Aerial toll house

Death of Theodora, spiritual student of Basil the Younger, and visions of spiritual trials

Aerial toll houses (also called "telonia", from the Greek: τελωνεία / telonia, customs) are a belief held by some in the Eastern Orthodox Church which states that "following a person's death the soul leaves the body, and is escorted to God by angels. During this journey the soul passes through an aerial realm, which is inhabited by wicked spirits (Ephesians 6:12). The soul encounters these demons at various points referred to as toll-houses where the demons then attempt to accuse it of sin and, if possible, drag the soul into hell".[1]

A number of the Eastern Orthodox saints, modern elders and theologians have openly endorsed it, but some theologians and bishops have condemned it as heretical and gnostic in origin.[2]

Aerial toll houses are part of the particular judgment.[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference stlukeorthodox.com2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Against the Gnostic Story of the Judging Demons - the "Toll-Houses"". constans_wright.tripod.com. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).