The voluntary anchorites
Some of these people are now venerated as saints. They literally had themselves walled up inside churches, in cells little bigger than a wardrobe, for years (and until their eventual death). For many of them, as well, they were self-declared "living dead" - not to be even spoken to.
Of course, this kind of treatment was not uncommon in medieval times for certain prisoners (those thrown into the "oubliettes") or even unfortunate victims of barbaric cruelty by tyrants who used the terror of punishment as a way of securing power among the masses. But to volunteer for this kind of treatment? To "reach God"?
It's literally stomach-churning.
Some of these people are now venerated as saints. They literally had themselves walled up inside churches, in cells little bigger than a wardrobe, for years (and until their eventual death). For many of them, as well, they were self-declared "living dead" - not to be even spoken to.
Of course, this kind of treatment was not uncommon in medieval times for certain prisoners (those thrown into the "oubliettes") or even unfortunate victims of barbaric cruelty by tyrants who used the terror of punishment as a way of securing power among the masses. But to volunteer for this kind of treatment? To "reach God"?
It's literally stomach-churning.
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