Pro venia plenissima impetranda ac remedio oportuno implorando: The Renaissance Jubilees from the Perspective of the Apostolic Penitentiary (1450–1525)

This article examines the registers of supplications addressed to the Apostolic Penitentiary (Registra Matrimonialium et Diversorum) to assess the insights they offer regarding the Renaissance Jubilees — the four Holy Years celebrated at 25-year intervals between 1450 and 1525. The first part provides a statistical analysis of the petitions submitted, yielding valuable data on the number, seasonal distribution, and geographical origins of pilgrims. The second part presents a selection of compelling personal narratives drawn from the registers, illustrating the spiritual motivations, vows, hardships, and occasional moral failures of the petitioners. The article concludes with a critical edition of a representative group of these petitions.