Actually, Purgatory was made up by Catholics in like.. 1437 to attract more people to the faith. It was there for the purpose of allowing even those who died as sinners to get into Heaven, considering they worked off their sins. I don't know of anywhere in the Bible (I haven't really looked into it, thought) where it says one goes to Purgatory, in that sense of the word, when he dies.

Some believe that you exist in a state of waiting until the time of which Christ returs to earth. Then those who have died, along with those who are living, are judged by God.

I tend to believe that you go before God when you die to be judged. I don't think there is a waiting period. But, I don't suppose it matters, because I think, that if we do have a waiting period, it would be like sleep. It wouldn't feel like a thousand years. The time would simply pass.

What is it they say about silence being golden?