Ars Moriendi: The Art of Dying Well - Resisting the Five Final Temptations

What if your final hour isn't the end... but a spiritual battle you can win?

In this powerful episode of Spes et Gaudium, we dive deep into the medieval Ars Moriendi ("The Art of Dying")—a 15th-century guide born during the Black Death that armed Christians with tools for a good death.

Moses shares raw stories from holding friends' hands as they passed (from warm to ice cold) and how this tiny pamphlet (just 11 core pages of woodcuts!) became his guide during a loved one's terminal journey.

We focus on pillar two: the five demonic temptations assaulting the dying soul—lack of faith, despair, impatience, vainglory, and avarice—and the virtues that defeat them (trust, hope, patience, humility, detachment).

With Bible verses, personal examples from walking with Mark (a devout Lutheran facing his last months), and redemptive suffering in action (offering each ache as a prayer for family), this episode explores how to face death with courage, mercy, and hope.

Even beyond Christianity, these insights offer universal wisdom for peaceful endings: accepting mortality, overcoming regret, uniting pain with purpose, and letting go of worldly attachments.

If death is the door to God's infinite mercy, how do we prepare today?

Subscribe, share with someone who needs this, and join the pilgrimage. Next time: Why the Creeds (plural!) matter for everyday faith.

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Transcript

Welcome to Spes at Gaudium, a podcast pilgrimage. I'm Moses, and I want to thank you for being here. In our pilot episode, we talked about non-Christians and their extraordinary path to heaven according to the Christian faith. Today, we're jumping into something we all encounter: death, specifically the Ars Moriendi, the art of dying—from a medieval guide that helped me through a friend's final days. What if death isn't just an end, but a spiritual battle we can prepare to win? This medieval guide shows us how. This is from my blog post at moses-sanchez.com.

I wrote it after holding a dying friend's hand, realizing I needed tools for these moments. It's about six pillars—or six themes, six topics—and we're really going to hone in and focus on one of them today. It's from the 15th century during the Black Death, and it offers hope.

All of these podcasts are going to have three segments to it. The first segment is the prayer. We're going to have a prayer intention every time we do this, the second segment will be the article or an article that we're looking at, that we're going to be discussing and reflecting on, and then the third segment and final segment will be our reflection on said article, or whatever piece we're working on at that time.

Today's intention is for those grieving or facing illness and finding peace in a good death.

Opening Prayer

So let us pray.

Lord, teach us to number our days, to live in the present, and to be present for others. And as Psalm 90, verse 12, says, guide us through death's door with faith. And when our time comes, we implore you to give us the grace of a happy death. Amen.

Excerpts from the Blog Post

The post starts off with an event that happened in 2003, where I sat by a friend's hospital bed, holding her hand as she lay unresponsive. Our parish priest, Father Johnson, had arrived to anoint her and perform the final rites. As I watched him pray, guiding her through her last breaths, I was holding her hand, and her hand went from warm to ice cold.

I learned a lot from watching Father Johnson that day. A year later, I faced a similar challenge when another friend was diagnosed with a terminal illness. At this time, I had been discerning becoming a deacon, and I was in the middle of my studies. Now, people think that religious studies include mental health work—that's not necessarily the case. My certification in apologetics gave me the ability to defend the faith and to know precisely where to find answers to questions on the Christian faith. My studies taught me to defend the faith, not to counsel through the dying process or help a dying person prepare spiritually for eternal life.

Think about it: What topics are appropriate to talk about? What's a proverbial third rail and a non-starter? I had comforted friends through spiritual challenges, but supporting someone facing death required a different approach—one that I wasn't sure how to navigate. I didn't know where to go for answers to these questions, so I went to my default place of prayer.

The always-reliable Holy Spirit came through again, reminding me of a conversation that I had with my friend Chuck during the pandemic. He once recommended a book: Ars Moriendi, Latin for "the art of dying." Chuck had warned me that the devil fights hardest for your soul in your final hour, and this book had the defenses needed to fight in those last hours. Intrigued, I ordered the book—only to receive a 15-page pamphlet (11 pages really at the core), half of which were pictures. It was like an old-school comic book, with images of the five temptations on each page. This medieval wisdom was designed to help the dying man resist temptation and cling to faith.

Pause and consider this: a guide on facing death, born during the Black Death in the Middle Ages—when survival was 40% at best—distilled into 11 simple pages. Yet those pages changed everything. The Ars Moriendi (sometimes called Ars Bene Moriendi) gave Christians deliberate preparation for a good death and offered hope of salvation.

Ars Moriendi's six pillars—especially the second on the final temptations and the appropriate responses to them—gave me the tools to support my friend through his final months. It transformed my perspective on what it means to die well. I believe every household should have this resource.

Crafted in 1415, the Ars Moriendi had six pillars: accepting death, resisting temptation, self-examination, prayer, communal support, and sacramental preparation. These pillars provided lay people with tools to achieve a good death. Now, this post includes all six pillars, and I actually wrote a blog post on each one of the pillars. Today, we're just going to focus on the second pillar: temptations of the dying.

The Black Death swept over Europe from 1346 to 1353, killing up to a third of its people. Later outbreaks kept Europeans scared into the 15th century. Victims faced spiritual challenges, and the religious at the time were dying as fast as lay people—even survivors had wounds from feeling guilty for outliving loved ones.

The Black Death was always on people's minds. Because of the pandemic, families watched loved ones die in days, often without the help of a priest. The Ars Moriendi was a way for domestic churches to minister without a priest or religious presence. At the time, priests and religious were dying equally—if not at a higher rate—than the people of Europe. These religious monks got the idea that we should print this pamphlet out in the vernacular, in the local language—in German, in French, in Latin. They mass-produced this and passed it out to every house. What it did was give the household the resources necessary to walk their loved ones through death's door.

The second pillar names five temptations as demonic attacks on the dying soul. Each temptation was fought by a virtue: trust, hope, patience, humility, and detachment. Chuck's admonition that the devil fights hardest in your final hours resonated with me, and the lessons became my guide in this unseen spiritual war. This section on temptations gave people a clear way to fight the final spiritual battle.

The woodcuts of demons whispering doubts and attacking the soul were effective for many who were unable to read or write—these images of temptations were effective then and are effective now. Questions about God and remorse over things done in the past... The images, written in Medieval Latin, outline a series of spiritual exhortations and actions to ensure the soul's salvation, reflecting the Church's teachings during the 15th century. These exhortations were meant to prepare believers for spiritual battles—not only at death, but also throughout life in the spiritual realm.

The first image serves as an introduction to the pamphlet, and the following is a brief summary. The dying should be encouraged to:

• Believe in Christ and the Church's teachings.
• Be sorry for their sins.
• Promise to amend if they recover.
• Forgive those who have offended them.
• Ask forgiveness of those they have offended.
• Restore stolen property.
• Acknowledge that Christ died for them.
• Confess their sins and receive the sacraments.

After the introduction, we're introduced to five demonic temptations assaulting the dying person, each one corresponding with a virtue and biblical prayers or responses to resist them. These are portrayed in woodcuts showing demons whispering doubts via scrolls and ultimately defeated.

Let's break down the five temptations one by one.

The Five Temptations

1. Temptation to Lack of Faith In the images, the demons sow doubt in God's existence, His kindness, or the value of faith. Some of the quotes include: "There is a hell." "Imitate the pagans and even kill yourself." To counter this, the other woodcut with the angels exhorts to trust in faith, affirm the Apostles' Creed, and respond with steadfastness—in other words, be firm in faith. Biblical support: Reciting the Lord's Prayer, Psalm 23, or reassuring the person that Jesus loves us.
2. Temptation to Despair Overwhelming guilt from sins makes forgiveness seem impossible. Some of the quotes from the demons include: "Look at your sins," listing lies, fornication, murder, greed. On the other woodcut, you have angels countering with hope, focusing on Christ's mercy and atonement—never despairing. Biblical support: The penitent thief (Luke 23:39–43), Psalm 51, Isaiah 1:18, and prayers like the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
3. Temptation to Impatience Intense suffering breeds resentment towards God or other delays in death. Some of the quotes from the demons include: "He's in terrible pain." The counter woodcuts include patience: Unite pain with Christ's cross, trust in God's timing. Biblical support: Jesus's commendation (Luke 23:46) or Paul's thorn (2 Corinthians 12:9).
4. Temptation to Vainglory (Spiritual Pride) This is primarily for the devout—you saw this with the religious orders. Pride in one's virtues or endurance leads to self-reliance. One of the demons' quotes includes: "Be proud; you deserve a crown." On the counter woodcut, you have angels promoting humility: Reject flattery, recall your sins, be humble. Biblical support: The tax collector's prayer (Luke 18:13) or Proverbs 16:18.
5. Temptation to Avarice (Greed) Clinging to possessions, family, or worldly concerns distracts from God. Some of the demons' quotes include: "Take care of your friends" or "Keep an eye on your treasures." The counter woodcut includes detachment: Renounce earthly attachments; don't be greedy. Biblical support: Treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20) or gaining the world but losing your soul (Mark 8:36).

The final woodcut shows demons routed in defeat, with Christ and Mary triumphant—underscoring that salvation hinges on dying well. Tota salus hominis in fine consistit. The key takeaway is having faithful companions in the final hour to encourage virtues through prayer and presence.

Reflection Segment

I think about how I was first introduced to Ars Moriendi: My friend Chuck, during COVID, mentioned a book. And like many people, when someone mentions a book, it goes into the back of the head and never actually comes out. To think that four years later, I would be ordering this book and reading it, and it would be guiding me—it's pretty cool.

In 2023, I was holding the hand of my friend D when she passed away. I had never held somebody's hand as it went from warm to ice cold, and I remember thinking that I had nothing to offer other than my presence and my prayers. I wanted to be better prepared in case I ran into a situation like this again. So I ordered the book, and when it came via Amazon, I was surprised. It was one of those—you ever get a package and you're like, "This isn't what I ordered"? It was a pamphlet, no more than 15 pages that thin. I was under the impression I was getting the art of death, the six pillars. No, no, no—this was the pamphlet. I think it cost like $3, and it was specifically the second pillar: the temptations of the dying.

My buddy Mark had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and it was important for me to know: What can I say? What can I not say? What should I not say? How do I approach this? How do I have a conversation? 

Because Mark wanted to spend time together, and I wanted to spend time with him, but I wanted to make sure that I wasn't stepping on any proverbial third rails. I didn't want to discourage the man. This man was a devout Christian, a man of God. He practiced the Lutheran faith; one of his sons is in the seminary; his wife had worked for the church. So this is a man who knew his faith, and I wanted to make sure that I had the tools. Ars Moriendi helped me with that.

The five temptations are in order of where you're at on your spiritual journey. Just as we explored salvation's hope for all in our pilot, Ars Moriendi extends that mercy to our final moments—it's God's merciful toolkit for the final battle. As Pope Francis reminds us in Evangelii Gaudium, death is a door to encounter God's infinite mercy. For example:

• Temptation to Lack of Faith: I knew I didn't have this problem with Mark because he was a devout Christian. He had the faith. But the temptation to lack of faith is when the devil comes at you, planting seeds of doubt in God, His goodness, or even the afterlife. Questions like, "If God really loves me, why is this happening?" or questions on whether heaven even exists in a scientifically skeptical world. To counter this, Ars Moriendi says you should recite the Apostles' Creed or the Lord's Prayer together, or reflect on Psalm 23 ("The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want") or John 14:1–3 ("Do not let your hearts be troubled"). This temptation to lack of faith was not a problem with Mark. We would pray often: the Apostles' Creed, Psalms, sing God's praises. It was something I'd never done one-on-one with anybody like this. It was a special time.
• Temptation to Despair: This is when you're overwhelmed by guilt over past sins, feeling unforgivable—regrets flood in: broken relationships, wasted time, thoughts like "God could never forgive someone like me." Hospice patients often express this during quiet nights. Biblical support: Recall the penitent thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43), Psalm 51 (David's plea for mercy), or Isaiah 1:18 ("Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow"). Encourage verbal confession, even informally, and remind the person that Christ loves you and to trust in Him. We used to have conversations about how much Jesus loves us and all the blessings we had, but looking forward—not backwards in despair or regret. It was more like, "Wow, this is what God has given me," and "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, what heaven has in store for us."
• Temptation to Impatience: You're a faithful Christian; you have hope (which overcomes despair) and trust in God (which overcomes lack of faith). Now comes a real challenge: impatience. Often, when someone's dying, there's pain involved—physical pain, mental pain. Prolonged pain from treatments (like cancer treatments) or waiting for relief leads to frustration: "Why won't God end this?" Resentment towards suffering, God, caregivers, family, friends—this anger at slow hospice care, family delays, or unanswered pleas for healing can drive a person into an angry place. To counter: Focus on patience; unite suffering with Christ's (Luke 23:46). Paul talked about it in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Mark suffered from this. I had to remind him to be patient, to unite his suffering with Christ's. I introduced him to redemptive suffering—we talked about it a lot: turning suffering into a prayer, offering it up to God. As we sat in that quiet hospital room, the beeps of machines fading into our prayers, he'd assign each ache: "Oh, that pain right there on my shoulders—for my son. That pain on my right hip—that one's for my daughter. That pain is for my wife." I'm offering these pains up as prayers to Jesus for my family. We would go through that often. Those conversations weren't just for him; they prepared my soul too.
• Temptation to Vainglory (Spiritual Pride): This wasn't written in the pamphlet for lay people—it was more for the religious, and it made its way in. Vainglory is the idea that "I've done enough"—self-reliance on good deeds, thinking "I've earned heaven." You can see how the devil would take this approach with the religious versus avarice (possessions). For a lifelong churchgoer or someone who feels they've done enough: The devil says, "You're a good person. You've done enough. God owes you this. How could He not give you heaven? You've dedicated your life to serving the poor, working in hospitals, hospice, orphanages, food pantries." The moment you say, "Yeah, I have done enough," the devil wins. Counter: Humility—the tax collector's prayer (Luke 18:13: "God be merciful to me, a sinner"). A lifelong churchgoer might boast inwardly: "I've done enough; God owes me this." In a culture valuing self-achievement, this pride can surface as resistance to needing mercy. Practical step: Redirect praise to God—"All good in me is from Him." "Yes, I worked in an orphanage my entire life and dedicated it to God, but all the good things I did came from Him. Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy." Remind people to foster dependence on Christ's mercy.
• Temptation to Avarice (Greed): This is one I believe we're all going to suffer—and Mark was no different. This is probably where Mark and I spent most of our time. Clinging to possessions, family, unfinished business. Modern example: Anxiety over inheritance, unfinished finances, or leaving loved ones behind. It causes distress: "What will happen to my house, my money, my kids, my grandkids?" In a materialistic society, this distracts from eternal priorities. Counter: Detachment. I remember seeing Mark go through this process as the weeks went by—detachment from earthly possessions. Biblical support: Matthew 6:19–21 ("Store up treasures in heaven") or Mark 8:36 ("What good is it to gain the whole world and forfeit your soul?"). To counter: Spend time affirming hope in eternal life; talk about how our true home is with God. Mark told me how much he trusted in God and entrusted his family and possessions to Him, focusing on heavenly treasures shared through memories of faith and blessings.

You can see how a man of faith like Mark didn't struggle so much in the last hour of his death with the first two temptations—he had faith, he had hope. Impatience was always challenging when you're in pain. Vainglory was not something he necessarily suffered with, but avarice and the knowledge of all the unfinished business was something we had to work on—and we did. Our conversations were incredible; they're just not conversations you get to have every day with other people.

I miss him. I miss our conversations. I knew that every time I left his house or dropped him off, it was probably the last time I was going to see him. So it was really important for me to cling to God, cling to prayer, connect that with him, and prepare him for that last hour. When that last hour came, I have a lot of confidence that he was able to fend off the demons and that the angels ministered to him. I'm not a presumptuous person, but I'm fairly certain that he overcame that last hour and is with God in all His glory.

These temptations—these five temptations—often overlap in real life, but Ars Moriendi reminds us that death is a spiritual battle best fought with a faithful companion: someone to pray, read Scripture, and guide gently.

Many of the Ars Moriendi insights can be translated into human—not just explicitly Christian—wisdom about facing death, fear, and loss. For example:

• Accepting mortality (accepting death as part of the human condition) can help anyone move from denial and panic towards honesty and peace, even if they do not see it as God's will. Seeing death as a natural horizon of life encourages people to ask: What truly matters now? Relationships, integrity, reconciliation—regardless of religious belief.
• Facing your inner temptations (the five: despair, loss of trust, impatience, pride, greed) can be reframed as common emotional and moral struggles at the end of life. Non-Christians can still work on hope instead of despair, patience instead of agitation, humility instead of ego, and generosity instead of grasping—as ways to die more peacefully and authentically. For a secular friend, impatience might mean reframing suffering as a chance for legacy-building.
• The seven questions to the dying can be adapted into universal end-of-life reflections: Have I made peace where I can? Have I said what needs to be said to those I love? What do I regret, and how can I respond to it now? This kind of self-examination helps anyone—religious or not—approach death with fewer unresolved conflicts.
• Prayers and devotions can be translated into moments of silence, meaningful readings, music, or shared memories that give structure and dignity to the dying process.
• The emphasis on attendants' presence (family, friends, hospice workers, medical practitioners)—their gentle words, listening, physical closeness—speaks to a universal need not to die isolated or ignored. Even without Christian faith, the idea that caring for the dying is a sacred or deeply meaningful responsibility can reshape how families and professionals approach bedside care. It encourages caregivers to see themselves not just as managing symptoms, but as accompanying a person through one of life's most important transitions with compassion and respect.

Questions to Ponder

Before we wrap up with our final prayer, I'm going to pose a few questions that I think we should all ponder:

• If accepting death as God's will is the first pillar, why do we spend billions on anti-aging and life extension in 2026? Aren't we just delaying the inevitable? Or even: Define divine timing.
• Among the five temptations of the dying—like despair or vainglory—which one do you secretly fear the most in your own final moments, and how honest are you about preparing for it now? How might these temptations apply to non-Christians seeking peace at life's end?
• The Ars Moriendi empowered lay people during priest shortages. Does that expose how modern churches sometimes over-rely on clergy for spiritual prep, leaving ordinary folks unprepared for death? In a culture that hides death in hospitals and avoids talking about it, how can seeing caregiving as sacred really transform the experience?
• A lesson that I learned walking with Mark, using the Ars Moriendi as a guide, was that preparing for that hour needs to be done now—today. You can't wait, because you never know when that hour will come. It often comes in the form of an accident. So preparing for death today—in the present—is critical. If I've learned anything from this experience, it's that we should be preparing for death spiritually—and that final battle, that last hour of our death—today.

Closing

That is all the time we have for today. Make sure to join us next time; we'll be talking about the creeds—yes, plural. There are multiple creeds, and we'll unpack why they matter for everyday faith.

Now, using Psalm 31:5 and Luke 23:46, we'll close off with our prayer: the Seven Last Words of Christ. Let us pray.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Amen.