What does the Creed mean by 'He descended into hell' on Holy Saturday?
In the Apostles' Creed, 'hell' does not refer to Gehenna (the realm of the damned), but to Sheol or Hades—the abode of the dead where the souls of the righteous who died before Christ's coming were awaiting their Redeemer. On Holy Saturday, Jesus went in His human soul to announce the Good News to the imprisoned spirits (1 Peter 3:19) and open the gates of heaven to Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, and all the holy souls. His descent proves that His death was real and that His victory liberates all times and all places.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 631-637
- 1 Peter 3:18-20
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.