Before delving any further into issues regarding purgatory, we must first define and clarify what, exactly, this belief is. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) dedicates three paragraphs to this issue. It states that there is purification after death, that this purification involved some kind of discomfort or pain, and that God assists those in this purification in response to the actions of the living, or in other words, prayer for the dead is helpful (CCC 1030-1032). These statements have thorough Biblical backing for each. The purification the Catechism speaks of is a cleansing fire, but with hope:
Each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire (1 Cor. 3:13-15).
This passage cannot refer to Heaven because Paul refers to loss, while in Heaven, God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 21:4). Heaven is complete happiness and there is no place for a sense of loss in the face of God. It also cannot be referring to Hell because the purifying fire saves, while those in Hell are lost forever. It can be noted “since it is not pleasant to be bound to the consequences of one’s sins, we can infer some kind of pain or discomfort, and thus the full doctrine of purgatory – a purification after death, which involves some kind of pain or discomfort” (Akin). It is safe to assume that only Heaven is pure happiness, and therefore, since purgatory is not paradise, it must involved pain or discomfort. Suffering is a factor here on earth as well, and anywhere other than Heaven in the afterlife must also be that way. Despite the suffering, souls in purgatory are hopeful because all souls in purgatory are guaranteed to attain paradise.
Coinciding with the Catechism’s statement on purgatory is a passage from the Old Testament. In 2 Maccabees a battle takes place after which it was discovered that the men who had died while fighting had carried with them idols. Idols were forbidden by Jewish law to possess or wear, and so their comrades “turned to prayer beseeching that the sin which had been committed might be wholly blotted out”, and collected money as well to send to Jerusalem to provide for a peace offering (2 Mac. 12:42-43). This shows that this belief in an intermediate state is not simply restricted to Catholic Christians. This practice precedes Christ by almost 200 years.
This historic evidence points to a belief in a state of purification that would later be called purgatory. This term corresponds to the concept of Sheol (the Jewish place of the dead) and the Greek term Hades. The belief in a purgatory-like intermediate state can be found in other religions such as the Jewish faith and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. The Jews, however, do not refer to this intermediary state as purgatory, nor is it the exact same concept as the Christian understanding. Sheol is simply the place of the dead – where faithful Jews go to await their Saviour. The Book of Psalms suggests the possibility of liberation from Sheol: “But God will ransom my soul from the power of the grave [Sheol]: for he will receive me” (Ps. 49:15). The Catholic Creed states that Jesus descended to Hell, and Hell (or ‘Hades’ as it was written originally in Greek) did not have the same connotation that it does today. We often think of Hell as a fiery inferno but the modern English language has tacked on this interpretation. ‘Hades’, as it was written in the Bible, is meant to be interpreted as the place of the dead, and not where the damned would go. People who read translations of the Bible which use ‘Hell’ in the place of ‘Hades’ should be aware that Hell in this sense, does not mean the place of the damned, but rather the place of the dead, thereby referring to a third supernatural place, namely, purgatory (Akin). The dead awaiting their saviour in Sheol were not solely Jews either. Those who do not hear the good news of Christ in their life on Earth are given the opportunity in purgatory to either receive or reject the Truth: “For this is why the Gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God” (1 Peter 4:6). Jesus also “went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey” (1 Peter 3:19-20). These souls will hear the Good News, be offered a chance to live in paradise and then will be cleansed of their sin if they accept.
Contrary to popular belief, Purgatory is necessary for salvation because “nothing unclean shall enter [Heaven]” (Rev. 21:27). It is true that God forgives our sins; however, even Protestants will be extremely adamant about the fact that everyone continues to sin until death and that we cannot sin in Heaven because we will no longer have a corrupt nature. If this is the case, then we die with impurities on our souls; therefore, there must be a purification of our natures between death and glory.
Jesus Himself tells us of this need for purification before entering Heaven. Throughout His many parables, Jesus speaks of the “Kingdom of God” and what one must do to be a part of this Kingdom. In these parables, Jesus refers to Purgatory on several occasions. In Matthew 12:32, He speaks of a sin against the Holy Spirit that will neither be forgiven in this age, nor in the next. This implies that there are some sins forgiven in the afterlife, and since one cannot sin in Heaven, and only pure souls can enter Heaven, there must be a period of purification. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus also says: “You will never get out till you have paid the very last copper” (Lk. 12:59). Curtis Martin explains this teaching of Christ: “If, at the end of a Christian’s earthly life, this debt of justice is not satisfied, he shall be purified in purgatory before entering Heaven”. In another parable, Jesus speaks of a king who wishes to settle accounts with his slaves. The king forgives the debt of a servant who owes him money. This servant in turn selfishly demands repayment from a fellow slave who owes him a fraction of the amount that the first man owed his master. When the King hears about this, he says to the servant: “‘you wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger, his lord delivered him to the jailors till he should pay all debt” (Matt 18:23-35). Purgatory is not to be seen as a second chance here, but rather as a means by which we can attain our ultimate goal. Spiritual purification is only possible for those who have been reconciled with God in this life, but who may still have impurities on their soul.
Given the thorough discussion at this point of the Church doctrine of Purgatory, it is only fit that, like many beliefs in the Catholic faith, Tradition plays a big role as well. Dante’s Divine Comedy is written with both doctrine and Tradition intertwined within. The poem remains true to all that has been mentioned already, and adds Tradition along with his poem. Dorothy Sayers, who translated the poem in the 1950’s, notes several points within Dante’s Purgatorio. Primarily, people in Purgatory are already saved and they cannot go to Hell. Dante did not see this as a second chance. He shows that if one dies unrepentant, then he cannot be saved. If, however, one is repentant at the point of death, then he will be saved if that repentance was sincere. Those who repent at the very end will have a long time in Purgatory, whereas those who made satisfaction for their sins before they died are spared the cleansing process of Purgatory. Finally, Sayers notes that Dante’s Purgatorio has communication with earth. Those awaiting glorification can receive prayers and can pray for one another as well. Dante viewed Purgatory as a physical place and not simply a spiritual dimension. There are many levels within Purgatory, much like the levels of Hell, arranged according to the severity of the soul’s wrongdoings. These levels lead to the earthly paradise – Eden. This poem is not seen as coinciding with Church doctrine, and the Church doesn’t recognize the story as truthful, however it can help us all understand more clearly what Purgatory is, and what it may consist of.
Purgatory is often though of as being an invention of the Middle Ages, yet contrary to this thought, Purgatory is, in fact biblically sound. The belief in Purgatory is also historical and Traditional. In the ancient Indian/Hindu, Iranian, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman traditions, Purgatory was a common belief associated with the afterlife (LeGoff 18-21). It is a part of the traditions of ancient cultures and religions (such as Judaism and Islam), and thus we can see it is not an estranged idea solely belonging to Catholicism. As shown, there is also ample proof in the Bible – both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament – to support this claim. Thus both the Bible and history or Tradition, shown through Dante, provide evidence of its existence. Purgatory is a comforting belief: not as a second chance, but rather as a gift from a loving God. He loves us so much that He wants us to be utterly perfect when we enter into His Kingdom to live eternally with Him.
Works Cited
Akin, James. How to Explain Purgatory to Protestants. Internet WWW page @ URL:
(version current @ March
28th 2004).
Akin, James. Jesus’ Descent Into Hell. Internet WWW page @ URL:
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28th, 2004).
Catechism of the Catholic Church. Articles 1030-1032.
Dante. The Divine Comedy. Translated by Dorothy L. Sayers. Edinburgh: Penguin
Books, 1955.
The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius
Press.
LeGoff, Jacques. The Birth of Purgatory. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press,
- Pages 18-21.
Martin, Curtis. The Burning Truth About Purgatory. Internet page @ URL:
(version current @
March 27th, 2004).
Other works used but not cited.
Akin, James. Whether Unclean Things Can Be In Heaven. Internet WWW page @ URL:
(version current @ March
28th, 2004).
Purgatory. Catholic Answers. Internet WWW page @ URL:
(version current @ March 27th,
2004).
Sungenis, Robert A. How Can I Get To Heaven. Santa Barbara: Queenship Publishing,
1997.
The 95 Theses and Their Results. Internet WWW page @ URL:
(version current @ March 27th, 2004).
I use capitol “T” Tradition in the sense that it is a universal Truth, and not merely a truthful fact or statement.