[Catholic Caucus] The Unseen World – Hell

The Remnant Newspaper ^ | August 2, 2025 | Robert Lazu Kmita

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] The Unseen World – Hell

For Christians, Hell and Paradise are neither subjects of speculation nor historical-academic studies: they are among the most important articles of faith, referring to the “unseen world” where we will live eternally. It is no coincidence that the poetic masterpiece of the Christian world, The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (c.1265–1321), is entirely dedicated to the afterlife.

The endless multiplication of academic studies has generated some unexpected effects. Over the past century, works have emerged on increasingly exotic subjects. Some of them—like George Minois’s Histoire des enfers (History of Hells, 1991) or Jean Delumeau’s three-volume monograph Une histoire du Paradis (A History of Paradise, 1992–2000)—are dedicated to the “afterworld.” Whether it is about the positive pole (Paradise) or the negative one (Hell), almost all these studies share a common flaw: conducted under the requirement of “scientific objectivity,” they never seem to seriously consider the possibility of the real existence of the unseen world of the spirit. And what could be stranger than reading the analyses of a scholar like George Minois on Hell—when he very likely does not even believe in it?

I will not waste time on useless hypotheses, wondering what the use of such studies might be. Instead, I propose a brief incursion into the unseen world—the core of the Christian faith. In other words, we will look at what the Church and Christian Tradition teach about Hell and Paradise. In this article, I will focus on the negative pole of the unseen world.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, written and published during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, contains ambiguities and silences that require from any Catholic a good deal of prudence. However, regarding the teaching on Hell, it is unequivocal: it is the place of punishment and torment for the wicked. It is also clearly stated that hell is eternal. Thus, neither the empty Hell of “universalists” and those who have taken Cardinal Hans Urs von Balthasar’s interpretations too far, nor the temporary Hell proposed by those who, in one form or another, have resurrected the ancient theory of apocatastasis, are accepted. To confirm this, it is enough to read Articles 1034 and 1035 of the Catechism:

“Jesus often speaks of ‘Gehenna’, of ‘the hell of fire’ to which will be liable those who to the end of their lives refuse to believe and be converted, where both soul and body will be lost (Matthew 5: 22 and 29; 10: 28; 13: 42 and 50; Mark 9: 43-48). Jesus solemnly proclaims that He ‘will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire’ (Matthew 13: 41-42), and that He will pronounce the condemnation: ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire’ (Matthew 25: 41).

The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell’s ‘eternal fire’. The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”[i]

Among the abundant evidence found in the New Testament, I will mention two significant passages from the Book of Revelation—14: 9–11 and 19: 20—which describe the Christian vision of the underworld: the lake of fire “that burns with sulfur,” located at the center of Hell, and the complete darkness, indicating the presence of a dark light rather than a total absence of light.

In addition to the canonical testimony of Scripture, Christian tradition offers other very well-grounded accounts of the unseen world, based on the experiences of saints and visionaries recognized by Church authorities. Saint Bernard, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Saint Jean Marie Vianney are just a few saints who were granted the grace to see the unseen world.

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) developed one of the most grandiose theological cosmologies of the Middle Ages. Rightly regarded by some scholars as the most erudite woman in history, she represents the pinnacle of Christian culture across all ages. A mystic, theologian, advisor to popes and kings, a scientist concerned with the study of nature and living beings, a physician and astronomer, she left behind brilliant writings described as a visual Summa Theologica, illustrating her extraordinary visions. Among them, Liber de operatione Dei is a true masterpiece, in which she describes the unseen world with remarkable precision.[ii] Naturally, in such a grand fresco of the unseen cosmos, a description of Hell could not be missing.

Providing astonishing details, Saint Hildegard rigorously analyzes the infernal regions in relation to the types of sinners dwelling in each area and the nature of their punishments. For example, in the peripheral zones are punished those who neglected the practice of virtue. In the southeast region are the souls of those who committed grave sins like murder, rape, theft, etc. In the southwest lie those who died without repenting for the sins committed throughout their lives. The punishments vary with the gravity of the sins: those in the southwest endure suffocating heat, intense cold, and other tortures. The central part is populated by monstrous creatures, but contains no souls. In the north are the impious souls of hedonists and atheists. Their torments include bitter cold, strong winds, mud, dampness, foul stench, and thick fogs. The hideous monsters, alongside worms and demons, dwell only in some regions, not throughout the entire inferno.

While Saint Hildegard emphasized the objective dimension of Hell, Saint Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) focused on its subjective dimension—the spiritual torment experienced in the unseen world. Her account of Hell in The Book of Her Life is the most terrifying:

“This experience took place within the shortest space of time, but even were I to live for many years I think it would impossible for me to forget it. The entrance it seems to me was similar to a very long and narrow alleyway, like an oven, low and dark confined; the floor seemed to me to consist of dirty, muddy water emitting a foul stench and swarming with putrid vermin. At the end of the alleyway a hole that looked like a small cupboard was hollowed out in the wall; there I found I was placed in a cramped condition.

(...) I experienced a fire in the soul that I don’t know how I could describe. The bodily pains were so unbearable that though I had suffered excruciating ones in this life and according to what doctors say, the worst that can be suffered on earth (from all my nerves were shrunken when I was paralyzed, plus many other sufferings of many kinds that I endured, and even some, as I said, caused by the devil), these were all nothing in comparison with the ones I experienced there. (...) Being in such an unwholesome place, so unable to hope for any consolation, I found it impossible either to sit down or to lie down, nor was there any room, even though they put me in this kind of hole made in the wall. Those walls, which were terrifying to see, closed in on themselves and suffocated everything. There was no light, but all was enveloped in the blackest darkness. I don’t understand how this could be, that everything painful to see was visible”[iii]

So this doesn’t become an encyclopedic catalog of mystical experiences, I will mention just one more modern account of Hell, officially recognized by the Catholic Church: the vision at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. There, the Virgin Mary appeared to three children—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, simple shepherds—and granted them a brief vision of the afterlife. Here is what they reported:

“Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear and terror. We then looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so kindly and so sadly: ‘You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go’.”[iv]

Terrifying and detailed, the Fatima vision requires interpretations that avoid any inadequate understanding of these realities. For instance, the lack of weight and substance in the souls floating like sparks in the wind suggests the absence of faith and meritorious deeds. Think about it: only faith gives us “weight.” Here, “weight” should be understood as stability, consistency, character, and valor—that is, all the traits found in people who live by their Christian religious values. They always uphold the indissolubility of marriage, always reject abortion, contraception, immodesty in clothing, and anything else that would directly or indirectly violate God’s law. Such an attitude, rooted in supernatural faith, gives them “weight”—further amplified by actions consistent with their faith.

Human souls, like demons, are described as “transparent burning embers.” This transparency points to the nature of the resurrected bodies after the Final Judgment: they will be bodies suited for eternity. The bodies of the righteous will shine with the unending light of divine grace, while those of the damned will be transparent to the fires of Hell. But why are they described as “burning embers”? Because where the fire of grace—obtained through meritorious acts—does not shine, the fire of passion—cultivated and maintained through habitual sinfulness—burns instead, with obstinate persistence throughout a lifetime. There is no more serious warning than this vision, is there?

Sancta Maria, refugium peccatorum, ora pro nobis!

[ebb tide]

Ping

[Bob434]

not making a statement one way or the other- but here is what Alphonsus liguori said about it

The following is Just a few of my thoughts mixed in with the thoughts of a man called Alphonsus Liguori, a biblical scholar who has studied the issue thoroughly and wrote a book describing hell called “What will hell be like?” Here is the link:-

http://olrl.org/doctrine/hellbelike.shtml ————

Hell will be a fire so intense that it hurts the bones, not just the skin- (Ever had a bruised bone? It’s very very painful- now imagine all your bones hurting like that- That is what the fire will do- pain deep to the bones) The fire that we know today, as terrible as it can be, is child’s play compared to the supernatural fire of eternal damnation- This fire will literally boil the person’s inside- but will not kill them- It will broil the brain, but we will not feel relief by going unconscious- it will boil the bowels- but will not destroy them- “Thou shalt make them as an Oven of Fire, in the Time of Thy Anger” - Psalm 20:10. Folks, the person in hell is going to burn forever- This is serious business- God isn’t joking about this- He views sin that seriously- -————

Hell fire will not consume, nor give light- this is no ordinary fire- it is a supernatural fire- it does not consume the body so there will be no relief day and night- -————

Hell will also be freezing cold. “Let him pass from the snow water to excessive heat, and his sin even to hell.” (Job 24:19) one moment you are burning, the next moment you are freezing- There will be no rest- No escape- constant torment -————

Hell will be a place of constant torment by demonic beings “Before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death: a land of misery and darkness, where the shadow of death, and no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth.” (Job 10:22). (Note, I think it’s a stretch to claim that demons torture souls in the lake of fire based on this one interpretation of a verse from Job) ————

Hell will be a place where the person is forced to think about God and about the terrible choice they made while they were alive- constantly- this will eat at the person for eternity ————

Hell is the place where the worm feeds on the flesh but does not consume the flesh- ie you will have a constant feeling of being eaten alive- Think about a simple itch and how annoying it can be- now imagine worms crawling all over your body- eating away- but never consuming the flesh- Just the sensation of it happening- ————

Hell is a place where thirst can not be quenched- ever- try going 2 days without anything to drink- it’s not very fun, and is quite uncomfortable- Hell is eternal thirst- not just 2 days worth -———

Hell is a place of unimaginable overwhelming stench- Sin around some rotting meat on a hot day- I mean really putrid rotting meat- crawling with maggots- This is nothing compared to the inescapable stench of hell- if you are sensitive to foul odours- it’s is only going to be worse in hell- ————

Hell is a place where there will be no relief from people constantly shrieking and screaming, both in anger and in pain- Ever try to sleep with loud noises present? Not very fun. ————

Hell will be so crowded that you won’t be able to move- although it will be too dark to see anyone else- a person will be crowded- never able to find a comfortable spot to rest- always being shoved and manoeuvred around by unseen neighbouring damned- -————

Hell will be a place where memories torment the person always- never ceasing- always remembering how they rejected God when they had the chance to accept Him- This knowledge will never leave them and always haunt their minds- They shall never find peace again- ever- ————

Hell will be a place where all our earthly desires to sin will be magnified many times- Whatever pet sins a person enjoys fulfilling now, that desire to fulfil them in hell will be magnified many times but they will be unable to full fill them- ————

Hell will be a place where rage and anger and disdain and fury take hold and consume a being- *********

Take heed- Hell is not going to be a big party place- it is serious business!- God is very serious about sin- and He is giving us all every chance possible to avoid it while we are alive on earth- Sin has no place in a Holy Heaven- God was not kidding when He told adam and Eve not to eat that apple- They didn’t beleive Him- and no it wasn’t ‘just an innocent mistake on their part’ it was a serious blatant violation of God’s command not to eat of the tree- ************ Christ willingly gave His life, willingly sacrificed His life, willingly chose to lay His life down for yours- so that you, lost sinners, do not have to experience eternity without Him- He paid the price- Will you accept the gift?