Gehenna

Connections

• Paladium’s perfect celestial army (of which Zariel is a member) stands ready to fight the demon hordes that will one day be released from Gehenna

Context

"Gehenna" comes from Greek and Hebrew, meaning "Valley of Hinnom." Who or what is Hinnom? It is the name for a valley near Jerusalem. It is unclear exactly where Hinnom is or was, but there is a small valley in the area called Gehenna. It is believed to be the location where some of the kings of Judah sacrificed their children as fire offerings to a pagan god (2 Chronicles 28:3). After that, it was believed to be cursed. Later, the name "Gehenna" came to be known in Judaism as a place for eternal punishment.

As with many things regarding religion, mythology, or even general legend, Gehenna as a home of devils or demons became part of fantasy fiction as well. Look no further than Dungeons & Dragons, which includes Gehenna as one of many outer planes in its "Great Wheel cosmology." A different interpretation of Gehenna is seen in the anime Blue Exorcist.