Martin Luther: Ninety-five Theses

Glossary

• Apostolic pardon an indulgence, given by a priest, for the remission (releasing from guilt) of sins
• commissary in this context, person responsible for executing a function of a superior
• greater graces as enumerated in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11
• mortuary and anniversary masses respectively, masses for the dead individually and for all those who have died in a given year
• St. Lawrence a bishop who was tortured and martyred in the third century, during the reign of the Roman emperor Valerian
• St. Peter's church the Catholic (that is, universal) Church
• Sts. Severinus and Paschal respectively, a French abbot of the sixth century, famed for his exercise of penance, and an Italian pope (Paschal I) of the eighth century who oversaw restoration of basilicas in Rome
• tares that were sown an allusion to the parable of Jesus given in Matthew 13:24–30
• true contrition repentance that includes the firm will never to sin again