Which term refers to the group who whipped themselves to seek relief from plague?

• A. Flagellants
• B. Monks
• C. Heretics
• D. Pilgrims

Answer: (A)

When people face a devastating plague, some interpret it as divine punishment and turn to extreme acts of penance to try to calm God’s anger. The term for the group that whipped themselves in public as a form of penance to seek relief from the plague is flagellants. They organized processions, used scourges to whip themselves, and prayed for forgiveness and mercy, hoping this suffering would avert or end the illness. This behavior is distinctive because it centers on voluntary, collective self-punishment as a religious remedy, rather than the more common roles of monastic life, traveled pilgrims, or people deemed heretical for different beliefs. While flagellants emerged in several medieval outbreaks and were sometimes tolerated, they were eventually condemned by church authorities for their methods, highlighting how medieval responses to plague could clash with official doctrine.