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Animals

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Christian Living › Animals

The question

I was reading a quote from Pope Francis...not sure if he actually said it, but it read..."One day we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures".

Is this true? I thought animals do NOT go to heaven or hell because they have no soul. They become dust or part of the earth...(from dust to dust...).

The answer

There is no support in the Holy Scripture nor in any of the Holy Tradition nor in the writings of any of the Church Fathers regarding the eternal life of animals. In the account of creation, the Book of Genesis reveals that all animals, whether in the sea, upon the earth, or in the air, were all created before mankind, among the creation of vegetation and the solar system. We understand this to be part of God's economy to furnish the earth for the sustenance of man. From creation until the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, animals provide an efficient ecology and bear many burdens for the use of man.

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 2526 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.