Indults

Indult (plural indults) is a formal permission or dispensation granted by a competent authority to exempt a person or group from a rule or to authorize an exception to normal practice. The term derives from Latin indultum, meaning “permission” or “grant.” In secular governance, an indult commonly refers to a pardon or clemency extended by a sovereign or head of state to an individual, sometimes releasing them from penalties or altering a sentence. In many legal systems, however, the term has largely been superseded by words such as pardon, clemency, or amnesty, though historical or ceremonial uses may still be described as indults.

In ecclesiastical contexts, an indult is a permission granted by a church authority to deviate from or modify customary rules. Canon law and liturgical practice occasionally rely on indults to allow exceptions for particular communities, rites, or obligations. For example, a diocese might obtain an indult to celebrate a rite not ordinarily permitted, or a bishop might receive a dispensation from a general requirement under certain circumstances. The concept emphasizes authorization from a higher authority rather than unilateral action by the practitioner.

Overall, indult denotes a limited, discretionary permission rather than a general reform. The exact scope and procedure for granting an indult vary by jurisdiction and by field—civil law, royal prerogative, or church governance. See also clemency, pardon, amnesty, dispensation, and liturgical indults.