Photo courtesy of Atlas Obscura
Apologies to Msrs Diamond, Yauch and Horovitz.
David P often links on Facebook to places he’s discovered on Atlas Obscura, a site dedicated to weird and wonderful travel destinations around the world. One of these was the Museum of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, in Rome, which displays a number of bibles, prayerbooks and other items that have been seared with handprints apparently belonging to souls suffering in Purgatory.
Dissatisfied with the dearth of intercessory prayers from their loved ones, these souls burn their mark into items belonging to their friends and family as a reminder to remember their service to those lost. There’s something altogether creepy about this stuff, if only the placement of the thumb in the above image. That thumb isn’t opposed at all!
Of course, one can’t invoke Purgatorio without also invoking Dante. The prodigal David P has promised a post on Visceral Games’ latest marketing stunt for Dante’s Inferno, so lets hope he’s able to deliver. 
Claire Soares ‘Souls Stuck in Purgatory Send Signals To Rome‘, Reuters (16/8/02)
