<P> In the 13th century, a group of Roman Catholics, known as the Flagellants, took self - mortification to extremes . These people would travel to towns and publickly beat and whip each other while preaching repentance . The nature of these demonstrations being quite morbid and disorderly, they were during periods of time suppressed by the authorities . They continued to reemerge at different times up until the 16th century . Flagellation was also practised during the Black Plague as a means to purify oneself of sin and thus prevent contracting the disease . Pope Clement VI is known to have permitted it for this purpose in 1348 . </P> <P> Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran Church, regularly practiced self - flagellation as a means of mortification of the flesh . Likewise, the Congregationalist writer Sarah Osborn (1714 - 1796) also practiced self - flagellation in order "to remind her of her continued sin, depravity, and vileness in the eyes of God". It became "quite common" for members of the Tractarian movement (see Oxford Movement, 1830s onwards) within the Anglican Communion to practice self - flagellation using the discipline . St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a late 19th - century French Discalced Carmelite nun considered in Catholicism to be a Doctor of the Church, is an influential example of a saint who questioned prevailing attitudes toward physical penance . Her view was that loving acceptance of the many sufferings of daily life was pleasing to God, and fostered loving relationships with other people, more than taking upon oneself extraneous sufferings through instruments of penance . As a Carmelite nun, Saint Thérèse practiced voluntary corporal mortification . </P> <P> Some members of strict monastic orders, and some members of the Catholic lay organization Opus Dei, practice mild self - flagellation using the discipline . Pope John Paul II took the discipline regularly . Self - flagellation remains common in Colombia, the Philippines, Mexico, Spain and one convent in Peru . </P> <P> As suffering and cutting the body with knives or chains (matam) have been prohibited by Shi'a marjas like Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, some Shi'a observe mourning with blood donation which is called "Qame Zani" and flailing . Yet some Shi'ite men and boys continue to slash themselves with chains (zanjeer) or swords (talwar) and allow their blood to run freely . </P>

When was flogging abolished in the us navy