In the heart of the Eternal City stands the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a place with a very peculiar history.
On November 15, 1897, a fire broke out in the Chapel of the Rosary. The fire left behind a striking image: the altar painting was preserved in perfect condition, but there was something that caught the attention of both priests and faithful alike:
ÁLVARO SERRANO
Church History Expert
And when the church was rebuilt, an imprint of a soul from Purgatory was seen on one of its walls. You can see an imprint, a human figure—although somewhat animal-like—on one of the columns. That imprint made such an impression on the priest that he said: “This is a soul from Purgatory; I must pray for the souls in Purgatory… It is a soul telling me to pray for her.
As a result of this experience, the priest decided to travel across Europe in search of evidence of life after death and of the souls waiting in Purgatory.
He gathered various documents, photographs, and manifestations that can now be seen in this Museum of the Souls, located inside the church.
ÁLVARO SERRANO
Church History Expert
This museum contains 14 pieces collected from monasteries across Europe. Among them is a 10-lira banknote left by a priest who had passed away so that Masses would be celebrated for him. Each day, a banknote would be released so that a Mass would be offered in that monastery for his soul, so that he might be able to go to Heaven.
Álvaro Serrano knows very well himself how the souls in Purgatory manifest themselves. If you look closely, this is the image the soul left in this church. After the fire, the only part that could be preserved is this fragment corresponding to the upper part of the body: the head, torso, and arms.
But it was not always like this. At first, it appeared in this way—a much more defined and visible image, with a somewhat inhuman appearance that also reveals the reality of the souls found in Purgatory. This can be explained as follows:
ÁLVARO SERRANO
Church History Expert
We must remember that Purgatory is a place of suffering. The greatest suffering is knowing that God wants you with Him, but that you are not yet prepared to be there—that separation that exists. I sometimes give this example: it is as if we have traveled very far away, and when we finally return home and try to see our mother, our father, our husband, our wife… the door is closed and we cannot see them. That need to see them, to meet them again—that reunion that cannot happen because the door is closed—and that waiting causes suffering. Something like that is Purgatory.
From perfectly imprinted hands on what was once a piece of wood to the marks of fingers on the pages of those faithful who were in the church, these symbols allow us to see glimpses of Purgatory in this life.
This museum presents an experience that leaves no visitor unchanged. It is a place that brings people closer together and bears witness to the existence of Purgatory and to the need for prayer for the souls who are there.
BAM
Trans. CRT
