Canto XXIII. Beatrice, who is still standing beside him, finally tears him away from his contemplation of what is beneath him, and directs his glance aloft, where he catches his first glimpse of Christ, escorted by his Mother and by the Church triumphant.  Too dazzled and awed at first to grasp what he sees, Dante feels heart and mind expand, as he listens enraptured to sweeter music than was ever made by the nine muses.  Meantime the spirits escorting Christ crown the Virgin with lilies, and all sing the praises of the Queen of Heaven.[19]

Canto XXIV. Beatrice and Dante are now joined by the spirit of St. Peter, who examines Dante on faith, receiving the famous reply:  “Faith is the substance of the thing we hope for, and evidence of those that are not seen.”  Not only does St. Peter approve Dante’s definition, but he discusses theological questions with him, leading him meanwhile further into this sphere.

Canto XXV. Presently a spirit approaches them which is designated by Beatrice as St. James.  After greeting St. Peter and smiling upon Beatrice, St. James reveals he has been sent hither by Christ to examine Dante upon hope, whereupon our poet, lifting his eyes “to the hills,” gains courage enough to answer thus:  “Hope is the certain expectation of future glory, which is the effect of grace divine and merit precedent.”  St. James is so pleased with this answer that he glows even more brightly, as St. John, “who lay upon the breast of him, our Pelican,” appeared, shining so brightly that Dante, turning to ask Beatrice who he is, discovers he can no longer see her although she is close beside him.

  “I turn’d, but ah! how trembled in my thought,
  When, looking at my side again to see
  Beatrice, I descried her not; although,
  Not distant, on the happy coast she stood.”

Canto XXVI. Dante now ascertains he has merely been temporarily blinded by the excess of light which emanates from St. John, who proceeds to examine him in regard to Charity.  His answers are greeted by the heavenly chorus with the chant “Holy, holy, holy,” in which Beatrice joins, ere she clears the last mote away from Dante’s eyes and thus enables him to see more plainly than ever.  Our poet now perceives a fourth spirit, in whom he recognizes Adam, father of mankind, who retells the story of Eden, adding that, 4232 years after creation, Christ delivered him from hell, and enabled him to view the changes which had taken place in the fortunes of his descendants during that long space of time.

Canto XXVII. After listening enraptured to the melody of the heavenly choir chanting “Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,” Dante gazes upon the four worthies near him, who glow and shine like torches, while “silence reigns in heaven.”  Then St. Peter, changing color, holds forth against covetousness, and expounds the doctrine of apostolic succession.  Because the early popes died as martyrs, he considers it a disgrace that their successors should be guilty of misgovernment.  He adds that the keys bestowed upon him should never figure on banners used in waging unrighteous wars, and that his effigy on the papal seal should never appear on worldly documents.