prevention

• Flagellants whipping themselves. They believed plague was a punishment from God for their sins. They are punishing

  themselves in the hope that God will not bring

  the plague on them.
• let it be known that holy processions are to be held in our cathedral and in every parish church, and that a special prayer be

  said every day for stopping the pestilence.
• Escaping the plague was the best advice for prevention. Guy de

  Chauliac, the physician to the Pope advised people to ‘Go quick-

  ly, go far and return slowely’ as it was essential to escape the

  miasma. He even surrounded the Pope in a ring of fire to pre-

  vent the spread of miasma.
• Many went on pilgrimages to religious tombs of

  saints to show God they were worthy, so to not

  be punished.
• People also fasted or lit large numbers of candles as

  an offering to God.