TrentCath:
Also it appears I may have been somewhat hasty in conceding that ‘Hades’ and Purgatory were one and the same thing.
Now this
website (Orthodox Catholic Faith) states** 'Orthodoxy teaches that, after the soul leaves the body, it journeys to the abode of the dead (Hades). There are exceptions, such as the Theotokos, who was borne by the angels directly into heaven. As for the rest, we must remain in this condition of waiting. Because some have a prevision of the glory to come and others foretaste their suffering, the state of waiting is called “Particular Judgment.”
**
It is supported by the Orthodox Confession of Faith written by Peter Mohila, Metropolitan of Kiev (1633-47) which can be read
here which states **'Q. 61. Will all men then give an account of their works, each one individually (48) giving an account, and will there be a particular judgment?
R. Although there will not be rendered an account of one’s life on that day of last judgment, since God knows all things, yet anyone knowing his sins at the time of death will recognize even more so after his death what he has merited. For if indeed one’s works will be known to a man, even also will he be aware of the verdict of God, as St. Gregory of Nazianzus says: “I am persuaded by the words of the wise to believe that every fair and God-beloved soul, when freed from the chains of the body, departs hence and immediately rejoices in the total perception and contemplation of the good which awaits it and experiences a wonderful pleasure and happily flies to the Lord, this life having been fled, as from a grave prison, and having shaken off the fetters by which the wings of the mind were accustomed to be held down, and enters into the happiness concealed in the image which it now perceives; and later when it receives its recognized flesh from the earth, which both gave it and accepted it in faith and then it also will be allowed to enter the inheritance of the heavenly glory.”[151] So also in regard to the souls of the sinners, it is to be thought that certainly they themselves are aware of the damnation that they are to receive. Although both good and evil do not have perfect payment for their deeds before the last judgment, nevertheless, because they are not in the same state, they are not sent to the same place. But, it is clear that this would be impossible before the last judgment without a particular judgment. Therefore, there is a particular judgment.’**
I had encountered this idea of a ‘Particular Judgement’ before and can’t believe that I didn’t remember it sooner as regards this discussion. Now we know that the catholic faith teaches that one of 3 things happen to us after we die:
*]We Go Straight to Hell
*]We Go Straight to heaven
*]We go to purgatory until we are purified
'**I. The Particular Judgment
1022 Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification592 or immediately,593-or immediate and everlasting damnation.594’** (New Catechism of the Catholic Church, which can be seen
here vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P2L.HTM )
The first undoubtedly happens to the greater number of souls, the second to a very few most obviously the Virgin Mary and The Saints, the third to everyone else. This idea of a ‘Particular Judgement’ as a state of waiting is in no way taught or accepted by the Catholic Faith.
It appears to have its origins in 2 Esdras (A book not accepted as canonical by the church but used by some Orthodox) Chapter 7 verses 76-101, specifically where verses 100-101 where it says '…‘Will time therefore be given to the souls, after they have been seperated from their bodies, to see what you have described to me?’ He said to me, 'They shall have freedom for seven days, so that during these seven days they may see the things of which you have been told, and afterwards they shall be gathered in their habitations’ Now it is one thing to accept as scripture a book that you do not use for Dogma (though I would find it remarkable that a passage such as this would not be used to support the idea of a particular judgement) another to accept as scripture a book which appears to be clearly contrary to what the church teaches.
Lastly from The Orthodox Confession of Faith it is said regarding Purgatory '**Q. 66. How must one consider the purgatorial fire?
R. No Scripture makes mention of the fact that after death there is a temporal punishment that cleanses souls; what is more, the opinion of Origen was condemned by the Church at the second Council of Constantinople because of this. Also, the soul can receive no sacraments after death; and if it were then to make satisfaction for its sins, it would have to perform a part of the sacrament of holy Penance, which would be contrary to the orthodox teaching. Therefore, the Church rightly performs for them the unbloody sacrifice and prayers, but they do not cleanse themselves by suffering something. But, the Church never maintained that which pertains to the fanciful stories of some concerning the souls of their dead, who have not done penance and are punished, as it were, in streams, springs and swamps**.’
Now whilst it is true that ‘purgatorial fire’ per se was not defined as Dogma, cleansing pains were by the Council of Florence (something which I have previously pointed out). Therefore even if it is true that Hades and purgatory are the same (something which is not at all clear) the Orthodox understanding of it would still be faulty and contrary to Church Teaching.