mortification

Mortification, in a religious context, refers to the denial of physical or psychological desires through self-inflicted pain or abstinence. This practice aims to subdue bodily appetites and punish sins, often associated with devout Christians who would starve themselves or practice self-flagellation. It is a form of asceticism, a broader practice found in many religions, involving the denial of desires to achieve a spiritual goal.123

In Christianity, mortification was common during periods like Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday, where ashes symbolize mortality. Purification rites can also involve mortification and penance, such as wearing hair shirts or flagellation. While the term "mortification" today often implies humiliation, its historical religious meaning relates to self-discipline and the subjugation of the flesh for spiritual ends.4512