The Thuggee The Flagellants and The Feast of Asses

The Thuggee were a cult dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali and who, at pilgrimage time in 19th Century India, left their home and families to band together and journey the land looking for suitable travellers to ritually murder.  They ate goor, seen as sacred food made from sugar, befriended travellers then strangled them, taking their goods.  The Brotherhood of Flagellants indulged in religious self torture from the mid 11th Century, started by monk Dominicus Lorictus.  The monks also marched in to towns and villiages and asked people to come out and be scourged for their sins.  Men women and children took part in this.  The Feast of Asses was celebrated in churches and monasteries - a priest conducted a Mass in front of a donkey.