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| Souls in Purgatory German, 19th Century Private Collection |
For Catholics, the month of November has traditionally been a month of prayer for the souls of the deceased, often known as the Holy Souls in Purgatory. It begins with the feast of All Souls, which is celebrated in the Catholic liturgical calendar on November 2. This immediately follows the November 1 feast of All Saints, reminding us that the Church is composed of three distinct groups: those currently living on earth, the saints in heaven and the souls undergoing purification in Purgatory.
In this month the Church remembers and prays for all the
deceased who have received their initial (or particular) judgment at death and
who were found to have lived lives of imperfection, not bad enough to warrant
the eternal damnation of Hell, but not perfect enough as yet to enter
Heaven. They still have some way to go
on their journey to the perfect holiness of Heaven. These are, I believe, the conditions that
most of humanity faces at death. We bear
with us some of the residual taint for our sins, small and great, that have
already been pardoned, somewhat like fine sand sticks to wet skin and needs to
be brushed or washed off after we leave the beach.
The state of being (not a place, per se) where this cleansing happens is known as Purgatory. There, the souls, divested of their earthly form, experience some kind of purgation. This has traditionally been regarded as a cleansing fire that purifies in the manner of the purification of metal, which is smelted to remove impurities that would weaken it. 1
While it is a “place” of purgation, Purgatory is not, however, a place of tortures and despair, like Hell. Every soul confined there knows that it is bound for Heaven once purified. The souls in Purgatory, although suffering, remain filled with hope and even joy, accepting their state as necessary for their salvation and offering prayers. As part of the Communion of Saints they can be assisted by the prayers of the living and by the intercession of those in Heaven. 2
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| Two Souls in Purgatory From a Book of Hours Dutch (Zwolle), c. 1470 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 76 G 28, fol. 115r |
This forms the background for the ways in which the Souls in Purgatory are depicted by artists. Artists have been very careful not to confuse their depictions of Purgatory with their depictions of Hell. Even when showing the purgative fires, the attitude of the souls bears witness to the hope and joy with which they accept their state, or plead for the prayers of the living to assist them. Angels bring them comfort and encouragement in some pictures and, very frequently, are shown in the act of releasing souls whose purgation is completed.
You will undoubtedly notice that in almost all of the pictures that include them, the souls are shown as naked. This is a reminder that 1) as we came into the world with no covering but our skin, so will we depart it and 2) worldly rank and position, though occasionally depicted by headgear, are totally irrelevant to the fate of our souls. The rich cannot buy themselves into heaven with their finery and the poverty of the poor cannot bar them from eternal happiness.
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| Masters of the Dark Eyes, Angels Releasing Souls from Purgatory From a Book of Hours The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 76 G , fol. 171r |
These pictures most frequently appeared in the Books of
Hours, the principal prayer book for the laity.
Books of Hours offered the laity the opportunity to pray throughout the
day in the same way that the Divine Office provided for priests and monks. Many Books of Hours included special Hours
for the Dead. These Hours for the Dead
were a series of special prayers to assist the dead in their trials in
Purgatory. The earliest pictures of
Purgatory come from them and the themes presented in some of the earliest
images continued to hold the imagination of artists right through time into the
nineteenth century. They uniformly urge
the living to pray for the dead to assist them to attain heaven.
The Sufferings of the Souls in Purgatory
They manner in which souls expiate the leftover effects of their sins is not defined. As stated above, there is in both Scripture and tradition some evidence for some kind of fire. However, it remains a mystery and will remain so for us, until the day we find ourselves there. So artists and poets have found different answers to the question.
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| Soul Caught in Ice From the Pelerinage de l'ame by Guillaume de Digulleville Franch (Rennes), c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 114v |
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| Soul Chained to a Chest From Pelerinage de l'ame by Guillaume de Digulleville Franch (Rennes), c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 115 |
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| Pair of Souls in the Fire of Purgatory French, Early 16th Century Private Collection |
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| Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino, Soul in the Fire of Purgatory Italian, c. 1620-1630 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
A Word About Dante's Purgatory
As part of his trilogy poem The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri included Purgatory. It forms the content of the second book, Purgatorio. His view of the sufferings of the souls in Purgatory is quite different.
In his vision Purgatory is not a lake or river of fire, it is a mountain, ringed with seven ridges. As one ascends the mountain and passes through each ridge the Seven Deadly Sins are purged away by penalties appropriate to the sin of that ridge. Each ridge also includes several examples of the corresponding Seven Virtues.
• At the bottom of the mountain the souls of the recently dead who are saved but not purged approach the angelic gatekeeper to begin their upward journey.
• On the first ridge, we see the proud bowed beneath large rocks that keep them in a position which enables them to see sculptured reliefs illustrating the virtue of humility on the ground under their feet.
• On the second ridge, the envious sit with their eyes sewn shut, since it was through their eyes that they looked enviously on their fellow humans. Here the virtue is that of generosity.
• On the third, the wrathful wander about through smoke, representing the blindness that came upon them through their anger. The opposing virtue is meekness.
• On the fourth, the slothful run with urgency. The opposite virtue here is zeal.
• On the fifth, the greedy and the spendthrifts lie motionless, unable to move or help themselves. The opposing virtue is charity.
• On the sixth, the gluttons stand before trees laden with fruit that they cannot reach. Temperance is the corresponding virtue.
• On the seventh, the lustful pass through fire, representing the effects of their sin on the psyche. Chastity is the virtue here.
• At the top of the mountain, a man and woman who have passed through all the ridges have regained the original purity of Adam and Eve before the Fall and are now ready to advance into Paradise.
• At the bottom of the mountain the souls of the recently dead who are saved but not purged approach the angelic gatekeeper to begin their upward journey.
• On the first ridge, we see the proud bowed beneath large rocks that keep them in a position which enables them to see sculptured reliefs illustrating the virtue of humility on the ground under their feet.
• On the second ridge, the envious sit with their eyes sewn shut, since it was through their eyes that they looked enviously on their fellow humans. Here the virtue is that of generosity.
• On the third, the wrathful wander about through smoke, representing the blindness that came upon them through their anger. The opposing virtue is meekness.
• On the fourth, the slothful run with urgency. The opposite virtue here is zeal.
• On the fifth, the greedy and the spendthrifts lie motionless, unable to move or help themselves. The opposing virtue is charity.
• On the sixth, the gluttons stand before trees laden with fruit that they cannot reach. Temperance is the corresponding virtue.
• On the seventh, the lustful pass through fire, representing the effects of their sin on the psyche. Chastity is the virtue here.
• At the top of the mountain, a man and woman who have passed through all the ridges have regained the original purity of Adam and Eve before the Fall and are now ready to advance into Paradise.
The most famous, and perhaps one of the only, images of this idea is found in the background of a 1465 fresco by Domenico di Michelino, called "Dante Illuminating Florence With His Poem" it shows each of the three states that form the poem: Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.
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| Domenico di Michelino, Dante Illuminating Florence With His Poem Italian, 1465 Florence, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo |
In this picture Michelino has shown each of the levels of Mount Purgatory and the penance attached it it.
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| Domenico di Michelino, Dante Illuminating Florence (detail of Purgatory) Italian, 1465 Florence, Museo dell'Opera del Duomo |
But, even on this mountain the souls pray as they perform their penances and are released from their sufferings by the prayers of others. When this happens, according to Dante, the whole mountain expresses great joy and the released soul rises up from its current penance and hurries to the next level to take on the penance for the next sin that needs to have its residue taken away. Everything is joyful. When the soul finally reaches the summit of the hill, the earthly paradise, the native state of sinlessness of Adam and Eve before the fall, they bathe in the river Lethe, which brings forgetfulness and is the final cleansing before their ascent to Heaven. After bathing, they remember the fact of their sins, but not the sense of failure and shame associated with them. This done, they are ready to be with God forever.
The Souls Offering Prayers While in Purgatory
One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that the souls spend their time praying. They cannot pray for themselves, but it is thought that they may pray for those still living or they may pray to the Virgin Mary or the saints for their intercession or they may pray simply to glorify God. Whatever their object can be, they are frequently seen in attitudes of prayer. In fact, it is this prayerful attitude and the joy frequently expressed on their faces that can help determine if a scene of souls surrounded by flames refers to Purgatory or to Hell, for there is no joy or prayer in Hell.
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| Master of the Modena Hours, Liberation of Souls from Purgatory and Reception in Heaven by God From a Missal Italian (Milan), c. 1390-1400 The Hague, Meermano Museum MS MMW 10 A16, fol. 224v |
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| Master of Zweder van Columborg, Souls Praying in Purgatory From a Book of Hours Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1425 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 133 M 131, fol. 196v |
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| Gethsemane Master sand Master Azor, Souls Praying From a Dutch Book of Hours Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1430 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 131 G 3, fol. 172r |
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| Follower of Master Azor, Souls in Purgatory From a Book of Hours Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1430-1450 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 135 J 50, fol. 240v |
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| Souls in Purgatory From a Book of Hours Flemish, c. 1470-1490 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KV 131 G 5, fol. 144r |
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| Master of the Dark Eyes, Souls in Purgatory From a Prayer Book Dutch, c. 1490-1500 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 135 E 19, fol. 28v |
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| Master of the Dark Eyes, Purgatory From a Book of Hours Flemish, c. 1490-1500 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS KB 76 F31, fol. 138r |
Intercession for the Souls by the Living
The living are able to pray for the souls in Purgatory and are urged to do so. One can pray from the Office of the Dead, which was part of the popular Books of Hours prayer books, and is the source of many of the images depicted here). The best form of prayer for the souls is to offer a Mass for that intention.
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| Praying for Souls in Purgatory From Pelerinage de l'ame by Guillaume de Digulleville French (Rennes), c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 110v |
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| The Divine Economy From a Book of Hours Flemish, c. 1480-1500 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheek MS 133d5, fol. 86v |
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| Jacques de Besancon, Purgatory From Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine French (Paris), c. 1480-1490 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 245, fol. 162 |
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| Giuseppe Cades, Blessed Francis Venimbeni, Celebrating Mass for the Souls in Purgatory Italian, c. 1750-1799 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
Intercession for the Souls by the Virgin Mary and the Saints
Pictures depicting the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and of many different saints forms the largest group of pictures related to Purgatory. This is not surprising. For, if the prayers of individual, living persons can assist the souls, how much more powerful will be the intercession of those people who are already acknowledged to have lived holy lives and to be with God in heaven. Therefore, in addition to offering their own prayers for the Holy Souls, Catholics have also resorted to asking the intercession of the saints for them.
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| Angels Petitioning God on Behalf of Souls From Pelerinage de l'ame by Guilllaume de Digulleville Franch (Rennes), c. 1425-1450 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Francais 376, fol. 111v |
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| Intercession by Mary Releases a Soul from Purgatory German, c. 1450-1550 Macclesfield, Cheshire (UK), West Park Museum |
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| Pedro Machuca, The Virgin Intercedes for the Souls in Purgatory Spanish, 1517 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Saint Francis Interceding for Souls in Purgatory Italian, 17th-18th Century San Pietro in Lama, Santa Maria della Croce |
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| Frans Francken II, The Virgin and Saints Interceding for the Souls in Purgatory Flemish, c. 1600-1642 Paris, Musee du Louvre, Department des Arts graphiques |
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| Alonso Cano, The Virgin Interceding for Souls in Purgatory Spanish, c. 1601-1667 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Ludovico Carracci, The Virgin and Child Freeing Souls in Purgatory Italian, c. 1610 Vatican City, Pinacoteca |
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| Giovanni Battista Crespi, Saint Gregory the Great Delivering the Soul of a Monk from Purgatory Italian, 1617 Varese, Church of San Vittore |
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| Rubens Workshop, Saint Teresa of Avila Interceding for Souls in Purgatory Flemish, c. 1630-1633 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Philippe de Champaigne, The Virgin Mary and Other Saints Interceding for the Souls in Purgatory Flemish, c. 1650 Toulouse, Musee des Augustine |
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| Luca Giordano, The Virgin and Child Listen to the Prayers of the Souls in Purgatory Italian, c. 1650 Venice, Church of San Pietro di Castell |
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| Pietro Antonio de' Pietris, The Virgin, Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony of Padua Interceding for Souls in Purgatory Italian, 1694 Philadelphia, Museum of Art |
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| Giovanni Odazzi, Saint Gregory the Great Interceding for Souls in Purgatory Italian, c. 1700 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| The Virgin Mary and Saints Interceding for the Souls in Purgatory Italian, 17th-18th Century Tuscania, Church of Santa Maria della Rosa |
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| Francesco Fontebasso after Sebastiano Ricci, Pope Gregory the Great and Saint Vitale Interceding for the Souls in Purgatory Italian, c. 1731 Washington, National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows how one artist's idea and composition can be adapted by another for a slightly different reading.
Fontebasso adds San Vitale to the petition, presumably to please a different patron.
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| Michel Francois Dandre-Bardon, Saint James and Two Bishop Saints Interceding Before the Virgin in Favor of the Souls in Purgatory French, c. 1742-1745 Dijon, Musée Magnin |
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| Charles Nicolas Cochin II, The Risen Christ Appearing to Souls in Purgatory French, 1782 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
Angelic Encouragement
In these pictures angels are depicted as offering encouragement to the souls in Purgatory. They encourage them with actions and exhortations. |
| Angels Encourage Souls in Purgatory from Tafel van den Kersten Ghelove Dutch (Utrecht), c. 1400-1415 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M691_fol 207r
Here angels assist the souls by sprinkling them with holy water and praying rosaries for them.
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Around 1610 Rubens prepared a sketch of the souls in purgatory which provided the basis for many compositions, by his studio (see, for instance, the work by his studio of Saint Teresa of Avila Interceding with Christ for the Souls in Purgatory, above) and by others.
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| After Peter Paul Rubens, Purgatory with Symbol of the Trinity Flemish, c.1610-1650 London, British Museum Here the angels direct the souls to the symbol of the Trinity. |
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| Cornelis Galle I after Peter Paul Rubens, Purgatory with the Symbol of the Holy Name of Jesus Flemish, c. 1610-1650 London, British Museum Here a reversed engraving of the same group of souls are directed to the symbol for the Holy Name of Jesus. |
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| Cornelis Galle I after Peter Paul Rubens, Purgatory with the Symbol for the Holy Name of Jesus Flemish, c. 1610-1650 London, British Museum
Here Galle has taken the same group of souls but added many more, plus more angels, clouds, etc.
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| Schelte Adamszoon Bolswert after Peter Paul Rubens, Soul in Purgatory Praying for Mercy Dutch, c. 1630-1678 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum
This print maker has isolated the prominent female figure from Rubens composition and modified it
slightly, personalizing it in a new way.
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| Charles Le Brun, Two Angels Visiting the Souls in Purgatory French, c. 1650 Paris, Musée du Louvre, Cabinet des dessins
Even Charles LeBrun shows references to the Rubens composition, in spite of swinging the design to the side and
mirroring it with variations.
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Angelic Rescues
This was a particularly popular image for a very long time. In these pictures we see the effect of the prayers of the living and the intercession of the saints, as souls are freed from Purgatory by angels.
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| Jean le Noir and Workshop, Angels Rescuing Souls from Purgatory From the Breviary of Charles V French (Paris), c.1364-1370 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Latin 1052, fol. 556v |
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| Angel Freeing a Soul from Purgatory German woodcut, 15th Century Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| Angels Releasing Souls from Purgatory German, c. 1438-1453 Nuremberg, Church of Saint Sebald |
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| Workshop of Stefan Lochner, Souls in Purgatory About to Be Freed by Angels From a Prayer Book German, c. 1444 Berlin, Kupferstichkabinett der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin |
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| Jean Colombe, Angels Freeing Souls from Purgatory From the Hours of Anne of France French (Bourges), 1473 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M677, fol. 329r |
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| Jean Colombe, Angels Freeing Souls from Purgatory From the Hours of Anne of France French (Bourges), 1473 New York, Pierpont Morgan Library MS M677, fol. 250v |
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| Masters of Hugo Janszoon van Woerden, Angels Bring Redeemed Souls to Christ From a Book of Hours Dutch (Leyden), c. 1480-1500 The Hague, Koninklijk Bibliotheque MS KB 132 G 37, fol. 45v |
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| Jean Colombe, Resurrection of the Dead and Liberation of the Souls in Purgatory From the Tres Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry French, c. 1485-1489 Chantilly, Musée Condé Ms 65, fol. 113v |
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| Angels Freeing Souls from Purgatory From a Book of Hours French (Amiens), c. 1486-1500 Private Collection |
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| Angels Delivering Souls from Purgatory Single Page from a Manuscript Spanish, 16rh Century Private Collection |
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| Johann Michael Rottmayr, Angels Freeing Souls from Purgatory German, c. 1704-1706 Breslau, Church of Saint Mathias |
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| Joseph Roques, A Soul Freed from Purgatory French, c. 1801-1825 Toulouse, Musée des Augustins |
The Effect of Graces from the Power of Christ’s Sacrifice
The most theologically sophisticated images are those that depict the effect of God's intervention in human history through the birth of Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice, death and resurrection. These images present their subject in the form of allegory and symbol, not so much in the concrete way of other images which ask for prayer or demonstrate the effect of prayer.
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Follower of Jean Pichore, The Annunciation and the Effects on Purgatory and Hell
From a Book of Hours
French (Paris), c. 1490-1500
New York, Pierpont Morgan Library
MS M7, fol. 5r
This shows the effect of the Annunciation, of Mary's yes to God's request on the souls in Purgatory and on those in Hell. The memory of her yes and its result heartens those in Purgatory and drives the demons in Hell to fresh acts of cruelty.
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| Goswijn van der Weyden, Fons Pietatis Flemish, c. 1500 Goetenborg (SV), Goetenborg Konstmuseum
Here we see the effects of Christ's Blood, dispensed to the Souls in Purgatory by angels. The Virgin Mary is
also interceding for them. If you look closely to an enlargement (click on the picture) you can see that her
left hand points down toward them, while her right holds her breast, reminding her Son that she sustained
His human life at its beginnings, as she prays for the souls below.
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| Jean Bellegame, The Mystic Bath French, 1500-1525 Lille, Musée des Beaux-Arts
Another example of the effect of Christ's Sacrifice. Souls are rejuvenated by it as they arrive from
Purgatory (glimpsed on the left behind the main figures).
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| Souls Released from Purgatory by the Crucifixion From the Hours of Antoine le Bon French (Lorraine), 1533 Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 302, fol. 58 |
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| The Death of Christ Redeems Souls from Purgatory Italian, 17th Century New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| School of Alonso Cano, Souls in Purgatory Liberated by the Cross Spanish, c. 1650 Detroit, Institute of Arts |
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| A Votive Image of the Souls in Purgatory Liberated by the Prayers of the Saints Before the Blessed Sacrament Alpine Region, Early 19th Century Private Collection |
At this midway point in the month of the Holy Souls it seems a good idea to take a few minutes to pray as the Church has long prayed, for the dead, those whom we knew and loved and, perhaps most especially, for those we never knew who may have no one to pray on their behalf.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. (Traditional prayer for the Dead.)
© M. Duffy, 2017
- As for instance, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 “If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire (itself) will test the quality of each one's work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire.” This is as St. Paul urges his readers to be sure that the lives they build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, will be true ones, for otherwise, they will have to endure a testing by fire.
- More about the Communion of Saints can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part I, Section 2, Chapter 3, Article 9, Paragraph 5, Numbers 946-962 (link http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2B.HTM)
