Back when the Snowden drama was still in the news, a woman on NPR reporting that Edward Snowden had been granted asylum in Russia said that he had “been in purgatory” in the Moscow airport.
Considering that Snowden was simply existing in the airport until such time as he could enter a country, the more appropriate word here would be limbo, not purgatory.
The figurative use of both words derives from Roman Catholic belief.
Limbo
The word limbo is from Latin limbus, “edge” or “boundary.”
In Roman Catholic belief, limbo is a region on the border of Hell. It is the abode of the souls of unbaptized infants. These souls exist in a state of “natural happiness.” That is, they do not enjoy the beatific vision, but they are not suffering in any way. Some also believe that virtuous pagans who never heard the Christian gospel and therefore never had the opportunity to be baptized find a place in limbo.
Purgatory
The verb purge derives from Latin purgare, “cleanse, purify.” Purgatory is where people who have sinned, but not mortally, expiate their sins by suffering torment for a limited time before being cleansed and allowed to enter Heaven.
Yes, Snowden was certainly not very comfortable during his airport stay, and no doubt he suffered stress over getting out of there, but figuratively speaking, his time there was more like limbo than purgatory.
As general idioms, being in limbo means being in a state of uncertainty, while being in purgatory connotes active suffering,
Figurative expressions should be considered carefully for their aptness to a given situation. Limbo is a state between conditions. Purgatory is a place of torment.
A modern look at Hell
Readers curious as to what goes on in Hell may be interested in two novels set in that fiery domain. By Ilana DeBare, these companion novels summon up some pretty unforgettable images of the suffering of mortals and fallen angels.
The one to read first is Shaken Loose. The sequel is Shaken Free.
