Editing Communion of saints (section)

=== Roman Catholicism ===
In [[Roman Catholic]] terminology, the communion of saints exists in the '''three states of the Church''', the [[Churches Militant, Penitent, and Triumphant]]. The Church Militant ({{Langx|la|Ecclesia militans}}) consisting of those alive on earth; the Church Penitent ({{Langx|la|Ecclesia poenitens|links=no}}) consisting of those undergoing purification in [[purgatory]] in preparation for Heaven; and the Church Triumphant ({{Langx|la|Ecclesia triumphans|links=no}}) consisting of those already in Heaven. The damned are not a part of the communion of saints. Roman Catholics ask the [[intercession of saints]] in Heaven, whose [[prayer]]s are seen as helping their fellow Christians on earth ({{Confer}}[[Revelation 5]]:8).<ref>[http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/09/15/its-biblical-to-ask-saints-to-pray-for-us/ It's Biblical to Ask Saints to Pray for Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129154402/http://www.ignitumtoday.com/2013/09/15/its-biblical-to-ask-saints-to-pray-for-us/ |date=29 November 2013 }}. Ignitum Today. Published: 15 September 2013</ref>

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:<ref>{{cite book |title=Catechism of the Catholic Church - The Communion of Saints |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm |access-date=15 March 2020 |archive-date=22 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222035053/http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{blockquote|946 What is the Church if not the assembly of all the saints? The communion of saints is the Church.<br>...
957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself"}}