ABSTRACT
The paper analyses a particular way of celebrating the sacrament of penance that was adopted in several Italian dioceses during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, because of the restrictions imposed by the public health emergency, in several dioceses was adopted an exceptional form of collective absolution, without prior individual confession, as required by Canon 961 of the Code of Canon Law. From this point of view, this article analyses the regulation of collective absolution, and subsequently illustrates a recent Note from the Apostolic Penitentiary related to the sacrament of penance in the pandemic context. Lastly, a series of decrees and documents issued by several italian diocesan bishops have been reviewed in order to investigate the various ways in which the regulations have been applied, highlighting their critical aspects.