The seven deadly sins are a concept defined by Catholicism: they represent human behaviors that must be avoided in order not to commit sins; They are called capitals because the rest flow from them. However, the term “capital vices” is usually defined as the most appropriate to refer to these so-called “sins” given that vice is where sin arises.

It was Saint Thomas Aquinas who defined the seven capital sins that are known which are: sloth, pride, gluttony (or gluttony), lust, avarice, anger, and arrogance. They were also enumerated by Pope Gregory I 1,500 years ago and later collected by Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy.

The current list was cited by Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica (question 84, Prima secundae) in the 13th century. He mentions that some of them are not sins in themselves, but vices, that is, tendencies to commit certain sins.

Laziness

Laziness is the refusal to perform necessary tasks. His demon is Belphegor; Laziness can also be of spirit, the lazy person does not surrender to God due to lack of spirit.

Gonna

Anger is defined as an uncontrolled emotion of hatred and anger. A negative emotion can manifest as a denial of the truth towards oneself and others, as well as a growing desire for revenge. The modern definition also includes intolerance towards other people because of their race or religion, even going to the extreme of discrimination. This is the only sin that is not closely related to self-interest and selfishness.

Pride

Attribution to one’s own merits of qualities seen as gifts from God (intelligence, etc.). His demon is Lucifer. The proud person does not recognize anyone above him, not even God.

Gluttony

Gluttony refers to the excessive consumption of both food and drink today. Now, in the past, it encompassed any type of form of excess. It also includes some forms of behavior that is destructive to oneself and others. In Alighieri’s ‘The Divine Comedy’, penitents in Purgatory were forced to stop between two trees, completely unable to reach the fruits hanging from the branches.

Lust

It corresponds to the pleasure sought for oneself immediately. Those who are lustful seek personal and fleeting gratification. He views others as mere bodies rather than people. His demon is Asmodeus.

Avarice

Greed is, in the same way as gluttony and lust, a sin of excess. It is characterized by the desire to acquire material goods in quantities much higher than those necessary to satisfy a person’s basic needs. Saint Thomas Aquinas defined greed as ” a sin against God, like all mortal sins, in which man condemns eternal things for temporal things. “

Envy

Envy is “sadness over the goods that another has and that are considered harmful to oneself since they diminish one’s excellence or notoriety. ” An envious person not only resents another person’s assets, whether talents, appearance, possessions, jobs, or popularity but also takes joy in and even enjoys the setbacks or adversities a person faces. His demon is Leviathan.

Virtues according to the Catholic Church

In an epic poem titled ‘Psychomachia’, written by Aurelio Clemente Prudencio in the 4th century, a total of seven virtues are detailed that oppose the seven mortal sins. A work that enjoyed great popularity during the Middle Ages, and putting the seven virtues into practice is said to protect mortals from the temptation of the seven sins.

• Humility: this is a characteristic that defines a person who is modest and who at no time believes that he or she is above others.
• Patience: it is the attitude to adequately overcome any difficulty and setback.
• Temperance: seeks balance in the use of goods and moderates the attraction of pleasures. It guarantees that the will prevails over the instincts.
• Charity: has a very close link with empathy and friendship.
• Generosity: the habit of giving to others is known as such.
• Diligence: it is the care in carrying out a certain task. In practice, it means following through on commitments and setting goals.
• Chastity: a voluntary behavior that involves the moderation of
• pleasures for social or religious reasons.