LIMBUS, a theological term denoting the border of hell, where dwell those who, while not condemned to torture, yet are deprived of the joy of heaven. The more common form in Eng lish is "limbo," which is used both in the technical theological sense and derivatively in the sense of "prison," or for the condition of being lost, deserted, obsolete. In mediaeval theology there are (1) the Limbus Infantum, and (2) the Limbus Patrum.
I. The Limbus Infantum or Puerorum is the abode to which human beings dying without actual sin, but with their original sin unwashed away by baptism, were held to be consigned ; the category included, not unbaptized infants merely, but also idiots, cretins and the like. The word "limbus," in the theological application, occurs first in the Summa of Thomas Aquinas ; for its extensive currency it is perhaps most indebted to the Com media of Dante (Inf. c. 4). The question as to the destiny of infants dying unbaptized presented itself to theologians at a comparatively early period. Generally speaking it may be said that the Greek fathers inclined to a cheerful and the Latin fathers to a gloomy view. The first authoritative declaration of the Latin Church upon this subject was that made by the second council of Lyons and confirmed by the council of Flor ence with the concurrence of the representatives of the Greek Church, to the effect that "the souls of those who die in mortal sin or in original sin only forthwith descend into hell, but to be punished with unequal punishments." Perrone remarks
(Prael. Theol. pt. iii. chap. 6, art. 4) that the damnation of infants and also the comparative lightness of the punishment involved in this are thus de fide; but nothing is determined as to the place which they occupy in hell, as to what constitutes the disparity of their punishment, or as to their condition after the day of judgment.