Flagellants, from a fifteenth century woodcut

Flagellants are practitioners of an extreme form of mortification of their own flesh by whipping it with various instruments. Flagellants. ... Flagellants mortifying the flesh, at the time of the Black Death Mortification of the flesh literally means putting the flesh to death. The term is primarily used in religious contexts, and is practised in a variety of ways. ... And distinguish from wip and WIP. Whip from Germany. ...

History

Flagellantism was a 13 century and 14 century radical Christian movement. It began as a militant pilgrimage and was later condemned by the Catholic church as heretical. The followers were noted for including public flagellation in their rituals. Monument to pilgrims in Burgos, Spain This article is on religious pilgrims. ... Look up Heresy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ...

Flagellation (from Latin flagellare, to whip) was not uncommon practice amongst the more fervently religious. Various pre-Christian religions, like the cult of Isis in Egypt and the Dionysian cult of Greece, practiced their own forms of flagellation. Women were flogged during the Roman Lupercalia to ensure fertility. This article discusses the ancient goddess. ... Bacchus by Caravaggio Dionysus, the name of a god, is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius. ... Area under Roman control  Roman Republic  Roman Empire  Western Empire  Eastern Empire Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a city-state founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... The Lupercalia was an annual very ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral festival, held on February 15 to honour Faunus, god of fertility and forests. ...

At first, flagellation became a form of penance in the Christian church, especially in ascetic monastic orders. For example, the 11th century zealot Dominicus Loricatus once repeated the entire Psalter twenty times in one week, accompanying each psalm with a hundred lash-strokes to his back. The distinction of the Flagellants was to take this self-mortification into the cities and other public spaces as a demonstration of piety. As well as flagellation, the rituals were built around processions, hymns, distinct gestures, uniforms, and discipline. It was also said that when singing a hymn and upon reaching the part about the passion of the Christ, one must drop to the ground, no matter how dirty or painful the area may seem. Also one mustn't move if the ground has something on it that may cause an inconvenience. Penance (via Old French penance from the Latin Poenitentia, the same root as penitence, which in English means repentance, the desire to be forgiven, see contrition; in many languages only one single word is derived) is, strictly, repentance of sins as well as the actual name of the Catholic Sacrament... Ascetic redirects here. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... St. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ... Flagellants mortifying the flesh, at the time of the Black Death Mortification of the flesh literally means putting the flesh to death. The term is primarily used in religious contexts, and is practised in a variety of ways. ... Piety is a desire and willingness to perform spiritual, often ascetic rituals. ...

The movement did not have a central doctrine or overall leaders, but a popular passion for the movement occurred all over Europe in separate outbreaks. The first recorded incident was in Perugia in 1259. It spread from there across northern Italy and thence into Austria. Other incidents are recorded in 1296, 1333-34 (the Doves), notably at the time of the Black Death (1349), and 1399. The nature of the movement grew from a popular interest in religion combined with dissatisfaction with the Church's control. Perugia is the capital city in the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber river, and the capital of the province of Perugia. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411) The Dead Man, or Black Plague, was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. ...

The prime cause of the Perugia episode is unclear, but it followed an outbreak of an epidemic and chroniclers report how the mania spread throughout almost all the people of the city. Thousands of citizens gathered in great processions, singing and with crosses and banners, they marched throughout the city whipping themselves. It is reported that surprising acts of charity and repentance accompanied the marchers. However, one chronicler noted that anyone who did not join in the flagellation was accused of being in league with the devil. They also killed Jews and priests who opposed them. Marvin Harris^[1] links them to the Messianic preaching of Gioacchino da Fiore. Mania is a severe medical condition characterized by extremely elevated mood, energy, and thought patterns. ... Allegorical personification of Charity as a mother with three infants by Anthony van Dyck // The word charity entered the English language through the O.Fr word charite which was derived from the Latin caritas.[1] In Christian theology charity, or love (agapē), is the greatest of the three theological virtues... Marvin Harris Marvin Harris (August 18, 1927 – October 25, 2001) was an American anthropologist. ... Joachim of Fiore, also known as Joachim of Flora and in Italian Gioacchino da Fiore (1135 - 1201), was the founder of monastic order of San Giovanni in Fiore. ...

The movement spread across northern Italy, up to 10,000 strong groups processing in Modena, Bologna, Reggio and Parma although certain city authorities refused the Flagellant processions entry. However enthusiasm for the movement diminished as suddenly as it arose. When they preached that mere participation in their processions cleaned sins, the Pope banned the movement in January 1261. As the movement lost momentum in Italy, it crossed into Austria and then Germany where the same pattern happened. Modena (Mòdna in Modenese dialect) is a city and a province on the south side of the Po valley, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ... Bologna (IPA , from Latin Bononia, BulÃ¥ggna in Emiliano-Romagnolo) is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy, in the Pianura Padana, between the Po River and the Apennines, exactly between the Reno River and the Sàvena River. ... Country Italy Region Emilia-Romagna Province Reggio Emilia (RE) Mayor Graziano Delrio (from July 1, 2004) Elevation 58 m Area 231 km² Population  - Total 141,383  - Density 612/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Reggiani Dialing code 0522 Postal code 42100 Frazioni see list Patron San Prospero  - Day... Country Italy Region Emilia-Romagna Province Parma (PR) Mayor Elvio Ubaldi (since May 28, 2002) Elevation 55 m Area 260 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 175,789  - Density 676/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Parmigiani (Parmensi are called the provinces inhabitants) Dialing code... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ...

The peak of the activity was during the Black Death, then called the Great Death, which began around 1347. Spontaneously Flagellant groups arose across northern and central Europe in 1349, except in England. The German and Low Countries movement, the Brothers of the Cross, is particularly well documented - they wore white robes and marched across Germany in 33.5 day campaigns of penance, only stopping in any one place for no more than a day. 33½ days referred for one day for each year of Jesus' earthly life. They established their camps in fields near towns and held their rituals twice a day. The ritual began with the reading of a letter, claimed to have been delivered by an angel and justifying the Flagellants' activities. Next the followers would fall to their knees and scourge themselves, gesturing with their free hand to indicate their sin and striking themselves rhythmically to songs, known as Geisslerlieder, until blood flowed. Sometimes the blood was soaked up in rags and treated as a holy relic. Penance (via Old French penance from the Latin Poenitentia, the same root as penitence, which in English means repentance, the desire to be forgiven, see contrition; in many languages only one single word is derived) is, strictly, repentance of sins as well as the actual name of the Catholic Sacrament... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... A Gothic angel in ivory, c1250, Louvre An angel is a supernatural being found in many religions. ... In medieval music, the Geisslerlieder were the songs of the wandering bands of flagellants, who overspread Europe during two periods of mass hysteria: the first during the middle of the 13th century, and the second during the Black Death in 1349. ... A relic is an object, especially a piece of the body or a personal item of someone of religious significance, carefully preserved with an air of veneration as a tangible memorial, Relics are an important aspect of Buddhism, some denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other personal belief systems. ...

Originally members were required to receive permission to join from their spouses and to prove that they could pay for their food. However, some towns begun to notice that sometimes Flagellants brought plague to towns where it has not yet surfaced. Therefore later they were denied entry. They responded by increased physical penance.

Initially the Catholic Church tolerated the Flagellants and individual monks and priests joined in the early movements. By the 14th century the Church was less tolerant and the rapid spread of the movement was alarming. Clement VI officially condemned them in a bull of October 20, 1349 and instructed Church leaders to suppress the Flagellants. This position was reinforced in 1372 by Gregory XI who associated the Flagellants with other heretical groups, notably the Beghards. They were accused of heresies including doubting the need for the sacraments, denying ordinary ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and claiming to work miracles. In Germany they claimed they could resurrect emperor Frederick II, who would bring an age of social justice. Konrad Schmid claimed to be Frederick and baptised himself in the blood of his followers. His Thuringian rebels left their worldly occupations and prayed preparing the Judgment Day for 1369. The Inquisition burnt him before he could go on with his plans. Clement VI, né Pierre Roger (1291 – December 6, 1352), the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was elected in May 1342, and reigned until his death. ... Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ... Gregory XI, né Pierre Roger de Beaufort (ca. ... A Roman Catholic religious community of men active in the 13th and 14th century. ... A miracle, derived from the old Latin word miraculum meaning something wonderful, is a striking interposition of divine intervention by a god in the universe by which the ordinary course and operation of Nature is overruled, suspended, or modified. ... Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. ... The Free State of Thuringia (German: Freistaat Thüringen) is located in central Germany and is considered one of the smaller of Germanys sixteen Bundesländer (federal states), with an area of 16,200 km² and 2. ... This article or section should be merged with End times and Last judgment The Last Judgement - Tympanum sculpture at the Abbey Church of Ste-Foy, Conques-en-Rouergue, France In Christian eschatology, the Last Judgement is the ethical-judicial trial, judgement, and punishment/reward of individual humans (assignment to heaven...

A similar movement arose again in 1399, again in northern Italy in the form of the "White Penitents" or Bianchi movement. This rising is said to have been started by a peasant who saw a vision. The movement became known as the laudesi from their constant hymn singing. At its peak a group of over 15,000 adherents gathered in Modena and marched to Rome, but the movement rapidly faded when one of its leaders was burned at the stake by order of Benedict XI. Benedict XI, né Nicholas Boccasini (1240 -July 7, 1304), pope (1303 - 1304), succeeded the famous Dominican education, and when he was made Master General of the order in 1296, he issued ordinances forbidding public questioning of the legitimacy of Bonifaces election on the part of any Dominican. ...

The Inquisition was active against any revival of the movement in the 15th century. In 1414, two groups, one of them followers of Karl Schmidt, totaling over a hundred members, were burned in Germany. Three hundred in Thuringia were burnt in one day of 1416. Other trials where the accused were condemned as Flagellants were recorded as late as the 1480s. The practice of flagellation within the bounds of the Catholic Church continued as an accepted form of penance. Inquisition (capitalized I) is broadly used, to refer to things related to judgment of heresy by the Roman Catholic Church. ... Penance (via Old French penance from the Latin Poenitentia, the same root as penitence, which in English means repentance, the desire to be forgiven, see contrition; in many languages only one single word is derived) is, strictly, repentance of sins as well as the actual name of the Catholic Sacrament...

Rulers like Catherine de Medici and Henry III of France supported Flagellants but Henry IV of France banned them. Flagellant orders like Hermanos Penitentes (Spanish 'Penitential Brothers') also appeared in colonial Spanish America, even against the specific orders of church authorities. Catherine de Medici (April 13, 1519–January 5, 1589), born in Italy as Caterina Maria Romola di Lorenzo de Medici, and later queen of France under the French name Catherine de M dicis, was the wife of King Henry II of France, of the Valois branch of the kings... Henry III (French: Henri III; September 19, 1551 – August 2, 1589), born Alexandre-Édouard, was a member of the Valois Dynasty, King of France from May 30, 1574 until his death. ... Henry IV (French: Henri IV; December 13, 1553 – May 14, 1610), was the first monarch of the Bourbon dynasty in France. ...

Modern flagellants

Catholic

Flagellant in the misterie of Guardia Sanframondi

Modern processions of hooded Flagellants are still a feature of various Mediterranean Catholic countries, mainly in Spain, Portugal and Italy and some former colonies, usually every year during Lent. For example in the comune of Guardia Sanframondi in Campania, Italy, such parades are organized once every seven years. Image File history File links A Beater in Guardia Sanframondi, 2003 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links A Beater in Guardia Sanframondi, 2003 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Castle above Guardia. ... Castle above Guardia. ... Campania is a region of Southern Italy, bordering on Lazio to the north-west, Molise to the north, Puglia to the north-east, Basilicata to the east, and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. ...

In modern times, it has been speculated that the more extreme practices of mortification of the flesh may have been used to obtain altered states of consciousness for the goal of experiencing religious experiences or visions; medical research has shown that great pain releases endorphines which can have such effect, and even get some fetishists addicted to pain. Endorphins are endogenous opioid biochemical compounds. ... A fetish (from French fétiche; from Portuguese feitiço; from Latin facticius, artificial and facere, to make) is a natural object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular a man-made object that has power over others. ...

Some Christians in Philippines practice flagellation as a form of devout worship, sometimes in addition to self-crucifixion (during the end of Lent season). Crucifixion of St. ...

Los hermanos penitentes

See Penitentes (New Mexico). In English, "the penitent brothers." This is a semi-secret society of flagellants among the Hispanics of Colorado and New Mexico.[1] Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Spanish: The Brothers of the Pious Fraternity of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene, also known as Los Penitentes, Los Hermanos, and the Penitente Brotherhood) is a lay confraternity of Roman Catholic men active in Northern New Mexico and...

Gentler legacy

In most cultures, flagellation disappeared from mainstream Christian life in time. However, some former flagellant confraternities were converted towards physically more gentle forms of devotion.

Thus in Italy, the old name laudesi was maintained for the survivors of the Flagellant movement, who met together in their own chapel to sing laudi (canticles) in honor of the Blessed Virgin, which gradually assumed a dramatic form and grew into a theatrical form known as rappresentazioni sacre. A play in the Roman dialect of the fourteenth century, edited by Vattasso (Studi e Testi, no. 4, p. 53), explicitly bears the title lauda.

Other religions

Very similar practices exist in non-Christian traditions, including actual flagellation amongst certain branches of Islam (especially Shiites commemorating the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali), as well as milder traditions such as whipping women (while spanking men) in a Taoist temple on the Chinese New Year. Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... This article is about Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (626 – 680). ... Political cartoon from 1860 depicting Stephen A. Douglas receiving a traditional “over-the-knee” spanking from Columbia as Uncle Sam looks on approvingly. ... For other uses of the words tao and dao, see Dao (disambiguation). ... Chinese New Year (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), or Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. ...

In popular culture

• A humorous reference to the Flagellants can be seen in the Monty Python movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Near the beginning of the movie, some monks can be witnessed hitting their own heads with books. It is noted in the screenplay as being "a la SEVENTH SEAL," a reference to the Ingmar Bergman film The Seventh Seal, which also depicts Flagellants. Another of Terry Gilliam's films 'The Jabberwocky' (1977) features several scenes with Flagellants, one depicts several members allowing a large cart-wheel to be rolled over them, another scene concludes with a member being catapulted over the city's walls.

• The albino monk, Silas, practices several forms of self-mutilation for penance and worship in Dan Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code.

• The table-top model and roleplaying game setting Warhammer Fantasy by Games Workshop features military regiments made from fanatically religious citizens of the Empire called Flagellants.

• In the film version of Doom, the character Eric "Goat" Fantom cuts a small cross into his body whenever he breaks a commandment, demonstrated when he takes the Lord's name in vain.

• In the music video for Rammstein's Rosenrot, various clips of the band show them dressed as monks and flagellating themselves as a form of penance.

Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ingmar Bergman   (IPA: in Swedish) (born July 14, 1918) is a Swedish stage and film director who is one of the key film auteurs of the twentieth century. ... The Seventh Seal (Swedish: Det sjunde inseglet) is an existential 1957 Swedish film directed by Ingmar Bergman about the journey of a medieval knight (Max von Sydow) across a plague-ridden landscape. ... Dan Brown (born June 22, 1964) is an American author of thriller fiction, best known for the controversial 2003 bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code. ... This article is about the novel. ... Warhammer or Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting created by Games Workshop, in which many games of that company are set, the best known ones being the Warhammer Fantasy Battles wargame, and the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay role-playing game. ... Games Workshop Group PLC (often abbreviated to GW) is a British game production and retailing company. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For the airshow accident, see Ramstein airshow disaster. ... Rosenrot (German for Rose-red) is a song and single by the German band Rammstein on the Rosenrot album. ...

See also

• Algolagnia
• Flagellation
• Penitentes (New Mexico)
• Sado-masochism and BDSM
• Self-harm

Look up algolagnia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ... Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Spanish: The Brothers of the Pious Fraternity of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene, also known as Los Penitentes, Los Hermanos, and the Penitente Brotherhood) is a lay confraternity of Roman Catholic men active in Northern New Mexico and... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ... A collar is a common symbol in BDSM. Female bottom in bondage with leather monoglove BDSM is any of a number of related patterns of human sexual behavior. ... Self-harm (SH) is deliberate injury to ones own body. ...

Reference

1. ^ Marvin Harris, Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches, Chapter 10 .

Marvin Harris Marvin Harris (August 18, 1927 – October 25, 2001) was an American anthropologist. ...

External link

• Catholic Encyclopedia entry, in the public domain