Central Italian flagellant confraternities evolved and emerged from Central Italian confraternities that originated in the tenth century. The members of these original confraternities were lay persons (usually men, but sometimes women) who were devoted to religious life. These groups promoted religious life but were independent of the church and offered an alternative form of service for those church members who did not want to commit themselves to the strict behaviors of monastic or convent life. Members of confraternities were usually wealthy citizens, with high profiles in the society, who assisted with religious rites by making financial donations and by reciting Masses. Some confraternities were guided by the acts of mercy based on the New Testament parable The Sheep and the Goats. From this parable, the church had drawn Seven Acts of Corporal Mercy. In the present-day, these are known as confraternities of penitents. Social aspects of confraternity participation in the community Although their original reason for being was to help their members achieve personal salvation, the Central Italian confraternities became increasingly social and political during their formative centuries (particularly the twelfth and thirteenth centuries). Some of these confraternities became powerful social influences as well in their communities. Often confraternity members began the work on their personal salvation by donating food and other alms to the poor; but in many central Italian cities, like Bergamo, the confraternities became so involved in the community that they provided dowries for young women, ransomed soldiers held captive by enemy governments, and provided restitution to victims of disasters and crime. This social benevolence, however, was not the focus of all of these confraternities. During the 13th century, confraternities were also founded, which emphasized instead the need for personal mortification of the flesh as a way to salvation. Types of confraternities The Central Italian confraternities became identified as one of two types. The first type of confraternity, called laudesi, processed through their towns singing songs in praise of God; the second kind of confraternity, known as battuti or disciplinati, flagellated themselves during somber public processions. With the advent of this second type of confraternity, flagellation became commonly associated with the Central Italian confraternities of the later Middle Ages. Flagellation practices in the confraternities Flagellation in these confraternities developed an even stronger tradition in the fourteenth century with the pandemic of the Plague or Black Death. Christian religious groups often expressed the belief that the plague was