Is Purgatory for real?

The Catholic Church has included in its teaching the idea of a purgatory rather as a condition than a place. On 4 August 1999, Pope John Paul II, speaking of purgatory, said: "The term does not indicate a place, but a condition of existence.

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Where in the Bible does it say purgatory is real?

Roman Catholic Christians who believe in purgatory interpret passages such as 2 Timothy 1:18, Matthew 12:32, Luke 23:43, 1 Corinthians 3:11–3:15 and Hebrews 12:29 as support for prayer for purgatorial souls who are believed to be within an active interim state for the dead undergoing purifying flames (which could be ...

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How long do souls stay in purgatory?

A Spanish theologian from the late Middle Ages once argued that the average Christian spends 1000 to 2000 years in purgatory (according to Stephen Greenblatt's Hamlet in Purgatory). But there's no official take on the average sentence.

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Who made up purgatory?

Finally, Dante invents an entirely new region of Purgatory. As you will remember, Hell had a region which was invented by Dante, where the indifferent were punished (described in Inferno III).

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Can the souls in purgatory see us?

According to the writings and visions of countless saints and theologians, most people who die in a state of grace are not yet fully purified. Their souls are not ready to see God face-to-face or to embrace perfect union with Him.

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Purgatory Stories: What is Time Like in Purgatory???

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What happens when you go to purgatory?

purgatory, the condition, process, or place of purification or temporary punishment in which, according to medieval Christian and Roman Catholic belief, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for heaven.

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How long does it take for a person to get to heaven?

We enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection. Most have chosen to believe what the Bible appears to overwhelmingly propose: our souls (spirits) penetrate heaven immediately after we take our final breath.

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What is the only unforgivable sin?

One eternal or unforgivable sin (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit), also known as the sin unto death, is specified in several passages of the Synoptic Gospels, including Mark 3:28–29, Matthew 12:31–32, and Luke 12:10, as well as other New Testament passages including Hebrews 6:4–6, Hebrews 10:26–31, and 1 John 5:16.

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Who is the gatekeeper of purgatory?

The gate of Purgatory, Peter's Gate, is guarded by an angel bearing a naked sword, his countenance too bright for Dante's sight to sustain. In reply to the angel's challenge, Virgil declares that a lady from heaven brought them there and directed them to the gate.

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When did the Catholic Church remove purgatory?

The sale of indulgences for time off in Purgatory fueled the Protestant Reformation in 1517, which in turn sparked a series of wars between European Christians. In 1563, Catholics formally outlawed the sale of indulgences.

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Does every person go to purgatory?

The Catholic Church holds that "all who die in God's grace and friendship but still imperfectly purified" undergo a process of purification, which the church calls purgatory, "so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven".

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Can you skip purgatory?

The person would go straight to Heaven, bypassing Purgatory, if, and only if, that person's heart was ALSO perfectly open to the infinite grace given through this indulgence. Forgiveness of sin is certain. Therefore, Heaven will happen.

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How long is one minute in purgatory?

Time is warped in Purgatory; a minute in the real world corresponds to a year in Purgatory. It is basically a universe separated from the mortal plane.

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Did Luther believe in purgatory?

Later, Luther appears to have dropped his belief in Purgatory altogether. Certainly, he denied that a person's actions had any role to play in salvation, saying faith alone was what counted.

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Why do Catholics pray to Mary?

Prayer to Mary is a way of being drawn towards Jesus. Just as a Protestant might go to a pastor to say, “pray for me” with the assumption that your pastor will point you to Jesus—so also a Catholic will pray to Mary with the confidence that she will direct us to the Lord Jesus. It is an act of intercession.

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What is the basis of purgatory?

In purgatory, God purifies the soul of its imperfections through the fire of His divine justice. During this finite but painful process, the soul is purged of its evil inclinations and makes final satisfaction to God for its sins.

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What is the punishment for Purgatory?

Sin and Punishment
  • Pride: heavy stones.
  • Envy: eyes sewn shut.
  • Wrath: choking smoke.
  • Sloth: rapid running.
  • Avarice: face down.
  • Gluttony: mobile fruit tree.
  • Lust: passing through flames.

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What is the first stage of Purgatory?

Pride. The first official terrace of Purgatory is home to the prideful souls. Dante and Virgil encounter both the exemplars of the virtue opposed to pride, such as the life of Mary, and watch as souls are purged of their pride through trials.

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What angel is in charge of Purgatory?

In Islamic belief, Maalik (Arabic: مالك, romanized: mālik) denotes an angel in Hell/Purgatory (Arabic: جهنم, romanized: jahannam) who administrates the Hellfire, assisted by 19 mysterious guards (Sura 74:30) known as Zabaniyya (Arabic: الزبانية, romanized: az-zabānīya).

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What is the place called before you go to heaven?

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that there is a place where sins are punished and a soul is purified before it can go to Heaven. This is called Purgatory .

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What is the greatest sin in the Bible?

Pride (superbia), also known as hubris (from Ancient Greek ὕβρις) or futility. It is considered the original and worst of the seven deadly sins on almost every list, the most demonic. It is also thought to be the source of the other capital sins. Pride is the opposite of humility.

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Does God forgive sins without confession?

You do not need to confess to a pastor, priest, or spiritual leader to be forgiven. You do not need another human mediator, since (by faith) you already have Jesus Christ: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5).

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Will people recognize each other in heaven?

In fact, the Bible indicates we will know each other more fully than we do now. The Apostle Paul declared, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). It's true that our appearance will change, because God will give us new bodies, similar to Jesus' resurrection body.

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Do you live in heaven forever?

As for the rest of humankind, after the final judgment, it is expected that the righteous will receive eternal life and live forever on an Earth turned into a paradise. Those granted immortality in heaven are absolutely immortal and cannot die by any cause. Even God himself wouldn't be able to kill them.

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Do cremated bodies go to heaven?

No matter what a person's preference is, from the Christian perspective, cremation does not prevent one from going to Heaven.

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