Purgatory

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that almost everyone who is not sent to hell at death will go to this place and/or state to suffer the penalty of sin. They will be purified through punishment for an interval of time before going to heaven. Purgatory is necessary for everyone (except Mary) because even though the guilt of sin is taken away by the death of Christ - the punishment for sin is not.

Belief in Purgatory was never accepted by the Orthodox Churches; it has been rejected by the Protestant Churches.