What is the patristic interpretation of Hades?

Patristic theology, and traditional teachings of Orthodoxy from the Church fathers of apostolic times to the present. All forum Rules apply. No polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.
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Maria
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What is the patristic interpretation of Hades?

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At another website, people were discussing the afterlife, and were asking about the departed souls and where the righteous and the unrighteous ones go while they await the Second Coming of Christ and the Final Judgment. Some of the more outspoken Orthodox Christian laity are teaching that all the souls go to Hades to await the Final Resurrection.

To prove their points, several quoted from Archbishop Hilarion (Alfeyev), Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, who obtained his doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford University and a doctorate in theology from St Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris. Among many the many books he has written, Christ, the Conqueror of Hell, seems to imply that both the righteous and the unrighteous repose in Hades while awaiting the Final Resurrection of the dead. However, I do not recommend Archbishop Hilarion's books because he has espoused Name-Worshiping publicly and he is an ecumenist.

St. Xenia of St. Petersburg lost her husband, who died in a drunken brawl. After many years of praying, fasting, and imploring Christ God to have mercy on his soul, she had a vision where she saw the soul of her husband leaving Hades and entering Paradise.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Barbara
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Re: What is the patristic interpretation of Hades?

Post by Barbara »

Oh, really ? Is that how St Xenia's husband died ? I had forgotten that if I knew it.

This is one of the vaguer concepts, it seems to me. I want to find out too what is the truthful interpretation of
Hades and which souls go there.

Met Hilarion [Alfeyev] publicly advocated Name-Worshipping ?

Archimandrit Nilos
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Re: What is the patristic interpretation of Hades?

Post by Archimandrit Nilos »

Yes, Hilarion Alfeyev is a great promotor of the heretic Name-Worshipping. He is also "Professor" of Dogmatic Theology on the Roman-Catholic Faculty of Theology at the State University of Fribourg / Switzerland. An ecumenist from the first hour !

Archimandrit Nilos
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Re: What is the patristic interpretation of Hades?

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