After death

On the left stand the demons. They interrupt each other, wave scrolls, and point fingers at the trembling soul. They address the Judge: "Look, Lord, here are his deeds!" They address the angels: "Your defense is false!" They shout at the soul: "You know you are guilty!"

To the right stands the Guardian Angel. He holds a book of good deeds or a cup of tears of repentance. He says to the demons, "Be silent, liars!" He says to the Judge, "Accept mercy, not sacrifice." He bends down to the soul and says, "Remember how you helped the poor, name it!"

At the center is the Soul. It can remain silent in terror, or it can respond. If it hears the angel and professes goodness, it is saved. If it believes the demons' lies or falls into pride or despair, the scales tip in their favor.

Thus, the conversation goes on three sides at once: the demons attack the soul and the Judge, the angels defend the soul before the Judge and drive away the demons, and God/Judge speaks the final word, which is addressed directly to the soul.

· In Christianity: The Judge is Christ (or God the Father).
· In Islam: The judge is Allah.
· In Egyptian mythology (prototype): The judge is Osiris, and the procedure is conducted by Thoth, while the monster Amat (the devourer) awaits the verdict.
In our case, this is the first option.

Appearance: In the Orthodox "ordeals," they are described as ugly, black, foul-smelling, with blazing eyes or bestial features. They take on an appearance corresponding to their vices (the demon of fornication is disgusting and lustful, the demon of wrath is aggressive).
Behavior: At the beginning of the trial, they are brazen, noisy, and impatient. They grab the soul, drag it along, and present "charters" (scrolls with records of sins). When the angels find justification, the demons become enraged, gnashing their teeth and screaming. They are deceitful (they can attribute sins that never occurred, taking advantage of the soul's forgetfulness), but at the same time, they are meticulous in the details of real sins.
Speech: Shouting, whistling, mocking. They address the soul informally, humiliating it: "You are ours! You loved this more than God!"

Appearance: Majestic, tranquil, filled with light. They inspire awe, not terror. If the soul has lived righteously, angels appear beautiful. If sinful, their light can be unbearable.
Behavior: They are as precise as court clerks, yet as compassionate as defense attorneys. Guardian angels often appear sad if a defendant dies, or joyful if the soul is acquitted. They never lie or violate protocol, but they seek vindication for the person.
· Speech: Firm, calm, convincing. They appeal to higher justice.

Yes, but dialogue with the soul has a special character.

· Soul in Shock: It is believed that after death, the soul is in a state of confusion. It sees everything that was hidden during life.
· Direct dialogue:
· God can ask the soul a question (the Quran says this directly: “Was I not your Lord?”).
· Angels (in particular, Munkar and Nakir in Islam) interrogate the soul directly: "Who is your God? Who is your prophet?"
Demons shout at the soul, interrupt it, and try to confuse it. The soul may lack the strength to respond, and then angels respond.

· Demons (accusers):
· Appealing to the Judge (God): Most often, demons act as prosecutors. They demand justice, citing the letter of the law. Their speech is directed to God or to the angel recording the proceedings. They demand: "He sinned, he is rightfully ours!"
· Appealing to Angels: Sometimes they engage in direct disputes with angels. This resembles a debate between the parties. Demons may sarcastically comment on the angels' attempts to justify the soul: "Where was your guardian when he committed such iniquities?"
To the soul: Demons (especially in descriptions of "ordeals") address the soul directly, not for dialogue, but to intimidate, reproach, and mock. Their goal is to evoke despair or anger, so that the soul itself "falls" into their hands.

· Angels (protectors):
· Appealing to God: Angels appeal to Divine Mercy. They do not dispute the facts of sin (if proven), but speak of repentance, good deeds, and God's love for humanity.
· Addressing Demons: Angels can command demons to remain silent or retreat, especially if they lie or exaggerate (according to the apocrypha, demons often lie, attributing unnecessary sins to the soul). Angels expose their lies.
To the soul: During a trial, a guardian angel most often addresses the soul to support it: "Do not be afraid," "Remember the good deed," "Repent now, if you can." They act as advocates, suggesting the correct course of action to the defendant.

Answer: They see everything immediately (at the moment the soul appears, or even beforehand). In mythological and theological thought, angels and demons are beings of the spiritual world; they are not limited by time like humans. They don't need to "read a file" or "conduct an investigation."

If a soul enters Paradise, God's grace gradually consoles, "heals" life's traumas, and wipes away tears (as it says in Revelation: "And God will wipe away every tear"). This healing is a quality of Paradise.
If a soul ends up in Hell, the wounds do not heal; they become eternal torment ("the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched"). There will be no healing.