limbus patrum

Roman Catholicism

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June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

In Roman Catholic theology, limbus patrum refers to a concept of the afterlife, specifically a borderland between heaven and hell. This was believed to be the place where Old Testament saints resided until Christ's descent into hell liberated them.1

The term "limbus" itself originates from Latin, meaning "border". While the concept of limbo was discussed in medieval theology, it was never formally defined as a church dogma and was omitted from the 1992 catechism. Contemporary Catholic theological thinking gives little role to the concept of limbo.12

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limbo
…supposed to exist: (1) the limbus patrum (Latin: “fathers’ limbo”), which is the place where the Old Testament saints were thought to be confined until they were liberated by Christ in his “descent into hell,” and (2) the limbus infantum, or limbus puerorum (“children’s limbo”), which is the abode of…
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…supposed to exist: (1) the limbus patrum (Latin: “fathers’ limbo”), which is the place where the Old Testament saints were thought to be confined until they were liberated by Christ in his “descent into hell,” and (2) the limbus infantum, or limbus puerorum (“children’s limbo”), which is the abode of…
Read More