Pope Francis sent a letter to all participants of the International Symposium on Leprosy on January 23, urging the world not to abandon these marginalized and poorest people, and encouraging Christian groups to always be at the forefront of work for the poorest.
(Vatican News Network) “We must never forget our brothers and sisters who have leprosy”. This is what Pope Francis emphasized in a letter to all participants of the International Leprosy Symposium on January 23. The international symposium “Leave no one behind” was held at the Pontifical Augustinian College of the Fathers in Rome on 23-24 January and was organized by three foundations from Europe and the Holy See’s Ministry for the Promotion of Integral Human Development Cooperation organization held. The workshop focused on achieving “Leprosy Elimination” and providing services for people suffering from other neglected tropical diseases, thereby building an inclusive and caring society.
In the letter, the Pope noted that “the stigmatization of leprosy continues to cause serious violations of human rights around the world”, and that we must not ignore a disease that still affects so many people around the world, especially Those who live “in a more impoverished social environment”. “This is the current challenge, and we should not be afraid of it.”
To this end, the Pope reminded us, we must ask ourselves “how best to work with lepers, seeing them as whole persons”. “I hope that this conference will help to gather voices from around the world and discuss steps that can be taken to further promote respect for human dignity,” the Pope said.
The Pope also expressed his closeness to leprosy patients around the world and encouraged them to strive for spiritual support and medical care. Finally, the Pope urged all Christian communities to be at the forefront of efforts to promote the full integration of people affected by leprosy.
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