At the end of PURGATORIO, Canto I, l'd like to stop and start a larger discussion of what Purgatory is. It may surprise you to learn that it's fairly new doctrine in Dante's day--and that our poet is one of the people who actually sets the terms of its theology.

Join me, Mark Scarbrough, as we begin a much larger discussion, one that will happen over the first nine cantos of PURGATORIO, about what exactly this place is and how it came to be such a crucial part of (some) Christian theology.

Here are the segments for this episode of WALKING WITH DANTE:

[01:04] Purgatory is new theological territory in Dante's day.

[03:30] Everyone is in transit in PURGATORIO (with one glaring exception).

[06:20] Purgatory is a liminal space--and thus an artistic space.

[10:59] The meaning of pain has changed from punitive to remedial or educative.

[12:22] INFERNO is purgatorial for Dante the poet; PURGATORIO is purgatorial for Dante the pilgrim.