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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

P is for Purgatory

My theme for this year's A- Z Blogfest is DEATH (who I hope is like DEATH in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series): "...tall, thin (skeletal, as a matter of fact), and ALWAYS SPEAKS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. Generally shows up when you're dead, or just when he thinks you ought to be." Today we have P for Purgatory.

La Divina Commedia di Dante (Dante and the Divine Comedy), fresco by Domenico di Michelino, in the nave of the Duomo of Florence, Italy

Purgatory is another one of those places you might end up when your dead. According to Catholic Church Doctrine, Purgatory is sort of a holding area for those souls destined for Heaven who did not in life reach "a sufficient level of holiness." The term dates back to pre-biblical times when it was believed that prayers for the dead "contributed to their afterlife purification." Supposedly, no soul remains in Purgatory forever. But. Half of forever could still be a pretty long time...


Excerpt from Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett

"OH, YES, said Death. ONCE THERE WERE FIVE OF US . FIVE HORSEMEN. BUT YOU KNOW HOW THINGS ARE. THERE'S ALWAYS A ROW. CREATIVE DISAGREEMENTS, ROOMS BEING TRASHED, THAT SORT OF THING. He sighed. AND THINGS SAID THAT PERHAPS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SAID."

12 comments:

  1. My understanding of Purgatory is it was a place of holding before Christ came. Once Jesus died and opened up Heaven, Purgatory emptied and was never used again.

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  2. Half of forever. Chilling point. The quote really cracks me up. Thank you.
    Awakening Dreams and Conquering Nightmares with a Pen
    I hope you are having a day as lovely as what I’m enjoying on my back porch this fine Tuesday.

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  3. I wouldn't want to go there, even if it was 'just' for half of forever!

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  4. purgatory preparation is hanging at an airport these days.

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  5. Aren't there some religions that still believe in Purgatory, or a purgatory type place?

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  6. Purgatory, sometimes it seems like Earth could be that place. . .I wonder how they define 'forever' in Purgatory.

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  7. I'm not going to get into the purgatory debate, but just thought I'd stop by to say - great theme!

    Good luck with the rest of the challenge, fellow A-to-Z-er!

    Al from https://altheauthor.wordpress.com/

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  8. AND THINGS SAID THAT PERHAPS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SAID.

    Love this.

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  9. This reminds me of a funeral I went to. (I've been to lots.) The priest said something about purgatory, and the conversation after became an interesting dissection of the point.

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  11. I wonder what one stuck in purgatory does, to pass the time. Read magazines maybe.

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  12. I've heard people call Earth, purgatory. But I don't feel that it is.

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