Why did our Lord descend into hell?
He descended into hell that He might deliver us from the obligation of descending there; also to triumph over Satan by liberating those who were detained there; and lastly, in order to manifest His power in visiting the darkness of hell and shedding the rays of His splendour there (LII. 1).
What is this hell to which Christ descended?
He descended to that part of hell which was for the time being the dwelling-place of the just who, having no further penalty to pay for their sins, were detained there only by reason of the debt due to original sin. Our Lord descended there to give to the holy Patriarchs the joy of His presence. But even in the hell of the lost the effect of His descent was felt confounding them for their unbelief and for their malice. In a special way His descent was felt in purgatory consoling the souls detained there by the hope of being admitted into the glory of heaven as soon as they had expiated their sins (LII. 1).
How long did our Lord remain in hell?
As long as His body remained in the tomb (LII. 4).
When our Lord came up from hell did He bring the souls of the just with Him?
Yes; for as soon as He arrived among them He communicated to them immediately the glory of the beatific vision; and when our Lord's soul left hell in order to be reunited to His body at the moment of the resurrection, He brought with Him all the souls of the just who were never again separated from Him (LII. 5).
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - XXII. OF THE EXALTATION OF JESUS CHRIST: OF HIS RESURRECTION
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