"After His death, Christ's soul, which was separated from His
body, descended into the underworld." This dogma of our Faith
was defined by the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. The 5th
century version of the Apostles' Creed contains the article: "He
descended into hell." By "hell" or "underworld" in this context,
we understand not the hell of the damned, but "the place of
detention for the souls of the just of the pre-Christian era"
(Ott, p. 191).
Pertinent Scripture texts are:
Acts 2:24, 2:31; 1st Peter 3:19-20.
Among early Christian writers who teach Christ's descent after
death into the underworld are: Justin, Irenaeus, Ignatius of
Antioch, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and Augustine.
Thomas Aquinas (S. Th. III, 52, 5) teaches that Christ's purpose
in the underworld was to free the just there by the application
of the fruits of the Redemption.
Sincerely in Christ,
Father Mateo
##Mmr 2.38a. 5-21-91 10:18
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