William Albrecht

2^nd Century AD

St. Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)

“The believer through discipline divests himself of his passions and passes to the mansion better than the former one, passing through torments with repentance for post-baptismal sins. Although these punishments cease after purification, God’s righteousness allows for temporary suffering during expiation.” (Patres Groeci. IX, col. 332)

Tertullian (160-220 AD)

“[Beware lest, as] a transgressor of your agreement, before God the judge . . . this judge deliver you to the angel who executes the sentence, and he commit you to the prison of hell, out of which there will be no dismissal until even the smallest delinquency is paid off.” (The Soul 35 [A.D. 210])

3^rd Century AD

St. Cyprian of Carthage (c. 253 AD)

“It is one thing to stand for pardon, another to attain glory; it is one thing, when cast into prison, not to go out until one has paid the uttermost farthing; another thing to be cleansed and purged by fire and attain to the wages of faith.” (Letters 51[55]:20 [A.D. 253])

Origen (184-253 AD)

“When one comes to that place [of judgment], if he brings many good works and very little iniquity, that little is separated by fire and purified.” (Homily VI on Exodus)

St. Perpetua (d. 203 AD)

“I made my prayer for my deceased brother Dinocrates day and night, weeping, until I saw that he was translated from the place of punishment to refreshment.” (Acts of the Martyrdom of Felicity and Perpetua, Chapters iii-x)

4^th Century AD

Lactantius (240-323 AD)

“When God will judge the just, it is in fire that He will try them. Those whose sins are grave will be drawn into the fire and be burned, while those imbued with virtue will not feel it.” (Divine Institutes 7.21 [A.D. 323])

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386 AD)

“We pray for our fathers and bishops and in general for all among us who are departed this life, believing this to be the greatest relief to them, for whom the holy and tremendous victim is offered up.” (Catechetical Lectures 23:10 [A.D. 350])

St. Serapion of Thmuis (c. 350 AD)

“Sanctify all who have fallen asleep in the Lord, and give them a place and abode in Your kingdom.” (The Sacramentary, 13:5 [A.D. 350])

Basil the Great (360 AD)

“Sins are consumed and devoured by the purgatorial fire…which beckons to purgation, as the Apostle teaches, ‘he will be saved as if by fire’.” (Commentary on Isaiah 9)

St. Ambrose (340-397 AD)

“He shall be saved, but he shall suffer the pains of fire, being purged by the fire… Before the resurrection, all must pass through the fire, which examines them as the Cherub’s burning sword at the gates of heaven.” (Explanation of Psalms 46, 118)

St. Epiphanius of Salamis (315-403 AD)

“What is the Passover? Christ’s sacrifice and the prayer for the dead… Jewish customs continue in Christian tradition, including prayers for the departed.” (Panarion 75)

Late 4^th to Early 5^th Century AD

John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)

“Let us help and commemorate them… If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them consolation?” (Homilies on First Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392])

“Let us weep for them and assist them with prayers and alms. Remembrance of the departed in the awesome mysteries brings much gain for them.” (Homilies on Philippians 3:9-10 [A.D. 402])

St. Augustine (354-430 AD)

“Not all who suffer temporal punishments after death will come to eternal punishment, but some will be purified through a certain purgatorial fire.” (The City of God 21:13 [A.D. 419])

“There is an ecclesiastical discipline where prayer is offered for other dead, though not for martyrs.”
(Sermons 159:1 [A.D. 411])

“Some faithful may be saved more quickly or more slowly through purgatorial fire.”
(Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Charity 18:69 [A.D. 421])

Ambrosiaster (4^th Century AD)

“He may suffer punishments of fire, but will be saved by being purified.” (Commentary on Paul’s Epistles)

5^th Century AD

Bl. Theodoret of Cyr (420s)

The teacher teaches what is right. Some follow him; others do not. Those who follow will be like gold and silver—purified by the fire and shining when they emerge from it. The others will be burned up. But the teacher will not lose anything by this. If he has been faithful, he will receive his reward regardless. Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, 183

6^th Century AD

Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604 AD)

“They who had the perfection of a good will in confession of sin after death pass by Purgatorial pain to life, if they may not have a sufficient amount of love to wash away their sins: and hence St. Paul says: ‘They are saved as so by fire.’ But let the sinner who has deserved to be saved by fire there, supply by affliction of the flesh here, that defect of ardent love which he knows he wants.” Dialogues, 4:39

“But, however, it must be believed that there is a Purgatorial fire for some light faults before judgment … but we must believe that this can only happen in the case of small and very small sins.” Dialogues, 4:39

St. Caesarius of Arles (500s)

There are many people who understand this text incorrectly, deceiving themselves with a false assurance. They believe that if they build serious sins upon the foundation of Christ, those very offenses can be purified by transitory flames, and they themselves can later reach eternal life. This kind of understanding must be corrected. People deceive themselves when they flatter themselves in this way. For in that fire it is slight sins which are purged, not serious ones. Even worse, it is not only the greater sins but the smaller ones as well which can ruin a person. Sermons 179.1

St. Cassiodorus (500s)

“…those who build with wood, hay, and straw are those who, although faithful Christians, are entangled by too great a love of their possessions. When persecution comes or they are required to either give up their property or deny Christ, they do not value their possessions more highly than Christ and so they give them up. Yet since they love them more than they ought, their loss causes them pain and tribulation. So they will be saved, but only as through fire, that is, by tribulation. And the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. That is, his work will be tested by a trial or a present tribulation, which is often compared to fire. Gold and silver are made brighter in the fire; wood, hay, and straw will burn up. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss. If anyone teaches carelessly, either by example or by word, he labors in vain because the product is paltry. Though he himself will be saved.” (Commentary on First Corinthians)

FURTHER READING

EARLY CHURCH ON PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD

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