A Detached Account of the Descent into Hell
from The Sorrowful Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
by Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824)
Mystic, Stigmatist, Visionary, and Prophet
NIHIL OBSTAT: GEORGIVS D. SMITH. D.D.
CENSOR DEPVTATVS
IMPRIMATUR: EDM. CAN. SVRMONT
VICARIVS GENERALIS
WESTMONASTERII, DIE XXI MAII MCMXXVIII
"Nihil Obstat" (Latin for "no problem".)
"Imprimatur" (Latin for "let it be printed").
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"WHEN Jesus, after uttering a Loud Cry,
Expired, I saw His Heavenly Soul under the form of a Bright Meteor pierce
the Earth at the foot of the Cross, accompanied by the Angel
Gabriel and many other Angels. His Divine
Nature continued United to His Soul
as well as to His Body, which still remained hanging upon the
Cross, but I cannot explain how this was, although I saw it plainly in my own
Mind (See Table below). The place into which the Soul
of Jesus entered was divided into Three (3) Parts,
which appeared to me like Three (3) Worlds; and I felt that they were Round, and that each
Division was separated from the other by a Hemisphere.
"I beheld a Bright and Beautiful Space opposite to Limbo; it was
enameled with flowers, delicious breezes wafted through it; and many Souls were placed
there before being admitted into Heaven after their
Deliverance from Purgatory.
Limbo, the place where the Souls were waiting for the
Redemption, was divided into different Compartments, and encompassed by a thick foggy atmosphere.
Our Lord appeared Radiant with Light and
surrounded by Angels, Who conducted
Him Triumphantly between Two (2) of these Compartments;
the One (1) on the Left containing the Patriarchs who lived before the time of Abraham, and
that on the Right those who lived between the days of Abraham and Saint John Baptist. These
Souls did not at first recognize Jesus, but
were filled nevertheless with Sensations of Joy and Hope.
There was not a spot in those narrow confines which did not, as it were, dilate with feelings of
Happiness. The passage of Jesus might be compared to the Wafting of a Breath-of-Air,
to a sudden Flash-of-Light, or to a Shower of Vivifying-Dew, but it was Swift as a Whirlwind. After passing through the
Two (2) Compartments,  He reached a dark spot in which Adam and Eve were standing;
He spoke to them, they Prostrated and Adored Him in
a Perfect Ecstasy of Joy, and they immediately joined the Band of
Angels, and accompanied Our Lord to the Compartment on the left, which contained the
Patriarchs who lived before Abraham. This Compartment was a Species of Purgatory, and a
Few Evil Spirits were wandering about among the
Souls and endeavoring to fill them with Anxiety
and Alarm. The Entrance, through a species-of-door was closed, but the
Angels rapped, and I thought I heard them say, ‘Open these doors’. When
Jesus entered in Triumph the
Demons dispersed, crying out at the same time, ‘What is there between Thee and us? What art Thou come
to do here? Wilt Thou crucify us likewise?’ The Angels hunted them away, having first
chained them. The poor Souls confined in this place had only a Slight Presentiment and Vague Idea of the
Presence of Jesus; but the moment He told them that it was
He Himself, they burst out into Acclamations of Joy, and
welcomed Him with Hymns of Rapture and Delight. The Soul
of Our Lord then wended its way to the right, towards that part which really constituted
Limbo; and there He met the
Soul of the Good Thief which Angels were carrying
to Abraham’s Bosom (Paradise), as also that of the Bad Thief being dragged by
Demons into Hell. Our Lord addressed a few
words to both, and then entered Abraham’s Bosom (Paradise), accompanied by numerous Angels and
Holy Souls, and also by those Demons who had been Chained and Expelled
from the Compartment.
Similar Terms from Scripture
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Limbus Patrum = Limbo of the Fathers = Bosom of Abraham = Paradise = Banquet = Marriage Feast
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"This Locality appeared to me More-Elevated than the surrounding parts; and I can only describe my Sensations on entering it,
by comparing them to those of a Person coming suddenly into the Interior of a Church, after having been
for some time in the Burial Vaults. The Demons, who were
strongly chained, were Extremely Loath to enter, and resisted to the utmost of
Their Power, but the Angels compelled them to go forward. All the
Just who had lived before the Time of
Christ were assembled there; the Patriarch Moses, the Judges, and the Kings on the left-hand-side; and on the right-side, the Prophets,
and the Ancestors of Our Lord, as also His Near Relations,
such as Joachim, Anna, Joseph, Zacharias, Elizabeth, and John. There were no Demons in this
place, and the only Discomfort that had been felt by those placed there was a Longing Desire for the
Accomplishment of the Promise; and when Our Lord entered, they saluted
Him with Joyful Hymns of Gratitude and Thanksgiving
for its Fulfillment, they Prostrated and Adored Him, and the Evil
Spirits who had been dragged into Abraham’s Bosom when Our Lord entered, were compelled
to Confess with Shame that they were Vanquished. Many of these
Holy Souls were ordered by Our Lord to return to the Earth,
re-enter their own Bodies, and thus render a Solemn and Impressive Testimony to the
Truth. It was at this moment that so many Dead Persons left their
Tombs in Jerusalem; I regarded them less in the Light of Dead Persons risen-again than as
Corpses put-in-motion by a Divine Power, and which, after having
fulfilled the Mission entrusted to them, were laid aside in the same manner as the Insignia of Office are taken off by a Clerk when he has Executed the Orders
of his Superiors.
"I next saw Our Lord, with His Triumphant Procession,
enter into a Species of Purgatory which was filled with those Good Pagans who,
having had a faint-glimmering of the Truth, had longed for its Fulfillment: this
Purgatory was very deep, and contained a Few Demons,
as also some of the Idols of the Pagans. I saw the Demons compelled
to Confess the Deception they had practiced with regard to these Idols,
and the Souls of the Poor Pagans cast themselves at the Feet of Jesus,
and Adored Him with inexpressible Joy: here, likewise, the
Demons were bound with chains and dragged away. I saw Our Savior
perform many other Actions; but I Suffered so intensely at the same time, that I cannot recount them as I should have wished.
"Finally, I beheld Him approach to the Centre of the Great Abyss, that is to say, to
Hell Itself; and the Expression of His Countenance was Most Severe.
"The Exterior of Hell was Appalling and
Frightful; it was an immense, heavy-looking building, and the granite of which it was formed, although Black,
was of Metallic Brightness; and the Dark and Ponderous Doors were secured with such Terrible Bolts that no one could behold them without
Trembling. Deep Groans and cries of Despair might be
Plainly Distinguished even while the doors were tightly closed; but, O, who can describe the Dreadful Yells and
Shrieks which burst upon the ear when the Bolts were unfastened and the doors flung-open; and, O, who can depict the
Melancholy Appearance of the Inhabitants of this Wretched Place!
"The Form under which the Heavenly Jerusalem is generally represented in my Visions is
that of a Beautiful and Well-Regulated City, and the different degrees of Glory to which the
Elect are raised are demonstrated by the Magnificence of their Palaces, or the wonderful Fruit and Flowers with which
the Gardens are embellished. Hell is shown to me under the same Form, but all within it is, on the
contrary, Close, Confused, and
Crowded; every Object tends to fill the Mind with Sensations
of Pain and Grief; the Marks of the
Wrath and Vengeance of God are visible everywhere;
Despair, like a Vulture, gnaws every Heart, and
Discord and Misery Reign around.
In the Heavenly Jerusalem all is Peace and
Eternal Harmony, the Beginning, Fulfillment, and End of everything being Pure
and Perfect Happiness; the City is filled with Splendid Buildings, decorated in such a manner as to Charm
every Eye and Enrapture every Sense; the inhabitants of this Delightful Abode are overflowing with Rapture and Exultation, the Gardens Gay with Lovely Flowers,
and the Trees covered with Delicious Fruits which give Eternal Life.
In the City of Hell nothing is to be seen but Dismal Dungeons,
Dark Caverns, Frightful Deserts, Fetid
Swamps filled with every imaginable species of Poisonous and Disgusting
Reptile. In Heaven you behold the Happiness and
Peaceful Union of the Saints; in
Hell, Perpetual Scenes of Wretched Discord, and every species of
Sin and Corruption, either under the most Horrible
forms Imaginable, or represented by different kinds of Dreadful Torments. All in this Dreary
Abode tends to fill the Mind with Horror; not a
Word of Comfort is heard or a Consoling Idea admitted; the
One (1) Tremendous Thought, that the Justice of an
All-Powerful God Inflicts on the
Damned nothing but what they have Fully-Deserved is the Absorbing Tremendous Conviction which Weighs Down
each Heart. Vice appears in its own, Grim Disgusting colors,
being stripped of the Mask under which it is hidden in this World, and the Infernal Viper
is seen Devouring those who have Cherished or Fostered it here below. In a word, Hell
is the Temple of Anguish and Despair, while the
Kingdom of God is the Temple of Peace and
Happiness. This is easy to understand when seen; but it is almost impossible to describe clearly.
"The tremendous explosion of Oaths, Curses,
Cries of Despair, and Frightful Exclamations which, like a Clap of Thunder,
burst forth when the Gates of Hell were thrown-open by the Angels, would be
difficult even to imagine; Our Lord spoke first to the Soul of Judas, and the
Angels then compelled all the Demons to Acknowledge and
Adore Jesus. They would have Infinitely Preferred the most Frightful Torments
to such a Humiliation; but all were Obliged to Submit. Many were chained down in a circle which was placed round other
circles. In the Centre of Hell I saw a Dark and
Horrible-Looking Abyss, and into this Lucifer was cast, after being first Strongly Secured with Chains;
thick clouds of Sulphurous Black Smoke arose from its Fearful Depths, and Enveloped his Frightful Form in the Dismal Folds, thus effectually concealing him from every
Beholder. God Himself had decreed this; and I was likewise told, if I remember rightly that he will be unchained for-a-time
Fifty or Sixty Years before the Year of Christ 2000. The Dates of many other
Events were pointed out to me which I do not now remember; but a certain number of Demons are to be let loose much earlier
than Lucifer, in order to Tempt Men, and to serve as Instruments of the
Divine Vengeance. I should think that some must be loosened even in the
present day, and others will be set-free in a short-time.
"It would be utterly impossible for me to describe all the things which were shown to me; their number was so great that I
could not reduce them sufficiently to order to define and render them Intelligible. Besides which my Sufferings
are very great, and when I speak on the Subject of my Visions I behold them in my Mind's Eye Portrayed in such
Vivid Colors, that the sight is almost sufficient to cause a Weak Mortal like myself to Expire.
"I next saw innumerable Bands of Redeemed Souls Liberated from
Purgatory and from Limbo, who followed Our Lord
to a Delightful Spot situated above the Celestial Jerusalem, in which place I, a very short time ago, saw
the Soul of a Person who was very dear to me. The Soul of the
Good Thief was likewise taken there, and the Promise of Our Lord,
‘This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise’ was Fulfilled.
"It is not in my Power to explain the exact Time that each of these events occurred,
nor can I relate one-half of the things which I saw and heard; for some were incomprehensible even to myself, and others would be misunderstood if I attempted to
relate them. I have seen Our Lord in many different places. Even in the Sea
He appeared to me to Sanctify and Deliver
everything in the Creation. Evil Spirits fled at His
approach, and cast themselves into the Dark Abyss. I likewise beheld His
Soul in different parts of the Earth, first inside the Tomb of Adam, under Golgotha; and when
He was there, the Souls of Adam and Eve came up to
Him, and He spoke to them for some time.
He then visited the Tombs of the Prophets who were buried at an immense depth below the surface; but He
passed through the Soil in the Twinkling of an Eye. Their Souls immediately re-entered their
Bodies, and He spoke to them and explained the most wonderful
Mysteries. Next I saw Him, accompanied by a Chosen Band of Prophets,
among whom I particularly remarked David, visit those parts of the Earth which had been Sanctified by
His Miracles and by His
Sufferings. He pointed out to them, with the greatest
Love and Goodness, the different symbols in the Old Law expressive of the Future; and
He showed them how He Himself had Fulfilled every Prophecy.
The sight of the Soul of Our Lord, surrounded by these
Happy Souls, and Radiant with Light, was Inexpressibly Grand as
He glided Triumphantly through the air, sometimes passing,
with the Velocity of Lightning, over Rivers, then penetrating through the Hardest Rocks to the very Centre of the Earth, or moving noiselessly over its surface.
"I can remember nothing beyond the facts which I have just related concerning the Descent of Jesus into
Limbo, where He went in order to present to the
Souls there detained, the Grace of the
Redemption which He had Merited for them by
His Death and by His Sufferings;
and I saw all these things in a very Short Space of Time; in fact, Time passed so quickly that it seemed to me but a Moment. Our
Lord, however, displayed before me, at the same time, another Picture, in which I beheld the Immense
Mercies which He bestows in the Present Day on the Poor
Souls in Purgatory; for on every anniversary of this Great Day,
when His Church is celebrating the Glorious Mystery
of His Death, He casts a
Look of Compassion on the Souls in
Purgatory, and Frees some of those who Sinned against
Him before His Crucifixion.
I this day saw Jesus deliver many Souls; some I was
acquainted with, and others were strangers to me, but I cannot name any of them.
"Our Lord, by Descending into Hell, Planted
(if I may thus express myself), in the Spiritual Garden of the Church, a
Mysterious Tree, the Fruits of which — namely, His
Merits — are destined for the constant Relief of the Poor
Souls in Purgatory. The Church
Militant must Cultivate the Tree, and gather its Fruits, in order to present them to
that Suffering Portion of the Church which can do nothing for itself.
Thus it is with all the Merits of Christ; we must Labor with
Him if we wish to obtain our share of them; we must gain our Bread by the Sweat of our Brow. Everything which
Our Lord has done for us in Time must produce
Fruit for Eternity; but we must Gather these
Fruits in Time, without which we cannot possess them in
Eternity.
"The Church is the most Prudent and Thoughtful of Mothers; the Ecclesiastical Year is
an Immense and Magnificent Garden, in which all those Fruits for
Eternity are gathered together, that we may make use of them in Time. Each
Year contains sufficient to Supply the Wants of
all; but Woe be to that Careless or
Dishonest Gardener who allows any of the Fruit committed
to his care to Perish; if he Fails to turn-to a Proper
Account those Graces which would restore Health to the
Sick, Strength to the
Weak, or furnish Food to the Hungry! When the Day of Judgment
arrives, the Master of the Garden will demand a Strict Account, not only of every Tree, but also of all
the Fruit produced in the Garden".
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Jesus Christ consisted of Body,
Blood, Soul and
Divinity. At Death His
Body and Soul were separated, each individually
remaining united with His Divinity.
