The Religious Diaries of Ichor

“I don’t believe in Hell.

But if it were real, I hope it would be empty.”

What a thing to say. What a thing to hope for.

The Pope said that. And I don’t know the word for how that makes me feel.

Tenderness? Grief? Maybe something like mercy.

I don’t believe in Hell, but if I did, I would want it to be empty, too.

People are already dancing on his grave, already canceling him.

Yes, he said some icky things about trans people. Yes, he didn’t support queer people the way a radical leftist would.

He was an old white Catholic man.

He was the Pope.

He spoke for God, in the eyes of his church. That role was never going to make him a leftist hero.

But people are angry about the words and missing the intent.

They want him to have been perfect, or nothing at all.

But sometimes love comes in imperfect language.

The Pope, this Pope, was the one human on Earth who, in Catholic doctrine, could forgive anyone.

And he said: “I hope Hell is empty.”

What does it mean, to hold that kind of power, and still choose forgiveness?

There is love in that sentence. A radical, wild love.

I don’t believe in Hell.

But if I did, I hope it’s empty.

Empty not because no one did wrong, but because no one was left behind.

Do you really expect radical queer praxis from the Pope?

Do you expect him to march in the streets with us, to scream “ACAB” and fly a flag?

He did something quieter.

He made the church. The Church. push back against him.

because he told them that the people they love to hate are going to Heaven.

I don’t believe in Hell.

But if it were real?

mother

While I was drawing her, I noticed the similarities to Avana's ascended form. I did it unconsciously, but it made me happy somehow.

ENG: Heed my call; Come home, lost lamb. Come home.❄️

I drew this thinking about the first encounter between Yngya and Sariel. I imagined Yngya finding Sariel on the brink of death on a freezing floor and bringing them back to the Woolhaven. At first, Sariel felt a sense of profound awe toward Yngya, but followed anyway—and I think that feeling eventually blossomed into love, moved by Yngya’s warm and pure heart. Hoho

내 부름을 들으라. 돌아오거라 길 잃은 어린 양이여. 집으로 돌아오라.❄️

My design for Yngya (she is everything to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee)

(Censored nudity under the cut for her unclothed ref :3 )

"cold mother, cold mother, We'll be together again in another life."

"cold mother, cold mother, where snow is pure, and we are free"