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How were masses, alms, fasting, and prayers used on behalf of the dead?
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purgatory
Anastasis (Christ ascending from hell), apse fresco, c. 1320; in the Church of the Holy Saviour at the Monastery of the Chora (now the Kariye Museum), Istanbul.
In Roman Catholic tradition, masses, alms, fasting, and prayers are categorized as suffragesâintercessory acts performed by the living to benefit the souls of the dead who are in a state of purification, known as "the church suffering".12
These practices are rooted in the belief that the dead are in a temporal state between earthly life and their final abode, where they can benefit from the "transferred merit" or generosity of the living. The theological foundation for this is the communion of saints, which posits a spiritual bond between the living and the dead.21
Specifically, these acts were used in the following ways:
- Suffrages: These acts were believed to lessen the severity of the temporal punishment required for sins that were forgiven but not yet fully satisfied during the deceased's lifetime.23
- Merit and Satisfaction: By performing these works, the living could help the dead "balance lifeâs accounts," satisfy old debts, and cleanse accumulated defilements.2
- Social and Religious Motivation: The necessity of these acts provided significant motivation for pilgrimages, Crusades, and works of social philanthropy.2