penance Not Grant Salvation
- Indulgences primarily relaxed the penance assigned after confession rather than granting automatic salvation.
- Felicity Hill explains early indulgences bought days of earthly penance and later expanded to reduce time in purgatory, becoming more posthumous in the 15th century.
Charles IV Used An Indulgence To Promote Prague Festival
- Eleanor Janega shares an indulgence tied to the Feast of the Holy Lance and Nail used by Charles IV to draw crowds to Prague.
- That indulgence granted specific days remission and functioned like civic promotion for imperial events.
Indulgence Money Funded Public Works
- Indulgences often funded charitable or public projects rather than pure papal luxury.
- Felicity Hill notes funds from sold indulgences repaired bridges, hospitals, universities, and other community works.