Limbo.
Limbo, also known as the Further, is the border between Heaven, Earth, and Hell, however, it is different from Purgatory.
Overview[]
Limbo is also known to be the "edge of Hell" for it is closer to Hell than Heaven. Limbo is a place or state of the souls of the just who, although purified from sin, were not allowed to enter either Heaven or Hell; or to the permanent place or state of those unbaptized children and others who, dying without grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account of original sin alone. Memories from the deceased can also alter reality in Limbo, as rooms that contained strong memories may still appear as lively and illuminated as those in the real world, yet they may suddenly change into other rooms contained in the memories of those they belonged to.
Limbo is revealed to be where the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was thrown after the Fall of Man. As a result, Limbo became the desolate wasteland of withered forestry it is now due to the spreading of the Tree's dark roots. In addition, the Beast was cast out along with the Tree and slumbers beneath its roots, eventually becoming one with it, as such, it is regarded as the "seedling" of the Tree of Knowledge with Immanuel stating that its appearance is a physical manifestation of the fundamental concepts of good and evil which the Tree holds.
Limbo is also said to be technically the first circle of hell--includes virtuous non-Christian adults in addition to unbaptized infants. Thus its inhabitants include many of the great heroes, thinkers, and creative minds of ancient Greece and Rome as well as such medieval non-Christians as Saladin, Sultan of Egypt in the late twelfth century, and the great Islamic philosophers Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Averroës (Ibn Rushd). For some Limbo was also the home of major figures from the Hebrew Bible, who, according to Christian theology, were "liberated" by Jesus following his crucifixion.
Description[]
When entering Limbo, the environment changes drastically appearing as a dark, grayscale landscape and with minimalist ambient sounds, creating an eerie, haunting environment shrouded in mists. There is not one single ounce of natural color in the world of Limbo which is said to signify the eternal loneliness and depression that a soul feels upon realizing that they will never receive any form of contact from God or their loved ones in Heaven. Limbo itself has appearances that mirrors earthly locations such as forests, objects, and even landscapes like small towns and houses although they appear to be in ruin and decrepit.
The time scale in limbo is stretched out to a much higher extent than in other afterlives since it is not a level of purgatory or other realms, but a separate plane. As a result of the extreme time dilation in the plane, people in limbo can experience years in a minimal amount of time. The resulting effect on the mental state can be difficult to overcome.
The difference between Limbo and Purgatory is that Limbo is permanent, as the philosopher Socrates would be there as his eternal destiny. But the souls in Purgatory were saved already, they were destined for heaven. They had died believing in God and not renouncing their faith, but were not altogether clean in that they had "venial sin" (as contrasted with "mortal sin") stuck to their account. If Heaven is a state of supernatural happiness and union with God, and Hell is understood as a state of torture and separation from God then, in this view, the Limbo of Infants, although technically part of hell (the outermost part, "limbo" meaning "outer edge" or "hem") is seen as a sort of intermediate state.