Are Souls in Purgatory Saints?

[scameter18]

Since those souls who are in Purgatory are still saved and destined for Heaven, are they considered saints? Or are they saints only when they finished their purgatorial punishment and enter Heaven? Thank you and God bless.

 

[Rich_C]

Since those souls who are in Purgatory are still saved and destined for Heaven, are they considered saints? Or are they saints only when they finished their purgatorial punishment and enter Heaven? Thank you and God bless.

The bold is the correct answer. Until they reach Heaven they are not saints, but we call them the “Holy Souls” because they will be. After death, souls cannot gain any more merit, and while in purgatory they cannot pray for us, but when they reach Heaven they can pray for those on earth and in purgatory, and their prayers are more or less efficacious according to the merit they gained in life.

 

[JerryZ]

Since those souls who are in Purgatory are still saved and destined for Heaven, are they considered saints? Or are they saints only when they finished their purgatorial punishment and enter Heaven? Thank you and God bless.

Any one that is in Purgatory is destined for Heaven therefore they are Saints.

We do not know though who is in Purgatory, the Church does not tell us that, only tells of the ones She is sure have made it. But yeah Saints they are!

 

[A_G]

They are part of the Communion of Saints. The Communion of Saints is comprised of the church militant (those alive on earth), **the church penitent (those undergoing purification in purgatory in preparation for heaven), **and the church triumphant (those already in heaven). (The damned are not a part of the Communion of Saints.)

Souls in Purgatory are also called Holy Souls. They are souls of those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven (for which satisfaction is still to be made). They are certain to enter Heaven but must first suffer proportionately in Purgatory. It is the teaching of the Church that these souls are aided by our prayers and good works, and especially by the Sacrifice of the Mass. We can pray and ask for their intercession. We must pray for them too. Remember, once they make it to Heaven and become Saints in Heaven they will remember us and our help and prayers for them. They will remember us and will most likely pray for us too. It’s always good to have friends in Heaven.

 

[scameter18]

They are part of the Communion of Saints. The Communion of Saints is comprised of the church militant (those alive on earth), **the church penitent (those undergoing purification in purgatory in preparation for heaven), **and the church triumphant (those already in heaven). (The damned are not a part of the Communion of Saints.)

Souls in Purgatory are also called Holy Souls. They are souls of those who have died in the state of grace but who are not yet free from all punishment due to their unforgiven venial sins and all other sins already forgiven (for which satisfaction is still to be made). They are certain to enter Heaven but must first suffer proportionately in Purgatory. It is the teaching of the Church that these souls are aided by our prayers and good works, and especially by the Sacrifice of the Mass. We can pray and ask for their intercession. We must pray for them too. Remember, once they make it to Heaven and become Saints in Heaven they will remember us and our help and prayers for them. They will remember us and will most likely pray for us too. It’s always good to have friends in Heaven.

So then, souls in Purgatory are considered saints, and we can request their intercession in our prayers? For example, could I offer a prayer, and then pray, “I ask for the intercession of all the Holy Souls of the Penitent Saints in Purgatory”? Thank you all for the help, this is quite intriguing to me. God bless.

 

[Odell]

Well they can certainly pray for us because they are still part of the body of Christ. They cannot however pray for themselves. They are not saints saints though due to the fact that purgatory is the process of becoming more sanctified and we will only be perfectly sactified in heaven.

Hope this helps

 

[scameter18]

Very interesting. Thank you very much for the clarification! God bless.

 

[crystal_waters]

So then, souls in Purgatory are considered saints, and we can request their intercession in our prayers? For example, could I offer a prayer, and then pray, “I ask for the intercession of all the Holy Souls of the Penitent Saints in Purgatory”? Thank you all for the help, this is quite intriguing to me. God bless.

Yes you may!..click on the links in my signature and read testimonies of answered prayer requests through the prayers and intercession of the souls in purgatory!

 

[scameter18]

Thank you very much for the clarification. It is still rather confusing to me, but with sainthood really being more of a progressive growth to completion, we are all saints who are baptized into the Body of Christ, just to a greater or lesser degree of perfection - the saints in Heaven being the fullness of saintly perfection and holiness. Thanks again and God bless!