Leprosy is no longer the scourge of humanity it once was. This is mainly a tribute to the drug penicillin, which has practically eliminated leprosy from this earth.

Before that miracle, however, men and women stricken with the disease were subjected not only to the reality of great suffering, slowly leading to death, but also to the tragedy of exile from their communities and separation from those whom they loved.

Lepers were the living dead. Ancient Egyptians called leprosy "death before death."

In the Middle Ages funeral masses were offered for lepers even to the point of bringing the leper to the church, covering him with a black pall and finally casting several spades of dirt on the pathetic leper huddled under the pall.

Having been declared dead, lepers were required to wear or ca…