anguish and despair, while the kingdom of God is the temple of peace
and happiness. This is easy to understand when seen; but it is almost
impossible to describe clearly.

The tremendous explosion of oaths, curses, cries of despair, and
frightful exclamations which, like a clap of thunder, burst forth when
the gates of Hell were thrown open by the angels, would be difficult
even to imagine; our Lord spoke first to the soul of Judas, and the
angels then compelled all the demons to acknowledge and adore Jesus.
They would have infinitely preferred the most frightful torments to
such a humiliation; but all were obliged to submit. Many were chained
down in a circle which was placed round other circles. In the centre of
Hell I saw a dark and horrible-looking abyss, and into this Lucifer was
cast, after being first strongly secured with chains; thick clouds of
sulphureous black smoke arose from its fearful depths, and enveloped
his frightful form in the dismal folds, thus effectually concealing him
from every beholder. God himself had decreed this; and I was likewise
told, if I remember right, that he will be unchained for a time fifty
or sixty years before the year of Christ 2000. The dates of many other
events were pointed out to me which I do not now remember; but a
certain number of demons are to be let loose much earlier than Lucifer,
in order to tempt men, and to serve as instruments of the divine
vengeance. I should think that some must be loosened even in the
present day, and others will be set free in a short time.

It would be utterly impossible for me to describe all the things
which were shown to me; their number was so great that I could not
reduce them sufficiently to order to define and render them
intelligible. Besides which my sufferings are very great, and when I
speak on the subject of my visions I behold them in my mind's eye