Pearly gates

Short description: Entrance to Heaven in Christianity

For other uses, see Pearly Gates (disambiguation).

The Blessed at the gate to heaven with St. Peter (1467–1471) by Hans Memling

Pearly gates is an informal name for the gateway to Heaven according to some Christian denominations. It is inspired by the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:21: "The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl."[1]

The image of the gates in popular culture is a set of large gold, white, or wrought-iron gates in the clouds, guarded by Saint Peter (the keeper of the "keys to the kingdom"). Those not fit to enter heaven are denied entrance at the gates, and descend into Hell.[2] In some versions of this imagery, Peter looks up the deceased's name in a book, before opening the gate.

The pearly gates provide the background for a joke cycle: "the premise of these jokes is that admission is not automatic but that the criteria for admission are somewhat arbitrary."[3]

Johann Baptist Zimmermann (1680-1758): Ianua coeli

Hugo Simberg: The Peasant and Death at the Gates of Heaven and Hell (1897)

Fresco
"The Last Judgement" by Michelangelo (16th century)

## References

1. ↑ Lang, J. Stephen (2003). "59: Imagine the Size of Those Oysters". What the Good Book Didn't Say: Popular Myths and Misconceptions About the Bible. Citadel Press. p. 185. ISBN 9780806524603. https://books.google.com/books?id=qputB4k78JQC&q=pearly+gates&pg=PA185.
2. ↑ Ferguson, Everett (1996). The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 9780802841896. https://books.google.com/books?id=kVqRaiPlx88C&q="doorkeeper+of+heaven"&pg=PA53. "The passage moves from a building, to gates, to keys. A popular image has Peter as the doorkeeper of heaven, deciding admission through the pearly gates to each person at death. This understanding of Peter goes back to an early medieval interpretation that identified Peter with a figure in Germanic mythology who was the porter of heaven."
3. ↑ Capps, Donald (2006). A Time to Laugh: The Religion of Humor. A&C Black. p. 30. ISBN 9780826418579. https://books.google.com/books?id=eqDnRRdF53QC&pg=PA30. Retrieved 14 July 2022.

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Afterlife locations

Abrahamic
religions|

| Judaism|

* 7 Heavens and 7 Earths
* Throne of God
* Garden of Eden
* Olam Haba
* Sheol

|

Christianity|

* Heaven
* Hell
* Kingdom of God
* Garden of Eden
* Paradise
* Purgatory
* Limbo
* New Jerusalem
* Pearly gates

Islam|

* Barzakh
* Naar
* Jannah (and Jabarut)
* Sidrat al-Muntaha
* A'raf
* As-Sirāt

Mormonism|

* Celestial Kingdom
* Terrestrial Kingdom
* Telestial Kingdom
* Spirit world

European
mythologies|

| Celtic|

* Otherworld
* Annwn
* Tír na nÓg
* Mag Mell
* Tech Duinn

|

Finnic|

* Tuonela

Germanic|

* Asgard
* Fólkvangr
* Valhalla
* Neorxnawang
* Gimlé
* Helheimr

Greek|

* Hades
* Elysium
* Erebus
* Orcus
* Asphodel Meadows
* Myth of Er
* Empyrean
* Tartarus
* Fortunate Isles

Slavic|

* Iriy

Eastern/Asian
religions|

| Buddhism|

* Desire Realm
* Hell
* Pretaloka
* Animal world
* Human world
* Asura
* Heaven
* Form Realm
* Brahmā worlds
* Formless Realm
* Nirvana

|

Hinduism|

* 14 planetary systems
* Ādi Śeṣa
* Svarga
* Naraka
* Vaikuntha
* Kailash
* Goloka
* Akshardham

Jainism|

* Three Worlds
* Urdhva Loka
* Madhya Loka
* Adho Loka

Sikhism|

* Sach Khand

Taoism|

* Grotto-heavens

Chinese|

* Tian
* Diyu
* Youdu

Japanese|

* Yomi

Zoroastrianism|

* Chinvat Bridge
* Hamistagan

Tengrism|

* Uçmag
* Tamağ

Others|

| Mesoamerican|

* Mictlān
* Tamoanchan
* Thirteen Heavens
* Tlālōcān
* Xibalba

|

Plains Indians|

* Happy hunting ground

Tupi|

* Land without evil

Wicca|

* The Summerland

Theosophy|

* Summerland
* Devachan
* Nirvana

Ancient Egyptian|

* Aaru
* Duat

Millennialism
Utopianism
Great Unity
Golden Age
Arcadia
Avalon
The Guf
Well of Souls
Existential planes
Underworld
List of mythological places

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