Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
It was Peter Damian, a Benedictine monk who died on February 23, 1072 who started the practice of self-flagellation. As an act of penance (to atone for one's sins) he whipped himself and taught the practice to others. Later on he became a Roman Catholic saint.
Monks then began lashing themselves while reciting the Psalms. Each psalm was accompanied by 100 strokes. There are 150 Psalms in the Bible and so they lashed themselves for a good 1,500 strokes.
There were many who flogged themselves to death. During the 1200's and into the 1300's you can see people dressed in white with red crosses on caps and mantles, singing hymns and carrying banners. They scourged themselves with needle-pointed iron tips drawing blood as they struck to the rhythmic music of hymns.
If Peter Damian only knew and believed Isaiah 53, he would have realized that it is only through the sufferings and death of Christ that our sins can be atoned.
