The religious beliefs in medieval Europe was crucial as good deeds were received with an award and illness and disease was a punishment from God. Superstition and Priest were heavily relied upon as they were used for guidance and education. During the black death, priest were considered more important than doctors as prays and blessing were thought to decline the symptoms of black death. As the church controlled all aspects of education, medieval doctors received knowledge in accordance to religious teachings. No new research was allowed meaning the most educated doctors knew little about the human anatomy resulting in no new findings or cures for plague infected victims. When people perished because of the black death doctors were not entitled to examine the patients instead the bible was turned to for answers. As death because a regular occurrence, the dying made confessions to each other due to the absence of priest enabling women to help and contribute to what was considered as a mans duty. As more and more people were affected, people looking for answers for this misfortune turned their suspicions on Jews. The Jews were accused of poisoning the air and water sources. Hence, they were tortured until they confessed and then the torched including their houses and belongings. They were treated as outcasts and their places of worship and Synagogues destroyed. One religious group that reacted quickly to this situation was the Flagellants. They believed that whipping themselves as a form of penance would bring them compassion and forgiveness from God. Instead, by doing so they spread the disease as the attracted flee and rats due to the open wounds.