The fascinating atmosphere of the abandoned leper colony Lovokomeyo (15 photos)
An ambiguous atmosphere emanates from this centuries-old quarantine for leprosy patients. 
The mesmerizing ruins of Lovokomeyo reflect the contradictory realities of the leper colony. 
Chios Island
The colony was built in the 14th century on the island of Chios and quarantined people with Hansen's disease. It became the first such institution in Greece and one of the first in Europe.
The disease was infamously known as leprosy and caused terror due to its supposedly contagious properties. It is now known that leprosy is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. But centuries ago, disease was not considered anything - a curse, a punishment from the gods, a shameful stigma. 
In an isolated village, patients could take a break from the horror and fear that those around them usually inflicted on them. This was small consolation for those who were forced to live in isolation away from home and family. 
Historically covering a much wider range of skin diseases, this notorious disease of the skin and nervous system has plagued humanity for over 4,000 years. Its biblical associations gave rise to the superstition of people in the Middle Ages, who considered this illness to be divine retribution for various sins. Societies built leper colonies to protect themselves from physical and mental illness. Lovokomeyo was one of the first such communities built in Europe. 
The common objects remaining here, such as children's books, medicines and linen, indicate the normal lifestyle that people led in this colony. But empty, open graves next to forgotten everyday things evoke a feeling of otherworldly horror.
However, the colony was surrounded by green pine forest and was probably quite attractive in terms of enforced privacy. 
Chios was abandoned during the Greek War of Independence in the 19th century, when Ottoman soldiers killed or expelled most of the island's inhabitants. A devastating earthquake soon occurred, killing nearly 8,000 people and destroying colonies throughout the island. 
Saint Nikephoros the Leper
Lovokomeyo was restored in the 20th century, with running water, a laundry, fountains and even a restaurant. The community rose to incredible heights of spirituality thanks to the works of St. Antimos and St. Nikephoros the Leper. 
The colony finally closed its gates in 1957 when a cure for leprosy was found, leaving behind crumbling ruins and memories of the social outcasts who had inhabited the area for so long. 
The book is dedicated to a colony of leprosy patients
