Monika Radžiūnaitė's work, "In the name of good / In nomine boni," is part of her "Circumstances" series.

"Since the onset of the Black Death in the 14th century, people experienced numerous recurring smaller outbreaks of the plague epidemic. Daily life became haunted by the constant imagery and signs of death. This continuously renewed curse also led to the improvement of medical measures – attention was given to sanitary conditions, healthcare, and even quarantine. And although various medical means were sought to neutralise God's punishment, the specifics of medieval treatment did not help stem the spread of the disease, as neither common bloodletting nor fleeing from the affected areas saved lives. Doctors of the time felt helpless in this fight and sometimes even 'disappeared' from infected cities.

Practical guides to healthy living, known as regimen sanitatis (Latin for 'regulation of health') or regiment pestilentiae (Latin for 'rules for plague prevention'), also proved unhelpful, as all medieval medicine was based on ancient tradition. Consequently, during the Black Death, medical science was hardly more advanced than it had been a thousand and a half years prior, when it emerged (albeit with a few updates from Arabic medicine, such as astrology, and the appearance of new tools or techniques). Evidently, this helplessness led people to consider the Black Death a long-prophesied punishment from God.

As in every crisis, shrewd individuals always emerged, and the more malicious also exploited the plague epidemics. For instance, in 1346, the Mongols began catapulting the corpses of plague victims into a city – an ancient form of biological warfare. But typically, the silently travelling disease, once noticed among people, would cause immense panic, and just as quietly, its retreat would lead to mourning rites. Cases of complete apathy, the loss of all hope, and the noblest examples of devotion to others are also described.

However, the consequences of the plague were not merely personal tragedies or moments of brilliance. According to some authors, the Black Death became a crucial factor in the decline of feudalism, the serf revolts, the changing power dynamics in societies, or even a fundamental factor in the Renaissance era. The most audacious claims suggest it ignited the ideas of the Reformation due to a heightened distrust of the clergy. It was precisely after the Black Death that the economic relations between workers (serfs) and lords shifted, serfdom began to crumble in Europe, and revolutions for a more socially just life commenced! Due to a shortage of workers, new technologies aimed at improving labour productivity were sought.

Therefore, no matter how difficult the time, no matter how dark the apocalyptic vision – it will always also be a new beginning, for salvation is part of Heaven's plan. However, before that new beginning arrived, the colourful vibrancy of the Middle Ages was drenched in corpses and the deepest personal feelings, poignant emptiness, loss, and a sense of loneliness. Thus, even God was blamed for snatching away the sweet charms and imperfections of this life from people, so that they might now easily desire the 'other side'."