Description
By: St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)
St. Catherine of Genoa’s Treatise on Purgatory is a profound and insightful exploration of the concept of purgatory within the Christian tradition. Written in the 15th century, this work offers a unique perspective on the process of purification after death and the ultimate goal of reaching heaven.
The author’s deep spiritual insights and personal experiences shine through in this treatise, making it a powerful and thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the intersection of faith, redemption, and salvation. St. Catherine’s eloquent prose and vivid descriptions bring the concept of purgatory to life, shedding light on this often misunderstood aspect of Christian theology.
Overall, Treatise on Purgatory is a valuable resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding of the afterlife and the journey towards spiritual perfection. St. Catherine’s wisdom and compassion are evident throughout this work, making it a timeless and enriching read for believers and seekers alike.
Book Description:
Saint Catherine of Genoa (Caterina Fieschi Adorno, born Genoa 1447 – 15 September 1510) is an Italian Roman Catholic saint and mystic, admired for her work among the sick and the poor. She was a member of the noble Fieschi family, and spent most of her life and her means serving the sick, especially during the plague which ravaged Genoa in 1497 and 1501. She died in that city in 1510.
In 1551, 41 years after her death, a book about her life and teaching was published, entitled Libro de la vita mirabile et dottrina santa de la Beata Caterinetta de Genoa. This is the source of her “Dialogues on the Soul and the Body” and her “Treatise on Purgatory”, which are often printed separately. Her authorship of these has been denied, and it used to be thought that another mystic, the Augustinian canoness Battistina Vernazza, who lived in a monastery in Genoa from 1510 till her death in 1587 had edited the two works, a suggestion discredited by recent scholarship, which attributes a large part of both works to St Catherine, though they received their final literary form only after her death.
In the Treatise on Purgatory, St. Catherine wrote about the purpose of Purgatory, the unspeakable pain endured by the souls in Purgatory, and the great hope that souls have while in Purgatory, of seeing and spending eternity with God in Heaven.
(Introduction by wikipedia and Ann Boulais)
