Why do catholics believe in purgatory?
Catholics believe heaven is a state of supreme joy that exists when we are in total union with God. Hell is a state of permanent exclusion from God that results when people freely choose to reject God. Catholics also believe in an intermediate state of purification for souls who are not condemned to hell but are not ready to see God face to face. From the time of the early Christians, prayers were offered for the dead so that they might attain the beatific vision of God. The concept of purgatory was upheld by the Church beginning with the Council of Carthage in 394 A.D.
