Sarah Mitchell
Purgatory, a concept in Christianity, is a temporary intermediate state after physical death for purifying or purging a soul. The Catholic Church holds that all who die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified undergo a process of purification after death, which the church calls purgatory, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The length of time spent in purgatory depends on how one lived their life. Catholics believe that God's mercy and justice must be kept intact and upheld, and that God forgives sins as long as the sinner is truly repentant. The Church believes that many people are purified or purged in this life, and that innocent people who suffer from disease, poverty, or persecution are living their purgatory on Earth and will likely go straight to heaven.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time spent in purgatory | Depends on how a person lived their life |
| Who goes to purgatory | Those who die in God's grace and friendship but are not yet purified |
| Who bypasses purgatory | People who live exceptionally good and holy lives |
| Who goes to heaven | People who have loved God completely in their lives on earth |
| Who goes to hell | People who are bad enough |
| How to get out of purgatory faster | Abstain from sin, prayers, sacrifices, and Gregorian Masses |
| Purpose of purgatory | To purify the soul, to mature the soul for communion with God |
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What You'll Learn
Prayers from the living can help
Purgatory is a Catholic concept referring to the final purification of souls after death and before their entrance into heaven. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, purgatory is for those who "die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified". This process of purification prepares souls to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven.
The Catholic Church teaches that prayers from the living can help shorten a soul's time in purgatory. This belief is supported by the Bible, specifically 2 Maccabees 12:43–45, which illustrates the existence of purgatory and the effectiveness of prayers for the dead:
> "In doing this he acted in a very excellent and noble way, inasmuch as he had the resurrection of the dead in view; for if he were not expecting the dead to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from this sin."
Praying for the dead is also mentioned in the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament, such as the Acts of Paul and Thecla and the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity, written during the second century.
The Catholic tradition of requesting memorial Masses for the dead, also known as Gregorian Masses, is based on the belief that these prayers can help free a soul from purgatory. During the 6th century, it was reported that a deceased monk from St. Andrew's Monastery in Rome appeared to a friend and requested that 30 Masses be said to release his soul from purgatory. After the Masses were completed, the monk appeared again to declare he had entered heaven. Since then, Catholics have continued the tradition of celebrating 30 consecutive Masses for the repose of a soul in purgatory.
In addition to prayers, Catholics also believe that the length of time in purgatory can be reduced by abstinence from sin while alive.
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Abstinence from sin
The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes that confession forgives past sins and helps prevent future ones. However, it also highlights the need for additional grace to break free from the attachment to sin. This attachment is a form of temporal punishment that arises from habitual sinning. By abstaining from sin, Catholics can weaken this attachment and make it easier to attain purification.
Indulgences, as defined by the Catholic Church, are a means to reduce the temporal punishment due to sins that have already been forgiven. They are not a way to avoid confession or forgiveness but rather a recognition that sin creates an unhealthy attachment to creatures that must be purified. Through indulgences, Catholics can actively work towards sanctification and interior renewal, breaking free from the power of sin in their lives.
Ultimately, abstinence from sin is a critical aspect of Catholic teaching on Purgatory. By striving for holiness and avoiding sin, Catholics can reduce their time in Purgatory and more quickly attain the joy of Heaven. This teaching underscores the importance of personal responsibility and the pursuit of virtue in the Catholic faith.
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Gregorian Masses
Catholics believe that Purgatory is a process of purification after death for those who have died in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified. This process is necessary to achieve the holiness required to enter Heaven.
One way Catholics believe they can help souls in Purgatory is by requesting Gregorian Masses. Gregorian Masses are a series of 30 Holy Masses offered on 30 consecutive days as soon as possible after a person's death. These Masses are offered for the release of a single soul in Purgatory and cannot be offered for living individuals.
The practice is derived from Pope St. Gregory the Great, who popularized the tradition. According to St. Gregory's Dialogues, when he finished offering 30 Masses for the departed monk, Justus, the monk appeared to him and said he had gained entry into Heaven upon completion of the thirtieth Mass.
While the Church approves of this practice, there is no guarantee that offering Gregorian Masses will rescue a soul from Purgatory. However, it points to the power and efficacy of the Holy Mass and the belief that the prayers of the living can help shorten a soul's time in Purgatory.
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Purification after death
The Catholic Church holds that "all who die in God's grace and friendship but are still imperfectly purified" undergo a process of purification after death, which the church calls purgatory. Purgatory is an intermediate state after physical death for purifying or purging a soul. It is entirely different from the punishment of the damned and is not related to the forgiveness of sins for salvation.
The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus' death allows everyone the possibility of heaven, and his mercy grants forgiveness, but his justice demands that good be rewarded and evil punished—in this life or the next. People who live exceptionally good and holy lives bypass purgatory and go straight to heaven. The Church believes that almost everyone else, although not bad enough to go to hell, aren't good enough to go to heaven without some introspection and purification.
The length of time spent in purgatory depends on how one lived their life. Catholics believe that God's mercy and justice must be kept intact and upheld. God forgives any sin as long as the sinner is truly repentant and sorry.
Catholics believe that the souls in purgatory want to be there because they know that they have some attachment to sin that they want to be removed. Purgatory is like a secondary part of recovery—the healing, cleaning, and bandaging. The belief is that the evil of sin is revealed to the person so that they can totally and absolutely reject even the smallest of sins.
The time spent in purgatory can be reduced by abstinence from sin when alive, and the prayers and sacrifices of those still living. Catholics have continued the tradition of celebrating 30 consecutive Masses for one person to free their soul from purgatory.
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God's final judgement
Purgatory is a Catholic doctrine that refers to the final purification of souls before their entry into heaven. It is a process of purification that occurs after physical death, ensuring that only souls with the "holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" are admitted. The Catholic Church holds that "all who die in God's grace and friendship but still imperfectly purified" undergo this process of purgation. Importantly, purgatory is not a place of pain and torment but one of expectant joy, though suffering arises from the temporary distance from God.
The duration of one's stay in purgatory depends on how one lived their life. The more one abstained from sin and embodied virtues like obedience, charity, and love for God and neighbors while alive, the shorter their time in purgatory. Those who lived exceptionally holy lives may bypass purgatory entirely and proceed directly to heaven.
While in purgatory, souls are believed to desire their time there, as they recognize their residual attachment to sin and wish to be freed from it. This process of purification is often likened to the removal of dross from gold in a furnace.
The concept of purgatory is closely tied to the belief in God's mercy and justice. God's mercy offers forgiveness for sins, while His justice demands that good be rewarded and evil be punished, either in this life or the next. Purgatory serves as this intermediate stage, where souls are prepared for their final judgment and entry into heaven.
The prayers and sacrifices of the living can also expedite a soul's release from purgatory. Catholics have traditionally celebrated 30 consecutive Masses, known as Gregorian Masses, for the liberation of a specific soul. This tradition originates from a story in which a deceased monk from St. Andrew's Monastery in Rome requested that 30 Masses be said to free his soul from purgatory.
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Frequently asked questions
Purgatory is a Catholic doctrine that refers to the process of purification after death for those who have died in the State of Grace. It is believed to be a temporary state that prepares one for communion with God and to enter Heaven.
The length of time in purgatory depends on how one lived their life. The more one abstained from sin and practised virtues during their lifetime, the shorter their time in purgatory.
Purgatory is believed to be a state of expectant joy where the soul is purified of any remaining attachment to sin. It is a necessary step to achieving the holiness required to enter Heaven.
Catholics believe that prayers offered by the living can help shorten a person's time in purgatory. Gregorian Masses, for example, are said for the release of a soul from purgatory.
After purgatory, the soul is believed to be fully purified and ready to enter Heaven. This belief is based on the idea that God's justice requires good to be rewarded and evil to be punished, either in this life or the next.
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