Dante's Purgatory

₪lofty island-mountain₪the only land in the southern Hemisphere₪ at the antipodes of Jerusalem₪consists of seven level terraces

₪On the summit of the mountain is the Garden of Eden, or

Earthly Paradise₪Temporal punishment for those

who, departing this life in God's grace, are not entirely free

from venial faults

₪do not eat or drink₪will heal from any wound or

injury₪do not cast shadows₪guarded by angels

₪Four particularly noticeable stars ₪Four Cardinal Virtues₪ Prudence, Temperance,

Fortitude, and Justice

₪Cato

₪As dawn rises, an angel comes to the shore. It is at first visible as a bright white light moving swiftly over the sea, out of the dawn. As it approaches it can be seen to be standing on a boat, which leaps lightly over the waves.

₪The boat which the angel pilots carries a hundred souls to purgatory. They sing 'In exitu Israel de Aegypto' as the boat carries them along.₪souls arrive on the shores of Purgatory quite regularly.

THE EXCOMMUNICATE₪died outside the Church₪died repentant but un-reconciled with the Church ₪thirty times longer than they were outside the Church₪ though the prayers of those on Earth can reduce this time somewhat.

THE LETHARGIC₪the negligent₪ those who postponed their repentance

to the last hour₪ did repent before death₪equivalent to the time they spent drifting through unrepentant days ₪prayers of those on Earth can reduce this time somewhat.

THE UN-ABSOLVED₪delayed repentance₪met with death by violence₪died repentant, pardoning

and pardoned.

The Negligent Rulers

₪Salve Regina.₪virtuous, but negligent of salvation in life₪Emperor Rudolph, Ottocar (the father of King Wenceslas), Peter the Third of Aragon and Henry III of England.

Gate of the Purgatory₪simple fissure in the wall of the path₪three steps with different colors₪The first is white marble, polished to a mirror

finish.₪ The second is basalt, coloured darker than

purple with a rough finish and two cracks along its length and width forming the sign of the Cross.

₪ The third, and last, is flaming porphyry, brighter red then arterial blood. ₪The gate itself is of solid banded iron.

₪gatekeeper guards the gate into Purgatory proper well,

₪will allow those who are sufficiently devout, and who have a valid reason through

₪seven 'P's on his forehead with the point of his sword, one for each mortal sin, and advises Dante that he does not fail to wash them all off as he ascends. ₪The gatekeeper has two keys in his robe, one of

silver and one of gold. These were given to him by St. Peter

₪Both are needed to open the gate when used in order, silver then gold.

₪ If the gate does open, which it does with a shrill shriek of un-oiled hinges

₪the gatekeeper advises those let in not to look back as they ascend further

₪ those who do are brought back to ante-Purgatory,

First Terrace: The Proud₪beautiful sculptures expressing humility, the

opposite virtue₪The Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, where

she responds to the angel Gabriel with the words Ecce ancilla Dei ("Behold the

handmaid of the Lord," Luke 1:38)₪bent over by the weight of huge stones on

their backs

₪ Satan (Lucifer), the building of the Tower of Babel, King Saul, Arachne,

King Rehoboam₪an angel brushes Dante's forehead with his wings, erasing the letter "P" (peccatum) corresponding to the sin of pride₪ Beati pauperes spiritu ("Blessed are the poor in spirit," Matthew 5:3)

Anunciation

Tower of Babel

Arachne

Second Terrace: The Envious₪stories of generosity, the opposite

virtue₪Wedding at Cana₪classical story shows the friendship

between Orestes and Pylades₪penitential grey cloaks₪their eyes are sewn shut with iron

thread

Cain and Abel

Third terrace : The Wrathful₪examples of meekness, the opposite virtue₪The scene from the Life of the ₪Finding at the Temple.₪The prayer for this terrace is the Agnus Dei or Lamb of God₪hidden in thick, choking smoke

St. Stephen

Fourth terrace: The Slothful₪deficient love — that is, sloth or acedia₪souls as they run around the terrace₪The Visitation₪Allegorically, spiritual laziness and lack of caring lead to sadness and so the beatitude for this terrace

is Beati qui lugent ("Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted)

₪Dante dreams of a siren₪Constant running

Fifth terrace: The Covetous₪Excessive love for things₪excessive concern for earthly goods ₪greed, ambition or extravagance₪ The avaracious and prodigal lie face-down

on the ground, unable to move. ₪Their prayer is Adhaesit pavimento anima

mea, taken from Psalm 119:25₪Dante meets the shade of Pope Adrian V₪ Statius₪Humble birth of Christ

Sixth terrace: The Gluttonous ₪over-emphasised food, drink, and bodily comforts₪Punishment to Tantalus₪ Wedding at Cana, and John the Baptist₪ Labia mea Domine₪ Foresa Donati ₪Bonagiunta Orbicciani₪Starvation while sorrounded by food

Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths

Seventh terrace: The Lustful₪immense wall of Souls repenting of misdirected sexual

desire₪ run through the flames calling out examples of lust ₪As a prayer, they sing the hymn Summae Deus Clementiae (God of Supreme Clemency) from the Liturgy of the Hours₪strong wind rising from below.₪two groups of sinners in the fire, one stationary, one moving ₪The moving group are those who committed unnatural

acts of lust while the ₪stationary are those who sinned no less, but by simply

lusting too much, rather than wrongly.