Religion's Role in Discrimination Against Leprosy

Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases. There are accounts of a disease thought to be leprosy in ancient India that predate the Bible. Theories have differed as to whether it originated in East or West Asia, but recent genomic analysis points to East Africa.

In any case, leprosy endemic areas expanded along with the large population shifts that accompanied the campaigns of Alexander the Great, the expansion of the Roman Empire, the migrations of Germanic tribes, and the Crusades. There were also sudden periodic outbreaks throughout Europe.

The history of leprosy in Europe and the history of Christianity are deeply related. We see this close relation between leprosy and religion in other parts of the world, too. And in all religions, providing care or relieving suffering and stigma are difficult to separate, much like two sides of the same coin.

Around 260 CE, the Christian church in Southern France established lazarettes, places where people afflicted by the plague or affected by leprosy were quarantined, and was also active in the care and support of leprosy patients. The St. Francis Leprosy Guild is one such well-known organization. In the 13th century, in France alone, there were between 1500 and 2000 lazarettes for those with leprosy.

In the Middle Ages, patients were given the last rites in church before being sent away. In some cases, they underwent a quasi-burial. They were also banished and many were even killed in massacres such the Leper Scare of 1321 in France.

In my country, Japan, while Buddhists have been active in providing care and relief for patients, leprosy was considered retribution for past deeds, such as not following the Buddhist teachings, and those affected by leprosy were given a separate discriminatory funeral. Although severe discrimination did not exist in the Islamic world, Muslims were told to remain distant from those with the disease and even flee from a leper as they would from a lion.

Religion, including Christianity, has provided patients with a form of relief from suffering. Religion provides strong spiritual support. However, reading the Bible, we note that the word leper is synonymous with someone who is unclean, and in this sense, religion, even as it provided care, also fostered discrimination. Furthermore, the terms lepra and leper appear as metaphors that were used to propagate the faith.

It is clear that religion has played a role throughout history in reinforcing the many misconceptions and prejudice surrounding leprosy that continue to be rooted in the hearts and minds of people.

I would like to ask religious leaders to join hands and contribute to the elimination of the discrimination by spreading awareness and stressing that there is no reason to discriminate against anyone affected by leprosy or members of their families.