Black Death Was Considered As Punishment From God

They turned to theological interpretations due to a lack of understanding of the Black Death and the prevalence of intense religious passion in medieval Europe. In the Bible, plague was usually considered as a kind of divine punishment by God, with the Ten Plagues delivered against the Egyptians when the Pharaoh refused to free God's people being the most famous example. As a result, many people felt that the outbreak was a divine punishment from God for societal crimes such as lust, greed, blasphemy, pride, envy, and heresy. People have even attempted to cure themselves of the sickness by engaging in extreme self-flagellation as a kind of repentance.

In the 14th century, a preacher claimed to the Pope that a "strange image in the sky was the prelude to the outbreak of the plague. One hour at noon later on March 20th, 1345, the time when the three stars meet at Aquarius, will be the symbol of death." Many people who contracted the sickness claimed to have had visions of the devil and spirits. Such beliefs and theories were widespread, and for some, they proved to be harmful. Heretics, lepers, foreigners, and Jews were all targeted and massacred in large numbers.

This demonstrates a broad lack of knowledge regarding communicable diseases. Not just because it supports an attitude based on the assumption that receiving the disease is predetermined, but also because thinking the Black Plague was sent by God would have aided its spread. This mindset also fostered social gatherings, which aided illness transmission. Self-flagellation, for example, took place in groups in town squares.