Catholic Dictionary
Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
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PRIVILEGED ALTAR
An altar to which the church formerly attached a plenary indulgence in favor of the soul for whom a Mass was offered at the altar. Privileged altars were either local or personal. They were local when the favor was attached to the altar itself, so that all Masses celebrated under the prescribed conditions had a plenary indulgence attached to them. They were personal when the privilege was attached either to the priest offering the Mass or to the person for whom the Mass was offered.
