The Harrowing of Hell?

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What is the predominant belief on the ultimate fate of Adam and Eve?

Are they in hell for all time?

Were they released as some say when Christ appeared in the netherworld, during the legendary (or apocryphal) harrowing of hell?

Is it up to us to believe whatever we want on this topic?

The belief that Adam and Eve have already been released seems to be quite common, does anyone have the scoop on this from the Roman Catholic magisterium?


Michael, that sinner
 
The Harrowing of Hell, as described in that Catholic Encyclopedia, is just how Christ “descended to the dead”. It is not legendary or apocryphal at all.

Before Christ one the merits of salvation on the cross, those souls that had died in original sin but without personal mortal sin descended into limbo to wait for him. He freed these saints of the old testament period when he died.

Adam and Eve are generally believed to have been saved at this time, though how is a different question. Perhaps after commiting the First Sin (which theologians generally hold had to be a mortal sin) they had an act of perfect contrition.
 
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batteddy:
The Harrowing of Hell, as described in that Catholic Encyclopedia, is just how Christ “descended to the dead”. It is not legendary or apocryphal at all.
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Thank you for that. I did not mean to imply that I doubt that Christ descended to the Dead, it is part of the Creedal formula (Apostles Creed) and I believe it.

To quote Father William Most:
*“After His death, the soul of Jesus, still united to the divinity, descended into the realm of the dead, which the Creed calls “hell”, in the old English usage. It does not mean at all the hell of the damned. He visited what is called the Limbo of the Fathers. For the just, who had died in the state of grace, and had paid all the debt of their sins, were still not admitted to the vision of God until Jesus had died.”
As ‘apocryphal’ I refer to the details which are a bit murky, I am looking for a solid clarification of the fate of Adam according to Catholic teaching. The popular stories are indeed legendary, I know of the Gospel of Nicodemus (apocryphal) which is third or fourth century although I never have read it. Afterward there have been a number of compositions and edifying plays with the story but I don’t see these works of fiction as having any authority in and of themselves.

Now if the fate of Adam is mentioned in some Papal sermon I could accept that as being recognized as a part of the Magisterium, I suppose.
Before Christ (won) the merits of salvation on the cross, those souls that had died in original sin but without personal mortal sin descended into limbo to wait for him. He freed these saints of the old testament period when he died.

** Adam and Eve are generally believed to have been saved at this time**, though how is a different question. Perhaps after commiting the First Sin (which theologians generally hold had to be a mortal sin) they had an act of perfect contrition.
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This is the part that intriques me, it is a message of hope to Christians if true, but I was looking for confirmation that the Roman Catholic church actually teaches the salvation of Adam, or perhaps is officially mute on the point.

Thanks again for the response!
 
The Office of Readings, in the Liturgy of the Hours, for Holy Saturday contains an ancient homily for that day which describes Jesus searching the abode of the dead for Adam who was the first to be brought out by Jesus.
…He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve…
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I don’t think it is available on line at this time of year. One of your priests will have it in his four volume set. It is a beautiful passage.
 
I have Rosalind Moss’s tapes on the Jewish roots of our Catholic Faith and on one of them, she mentions Adam and Eve being in Purgatory until the Final Judgement. But I don’t know where she got that info from. That’s the only time I’ve ever heard about it and I never really thought about it before.
 
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