Time to share a quote that might cause a stir. I think it is OK since St. Bede the Venerable (673-735) is venerated by the Greek East and Latin West, and is honorable among Anglican/Lutheran theologians. On the intermediate state, he writes:
“But in truth there are some who were preordained to the lot of the elect on account of their good works, but on account of some evils by which they were polluted, went out from the body after death to be severely chastised, and were seized by the flames of the fire of purgatory [๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐]. They are either made clean from the stains of their vices in their long ordeal (๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐) up until judgement Day, or, on the other hand, if they are absolved from their penalties by the petitions, almsgiving, fasting, weeping, and oblation of the saving sacrificial offering by their faithful friends, they may come earlier to the rest of the blessed.”
Latin: ๐ด๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐ข๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ก โ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐
[๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐; Eng. Trans. Martin and Hurst, Bede: Homilies on the Gospels, ed. by David Hurst, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐: ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ . ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฐ, ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐: ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, CCSL 122 (1955). Trans. Lawrence T. Martin & David Hurst, ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐, ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐. Vol. 110, Cistercian Studies. Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian Publications, 1991), 17; citation taken from Isabel Moreira, ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010), 159.]
No we mustn’t forget the poor souls in purgatory.l Never. Every day. Especially for those who have no one to pray for them or offer sacrfices.