In Roman Catholic doctrine, the condition of those who have died in a state of grace but have not been purged of sin .
These remaining sins include unforgiven venial sins or forgiven mortal sins. Souls burdened by such sins must be purified before entering heaven . The church also teaches that souls in purgatory may be aided by efforts of the living faithful through prayers, almsgiving, indulgences , and other works. The existence of purgatory has been denied as unbiblical by Protestant churches and most Eastern Orthodox churches.