Rachel Evans
Hell is a central concept in Catholicism, and the Catholic Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. The Church teaches that hell is the “state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed”, which occurs due to the refusal to repent of mortal sin before death. Hell is believed to have begun with the rejection of God by fallen angels or demons, and human beings who die in mortal sin are also destined for this abode. The eternity of hell is justified by the irrevocable character of the damned's choice, rather than a defect in God's mercy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes hell as a state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. The concept of hell in Catholicism is explored through various supernatural appearances and visions and theological interpretations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | "State of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed" |
| Synonyms | Infernus, Hades, Sheol, Gehenna, Tartarus |
| Etymology | Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Anglo-Saxon |
| Etymology meaning | Hole, cavern, hollow |
| Hell began | With the rejection of God by fallen angels or demons |
| Who goes to hell | Human beings who die in a state of mortal sin |
| Hell's eternity | Due to the "irrevocable character" of the damned's choice |
| Hell's population | Sparsely populated |
| Hell's location | Not a place but a state of being |
| Hell's temperature | Eternal fire, eternal flames |
| Hell's residents | Satan, demons, the damned |
| Hell's appearance | Pool of fire, darkness |
| Hell's alternative names | Limbo of the Infants, Limbo of the Fathers, Purgatory |
| Hell's escape | God may, by exception, liberate a soul from hell |
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What You'll Learn
Hell in Catholic dogma
Hell, in Catholic dogma, is believed to have begun with the rejection of God by fallen angels or demons. Human beings who die in a state of mortal sin descend into Hell. The Catholic Church bases its teachings on Hell on various New Testament passages, such as Matthew 5:22, 5:29, 10:28, 13:41-42, and 25:41. The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarises the truths of faith on this subject:
> "To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God's merciful love means remaining separated from him forever by our own free choice."
Hell is believed to be both the definitive expression of God's justice and the lofty calling and dignity of man. God created man with the immeasurable dignity of a free, rational, spiritual, and immortal soul. Man has the gift of being free to either accept or reject God and God's plan for him.
The Catholic Church teaches that the eternity of Hell is due to the "irrevocable character of [the damned's] choice, and not a defect in the infinite divine mercy". The choice to not love God by the angels and by human beings at death is a permanent choice, so no future repentance is possible.
The current view among Catholics is that if Hell is not empty, it is very sparsely populated. The three most recent Popes—St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis—have taken optimistic views on Hell, with Pope Francis stating, "I like to think of hell as empty; I hope it is."
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Saints' visions of hell
Saints and non-saints throughout the history of the Catholic Church have claimed to have had mystical experiences of hell and written about them. These accounts are considered non-authoritative, but they serve as a reminder of what the Catholic faith teaches: that hell is real, and people can go there.
St. Faustina Kowalska, or St. Maria Faustyna Kowalska, was a Polish nun who claimed to have had numerous visions in the 1930s. In her diary, she describes being led by an angel to the "chasms of hell", a place of "great torture" and immense size. She also wrote about her vision of heaven, describing "unconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death".
St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th-century Carmelite nun and theologian, described the entrance to hell as a "long, narrow pass, like a furnace, very low, dark, and close". She believed God gave her this vision to help her turn away from her sins.
Sister Lúcia, one of the Fatima visionaries, also described seeing a "great sea of fire" in which demons and human souls were immersed, the latter appearing as "transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze". Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich, a mystic who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, similarly described the exterior of hell as an "appalling and frightful" building made of black granite with heavy doors that elicited trembling.
St. John Bosco, an Italian priest, educator, and writer, had dreams that he believed were visions from God. In one such dream, he saw boys under his care making their way to hell, which he interpreted as a warning.
These are just a few examples of saints' visions of hell. While they may be interpreted in various ways, they consistently reinforce the Catholic belief in the existence of hell and the importance of repentance and salvation.
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The eternity of hell
The Catholic Church affirms "the existence of hell and its eternity", believing that "those who have responded to the love and piety of God [go] to eternal life, those who have refused them to the end [go] to the fire that is not extinguished". Hell, in Catholic belief, is a "'state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed', brought about by the refusal to repent of mortal sin before death, as mortal sin deprives one of sanctifying grace.
Hell, translated from the Latin 'infernus', Greek 'Hades', and Hebrew 'Sheol', can refer to any abode where souls reside after death, who "have not obtained the happiness of heaven". These abodes include Hell of the Damned (also known as Gehenna), Purgatory, and Limbo of the Fathers (or Abraham's Bosom). Limbo of the Infants is sometimes added as a fourth abode by theologians, where souls who die in original sin but without mortal sin reside.
Hell is described in the Bible as a place of fire and brimstone, where the damned "shall be tormented [...] in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night". In the Book of Revelation, those who exclude themselves from the book of life meet a "second death", being cast into a "pool of fire".
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Hell and the Bible
Hell is a concept that is present in many religions, including Catholicism. In Catholicism, hell is the "state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed", which occurs due to the refusal to repent of mortal sin before death, as mortal sin deprives one of sanctifying grace. This idea is supported by various passages in the New Testament, such as Matthew 5:22, 5:29, 10:28, 13:41-42, and 25:41.
The word "hell" has various meanings and usages in different books of the Bible and extra-biblical sources. In the Old Testament, the word "hell" is often translated from the Hebrew "Sheol", which represents "the place of the dead", where both the righteous and the unrighteous reside. In Catholic theology, the term "hell" can refer to any "abode" where souls reside after death, who "have not obtained the happiness of heaven". These abodes include the Hell of the Damned (also known as "Gehenna"), Purgatory, and the Limbo of the Fathers or Abraham's Bosom.
The Catholic Church teaches that the existence of Hell is due to the "irrevocable character" of the damned's choice to reject God, rather than a defect in God's mercy. This choice is permanent, and thus future repentance is not possible. The Church Fathers taught that eternal hellfire awaits those who do not repent of sin, and some even listed specific people who would go to hell.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) describes hell as both the definitive expression of God's justice and the lofty calling and dignity of man. God created man with the gift of free will, allowing him to accept or reject God and His plan. This freedom is essential for real love as we understand it.
While the Church warns of the danger of eternal damnation, the current view among Catholics is that hell is either empty or very sparsely populated. The three most recent Popes have also expressed optimistic views on the population of hell, with Pope Francis stating, "I like to think of hell as empty; I hope it is".
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Who goes to hell?
In Catholicism, hell is the "state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed". This exclusion is brought about by the refusal to repent of mortal sin before death, as mortal sin deprives one of sanctifying grace. Hell, in this context, can refer to any abode where souls reside after death, who "have not obtained the happiness of heaven". These abodes include the Hell of the Damned (also known as Gehenna), Purgatory, and the Limbo of the Fathers (or Abraham's Bosom). The Limbo of the Infants is also sometimes included as a fourth abode, where souls who die in original sin but without mortal sin reside.
The Catholic Church bases its teachings on hell on various New Testament passages, such as Matthew 5:22, 5:29, 10:28, 13:41-42, and 25:41. In Matthew 25:41 and 46, Jesus says:
> "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels... [the unrighteous] will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that hell is a definitive expression of God's justice and the dignity of mankind, as God created humans with the gift of free will, allowing them to choose to accept or reject God and His plan. This freedom is essential for real love as we understand it.
According to Faustina Kowalska, who claimed to have visited hell, those who disbelieve in the existence of hell are condemned there, as are Catholic nuns who break their vows of silence. Saints such as Columba of Iona and Catherine of Siena have also claimed to receive visions of hell and the torments therein. Catherine described the four main torments of hell: the loss of the beatific vision, the worm of a guilty conscience, the vision and company of Satan, and the pain of the eternal flames.
Modern Catholics have experienced a "creeping universalism," with many now believing that few, if any, people go to hell. This is in contrast to the traditional teaching of the Church, which holds that those who refuse to respond to the love and piety of God will "go to the fire that is not extinguished". The Church teaches that hell is eternal due to the "irrevocable character" of the damned's choice to not love God, which makes future repentance impossible. While the Church acknowledges that God can liberate souls from hell, theologians teach that such exceptions do not occur.
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