Easter in India: non Christian lepers before the Cross
A PIME missionary in Andhra Pradesh, who for years has been on the frontline of the fight against leprosy, talks about his patients' participation in Holy Week services, and their daily efforts to "defeat death with the strength of love."
Nalgonda (AsiaNews) Celebrating Easter among lepers in India, among sick people who daily strive not only to overcome pain, but to regain their human dignity. In them, Fr Luigi Pezzoni, who dedicates his life to the reatment of leprosy, can see "the strength of love that defeats death".
This PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) missionary and doctor is the founder of an important institution that has struggled against this disease since 1973: the Leprosy Health Centre of Nalgonda, Andra Pradesh. Over the years, the centre has become a sort of small town with shelters for sick people, schools for youth and modest craft activities and a point of reference for all southern India. It is the only such institution in the area and has had government approval for some time.
Fr Pezzoni told AsiaNews: "Here, lepers of all ages and religions join in praying the Rosary, they help the sisters to treat the wounds of those who are worse off; they learn a trade, and those who are no longer able to work receive a monthly allowance."
Yesterday, Maundy Thursday, the missionary undertook to wash the feet of 12 of his lepers, who "join in all religious functions with devotion, even if they are not Catholic. In Indian culture, touching someone's feet is a mark of great respect and so this part of the Catholic liturgy is well understood and followed by non Christians too. During Holy Week, all my lepers want to attend the functions, and those who are able, prostate themselves with humble devotion before the Crucifix."
The 75-year-old priest has been in India since 1966. As a doctor, he specialized in leprosy and started to work in villages, distributing medicines. "I could talk to people, and I saw that apart from material aid, the message that Jesus is for all was very attractive, that he came to save each and every man, never mind their religious or ethnic status." The missionary has always been supported by the local authorities in his work, appreciated by Hindu communities and flanked by the Immacolata di Fontilles Franciscan Sisters.
The assistant of Fr Pezzoni, Sr Ambika reeled off some statistics to give an indication of the extent of work undertaken by the Leprosy Health Centre: "Nine Franciscan sisters, three doctors, 70 Indian volunteers and paramedics; 50 people on the cleaning staff; 300 hospital beds. Every day, we tend to the ulcers on the feet of 150 sick people. Lepers come from nearby villages too: they know that they will find help here, as well as medicine, food and moral support. We offer food to between 2 to 3,000 lepers. To elderly people around 200 of them who can no longer work, because their limbs have shrunk, we give a monthly allowance of 500 rupees (a little less than nine euros). The centre lives off charity and the government sends some medicines."
The day gets off to an early start. "At 5.30am we get up and pray altogether. Children go to school, lepers to hospital and at 7am, the sisters together with lay volunteers and some sick people, start to treat the lepers' wounds," said the missionary.
The sister added: "In 30 years, we built 1,500 houses. We look after the families of sick people too. For example, we have programmes to fund the education of orphaned children right up to university: 500 to date."
Many youth manage to make a future for themselves, and they remain grateful to Fr Pezzoni. "Recently, one of our boys healed from leprosy, Anjaiah, became a manager at the local Post Office and he sends us 100 rupees (nearly two euros) every month. Other youth do the same; we have helped some to study to become nurses and they send us their first salary. We also have professional courses for women: 20 girls, daughters of patients, attend a sewing course."
Nowadays leprosy has been largely overcome, but Fr Pezzoni said there were two or three new cases to treat each month. "The problem is still widespread and the greatest obstacle to defeat is ignorance: we try to spread awareness about recognizing the disease, which can be treated if caught in time, when the first marks appear. Unfortunately many sick people notice them but do not know what they are and so they come when it's already too late."
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