http://www.lightshinesindarkness.com/purgatory_history_1.htm
“purgatory has been part of the Christian faith from the very beginning.” – Catholic Answers, “The Roots of Purgatory” (San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2004).
“It then becomes clear that at the time of Judas Maccabeus-around 170 B.C., a surprisingly innovative period-prayer for the dead was not practiced, but that a century later it was practiced by certain Jews.” -Jacques Le Goff, The Birth of Purgatory, trans. Arthur Goldhammer (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1984), p.45. http://www.lightshinesindarkness.com/purgatory_history_1.htm
Benedict XV, grant an indulgence of 500 days for each time the cloth Scapular is kissed.”(18)
thirteenth century, “Nothing is clearly stated in Scripture about the situation of Purgatory, nor is it possible to offer convincing arguments on this question.” Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Appendix II (Purgatory), Article 2
The Orthodox Church has neither explicitly recognized the term “purgatory” nor officially accepted such a state, which is distinct from the more general being “asleep in the Lord.” In his book entitled Why Do We Reject Purgatory?, Coptic Pope Shenouda III presents many theological and biblical arguments against Purgatory.
`The Rome concept of “purgatory”, with its suffering after death as being expiatory, is definitely not Orthodox,is distinctly western and is outside the “consensus patrum,” though the idea that there is a sort of purification is a theological theory which has been postulated.
“I answer that, In Purgatory there will be a twofold pain; one will be the pain of loss, namely the delay of the divine vision, and the pain of sense, namely punishment by corporeal fire. With regard to both the least pain of Purgatory surpasses the greatest pain of this life…
Therefore it follows that the pain of Purgatory, both of loss and of sense, surpasses all the pains of this life “(Aquinas T. The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, Appendix I, Article 1.).
various early leaders taught apocatastasis, which was formally condemned in the first of the famous anathemas pronounced at the Council of Constantinople in 543:
Well I looked into this further...they did borrow ‘the idea’ of an intermediate life from the Jews. So it is old testament teaching..in an indirect sort of way. But why would Rome build this into their faith since Christ set us free from the law?......Of course they knew they could make money from this...but why would a catholic adere to Jewish ‘tradition’ of an intermediate life? Wasn’t the church suppose to free of such?...So how can Christ be in that picture if it’s a Jewsih practice now practiced by Rome?
This makes no sense at all?