1Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: for many false Prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby shall ye know the Spirit of God, Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: but this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whom ye have heard, how that he should come, and now already he is in this world. ~ 1 John 4:1
Is Richard III A Soul in Purgatory?
The video at left is from the Roman Catholic church and explains, at best, confirmation that the souls of the dead do return to the living. The Catholic church today, and the church Richard would have known, have always believed in Purgatory, the place of "limbo" that lies in between Heaven and Hades. As the video explains, the Catholic church, while it does believe that souls can return from a place, neither Heaven nor hell, has also stated an uncertainty regarding the type of place Purgatory truly is. We know from memoirs of the Saints, and from the teachings of St Thomas Acquinas, scholar and theologian, that there is such a place where departed souls go to, where sinners must either repent or suffer for their sins before achieving the ultimate goal; a state of Grace, and Heaven. The souls in Heaven do not need help from the living and, therefore, would have no cause to return. The name "Purgatory" is also referred to by many theologians and spiritualists as the "afterlife" and "limbo." What matters most is that it exists, and as I am quite familiar with the afterlife and departed souls, having been visited by many souls since my childhood, I am privy to the varied descriptions which many returning for help or prayers have expressed to me.
Because his spirit has attempted to communicate to many, it would appear that the soul of Richard III is reaching out for prayers from a place neither Heaven nor hell. Souls in Purgatory are allowed to return, seeking our help, to ask for prayers or masses to be said, or to impart warnings or messages to the living. The souls in this state cannot pray for themselves simply because their prayers have no effect, which is why in the Roman Catholic faith, it is obligatory to pray for the souls of the departed.
Richard III has made many attempts to communicate for over 500 years, owing to the tradgedies surrounding his life and death. Finally, his spirit was able to make himself known...to Philippa Langley...whom has been responsible for leading the charge to unearth the former king's final resting place: under a car park! Richard has also made himself known to others, including myself, as I choose to listen, with or without witnesses, to any communication and entrustments of conscience that spirits may wish to express, provided they come with "the name of Jesus Christ" on their lips and in their heart.
Devout Christians should understand the importance of prayers for the dead, and for Ricardians, prayers for Richard III's soul are most important for both his final justification and the truth.
Along with the "spiritual journal" are listed some prayers to be said for those in purgatory which may be beneficial to the living as well as to the departed.
So, then, how are we to know we are receiving messages from those souls needing help? For most all of my life I have been able to utilize these precious "gifts from God" which affect many faithful souls. Since childhood I have been able to see and hear "dead people." While our Christian faith teaches us that prayers for the dead are compulsory, for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I have been one of the many chosen to help the souls in Purgatory find their way home to God.
Having these "gifts" of a supernatural nature is NOT the work of the devil as some uninformed faithful, and faithless, will condemn. Gifts that are God-given are often misunderstood or frightening, and many choose to ignore or cast off such abilities as either pure coincidence or deeds of the devil. Be assured that such "gifts" are real, and if you have them, and they are truly from God, you will have done nothing to bring them about for they have been inborn within you. And if you accept them, and use them to benefit God and good, your life will take on a newer and more significant meaning. Many saints possessed such spiritual gifts with which to do God's work. Both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches teach that these gifts are, truly, from God, which He promised to bestow upon many, especially, coming into the last days, to be used only for the benefit of doing God's Will and for the good of all, and, more appropriately, for helping the souls in purgatory.
That being said, it is little wonder to me that Richard III has come back...for prayers...for remembrance...but also for justice, which seems to be prevalent amongst the departed souls who have died either tragically, suddenly, and without closure. One paranormal group in England claims to have recorded a male voice in the room where the bed once belonging to Richard III during his travels is on display. If he has, indeed, returned, then this paranormal phenomena may be startling proof for the disembodied voice, clearly male, clearly speaks the name "Richard."
From an article in The Daily Star, January of 2017: "Mary Ryan believes this 'ghostly face' that appeared in the reflection of a picture she took at the Tower of London next to her daughter Kayleigh is Edward V, 12, who was thought murdered in the tower by his uncle Richard III in 1483." NOTE: The photo, at bottom right, was taken by Mary Ryan inside the tower, where the two princes, sons of King Edward IV,are claimed to have been murdered by Richard III. There is absolutely no conclusive proof at this time that Richard III murdered his nephews, or that they were murdered at all. The appearance of this spirit child in the tower could very well indicate that that is where the young boy died, though not conclusively proven that he was murdered, the young child was thought to have been sickly.
Never did I expect to be "visited" by King Richard III one cold and dreary night in February of 2013 as I was dozing off to sleep. Others with such God-given abilities have admitted to receiving "visits" from Richard as his undeniable return has brought about the initial and final discovery of his remains. The spirit of Richard has stated to me that there were two discoveries, the first having been years prior to the final, when, and only at that time, his boundless energy reached upward toward the receptive lady standing atop his unseen grave. That was Philippa Langley, whom, herself, had admitted to having "perceptive" abilities and a "sensing" of some type of energy. From Catholic Online...
According to "The Lost Prince" author, David Baldwin, on page 17 he writes:"In 1996, the Reverend John Dening, a retired Anglican Priest, published a book entitled 'Secret History: The Truth About Richard III and the Princes."Baldwin goes on to add that the book included various contacts with both the kings Richard III and Edward IV. Fr. Dening, himself, was the receiver of these communications and he states that the spirit of "Richard" told him that the princes had been "smothered in the tower before being buried in a forest." The spirit of Richard was said to have told Dening that it was never his intention to kill his nephews.
In one of my more recent messages from the spirit claiming to be Richard III, the spirit states that both princes were killed, though not buried in the actual forest but in a "Lancastrian field" (I felt there were trees in the area). In the transcript from May 2015, a witness present, the spirit states that "both princes were killed," and the spirit further maintained that he [Richard] did not kill his nephews, revealing that their deaths had been planned by Margaret Beaufort, and that Stanley, Buckingham, and "a" Neville were involved. The spirit went on to state that the princes were buried in unmarked graves, in an open field, and that any claims of their survival are false. He asked to bear in mind that the objective was always to rid of any Plantagenet issue to the throne. The spirit does not say whether or not the princes were killed in the tower but does imply that they were not taken by road but by the Thames River to the final destination; on site of property belonging to Stanley. The spirit revealed that a doctor was present when the boys were taken in the night, and that Buckingham later confessed to the incident. Whether or not these claims are true have not, thus, been proven, though it is intriguing to realize that a spirit, so many centuries after his death, remains troubled by events that had occurred during his earthly lifetime, never since resolved. As for myself, I believe Uncle Richard.
My experiences with the spirit claiming to be "Richard III," from the initial visitation and, thereafter, in subsequent communications, have been exceptionally enlightening. During most all of these communications with the spirit of "Richard III," barring the initial visitation, witnesses presided. Communication with the spirit claiming to be Richard III, comes as a voice within my mind, void of a trance-state, in perfect alertness, and without the necessity of materialization on the spirit's part. This is referred to, simply, as "mentalizing," a form of telecommunication and mental telepathy.
I suspect communication will evidently continue with the spirit of Richard III until that which has been received is either proven or disproven, and the mysteries surrounding the living King Richard III, are, finally, solved.
Richard III (in spirit) says he once kept a journal that was taken at the field of battle, with other belongings including his Book of Hours. According to spirit, Henry VII Tudor read the journal and then had it destroyed so none would have a personal account of the dead king's personal intentions. In truth, that is precisely what has occurred. There is either very little or nothing at all left for history's sake pertaining to Richard's own personal views of life as he knew it. I will continue to help Richard's spirit communicate his personal struggles in progress to aid in a declaration of his innocence, and have decided to incorporate the spirit's messages and our communications in a type-of journal here below.
Bosworth Field or Not?
During one communication with the spirit claiming to be Richard III, it has been intimated that the actual battle may not have taken place at present-day Bosworth field, but in an wider area closer to proximity of the Anker River. This charge shoul be further investigated.
Did Richard III Murder the Princes?
It is my honest opinion and true belief that Richard III's spirit has returned out of desperation for truth, or he would not have appealed to many, not only for the finding of his remains, but for truth and justice. Had he committed such a heinous act as he stands accused of, it is with great assurance that the Lord would not have allowed his return for prayers and messages. Richard would have had no reason to prevent Edward V from inheriting the throne in knowing the his brother's children were logically "illegitimate." The myth that Edward IV, himself, was illegitimate is unproven and highly unlikely. Despite the dying declaration of Sir James Lovell, and the supposed conclusion drawn by (Saint) Thomas More, Richard, in spirit, had described the entire scene involving Lovell and the rescue and relocation of one from the tower. (The transcript from that session will be added soon.) I believe Richard III,in spirit, earnestly seeks to reveal the truth of the fate of his nephews. My sincere belief has always been that only one of the princes had died in the tower. Whether by the hand of another (the spirit did come forth with names), or from an undisclosed illness, this truth will, eventually, be told. As for the surviving prince...new information awaits us thanks to Phillipa Langley.
Feel free to offer your own beliefs, opinions, or other comments below.