The marks look reminiscent of Self-flagellation (beating yourself up to show penitence". Perhaps he irrationally feels guilty about being responsible for not saving his mother?
Self-flagellation is the disciplinary and devotional practice of flogging oneself with whips or other instruments that inflict pain.[1]
In Catholicism, self-flagellation is practiced in the context of the doctrine of the mortification of the flesh and is seen as a spiritual discipline.[2] It is often used as a form of penance and is intended to allow the flagellant to share in the sufferings of Jesus, bringing his or her focus to God (cf. Christian prayer).[3][4][5]
The main religions that practice self-flagellation include Christianity, Judaism, and Shia Islam. The ritual has been practiced among members of several Egyptian and Greco-Roman cults.
Christians give various reasons for choosing to self-flagellate. One of the main reasons is to emulate the suffering of Christ during his Passion. As Jesus was whipped before his crucifixion, many see whipping themselves as a way to be closer to Jesus and as a reminder of that whipping.[14] Many early Christians believed that in order to be closer to God, one would need to literally suffer through the pain of Christ.[15] Saint Paul also alluded to inflicting bodily harm in order to feel closer to God in his letters to the Romans and to the Colossians.[16]
Self-flagellation was also seen as a form of purification, purifying the soul as repentance for any worldly indulgences. Self-flagellation is also used as a punishment on earth in order to avoid punishment in the next life.[17] Self-flagellation was also seen as a way to control the body in order to focus only on God. By whipping oneself, one would find distraction from the pleasures of the world and be able to fully focus on worshiping God.[18] Self-flagellation is also done to thank God for responding to a prayer or to drive evil spirits from the body (cf. Exorcism in Christianity).[19] The popularity of self-flagellation has abated, with some pious Christians choosing to practice the mortification of the flesh with acts like fasting or abstaining from a pleasure (cf. Lenten sacrifice).[20]
There is a debate within the Christian tradition about whether or not self-flagellation is of spiritual benefit, with some religious leaders condemning the practice and others, such as Pope John Paul II, having practiced self-flagellation.[21] People who self-flagellate believe that they need to spiritually share in the suffering of Jesus, and continue this practice, both publicly and privately.[22]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-flagellation
https://youtu.be/8b7sGGtIeZw