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Church Authenticated Records of Holy Souls' Apparitions

Handprint and a cross from a suffering Holy Soul in Purgatory, left on a wooden work table in 1731 (Church Authenitcated)

Sacro Cuore del Suffragio ("Sacred Heart of the Suffrage") Church in Rome, has traditionally been an ediface which preserves authenticated records/relics of apparitions of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. One example is a board whereon is burned the imprint of a hand as tangible evidence of an *apparition, to a Poor Clare num of Todi, Italy, in 1731, soliciting prayers.

*On All Souls' Day in 1731, the apparition of former abbot Fr. Panzini appeared to Mother Isabella Fornari, head of an order of nuns [the Poor Clares], in Todi, Italy. He left a handprint and a cross on her wooden work table, along with additional handprints on a paper and her smock's sleeve.

Museum of the Souls of Purgatory

Next to the church, within the sacristy is the Museo delle anime del Purgatorio ("Museum of the Souls of Purgatory"),

which houses testimonies/documentation about a nmber of appearances of the Suffering Souls in Purgatory

Decree on Purgatory from the Council of Trent

"The Catholic Church, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in accordance with Sacred Scripture and the ancient tradition of the Fathers, has taught in the holy councils, and most recently in this ecumenical council [The Council of Trent], that there is a purgatory, and that the souls detained there are helped by the prayers of the faithful, and especially by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar. Therefore, this holy council commands the bishops to be diligently on guard that the true doctrine about purgatory, the doctrine handed down from the holy Fathers and the sacred councils, be preached everywhere, and that Christians be instructed in it, believe it, and adhere to it."