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 a plenary  indulgence  on  each  of  the  said  Tuesdays  or Sundays.

o all  the  faithful  who,  upon  the  five  Sundays  which immediately precede  the  feast  of  the  sacred  Stigmata of St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  or  upon  any  other  five  consecutive Sundays during  the  year,  shall  exercise  themselves  either in pious  meditation,  or  in  vocal  prayer,  or  in  any  other work of  Christian  piety,  in  honor  of  the  said  sacred  Stigmata, a  plenary  indulgence  is  granted  once  a  year,  on  each of the  five  Sundays,  on  the  usual  conditions. — Leo  XIII, Nov. 21, 1885.

HE seraphic  St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  in  September,  1224, being rapt  in  contemplation  on  the  desolate  Mount Alvernia in  the  Apennines,  received  from  Almighty  God the wondrous  grace  of  having  impressed  on  his  hands,  feet, and side,  the  likeness  of  the  sacred  wounds  of  Christ. From these  stigmata  blood  flowed  at  intervals,  until  the day of  the  saint's  death,  two  years  later. The Holy  See has decreed  that  this  miracle  be  annually  commemorated in the  Church,  on  September  17.