Penitents

Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for sins, pray for the sick or for a better life, and give thanks for miracles.

Penitents from the 'Cristo de la Buena Muerte' brotherhood take part in a procession in Zamora, Spain.

Masked penitents prepare before the start of a procession, a part of Holy Week celebrations, in Taxco.

Lent was a special time when the whole church labored in penance alongside catechumens preparing for baptism and penitents preparing to receive absolution and reconciliation at Easter.

Many of the mostly impoverished penitents undergo the ritual to atone for sins, pray for the sick or for a better life, or give thanks for what they believe were God-given miracles.

For a while, as the White Penitents approached Rome, gaining adherents along the way, Boniface IX and the Curia supported their penitential enthusiasm, but when they reached Rome, Boniface IX had their leader burnt at the stake, and they soon dispersed.

In Dante's Purgatory, the penitents were bound and laid face down on the ground for having concentrated too much on earthly thoughts.

In Provincial Letters (1656–7) citation he scolded the Jesuits for using casuistic reasoning in confession to placate wealthy Church donors, while punishing poor penitents.

There also was a category of penitents which consisted of backsliders.