The practice or belief system of wearing cilices as a form of religious penance or self-mortification.
From 'cilice' plus the suffix '-ism' meaning 'a practice, belief, or system,' creating a noun for the philosophy of cilice-wearing.
Cilicism represents a broader concept in religion called mortification of the flesh—the belief that hurting your own body could purify your soul. While it sounds extreme to modern ears, medieval Christians saw it as a way to imitate Christ's suffering and achieve spiritual transformation.
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