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This exhibition presents nearly a hundred selected archival documents and related materials from the Macao Archives. Focusing on the development of leprosy medical facilities, it outlines the historical context of leprosy treatment in Macau, providing crucial clues for future research into the medical history and development of leprosy in the region. It also bears witness to the pioneering efforts of Macau society in leprosy relief work and the spread of humanitarianism.
Our Lady of Ká-Hó Village is the only remaining former leprosarium site in Macau, classified as a third-class immovable property (architectural complex category). The Macau government established a facility here in 1885 to house patients. It initially consisted of only one or two simple brick houses. In the 1930s, it was rebuilt and expanded into five residential houses and the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows, with additional buildings constructed later as needed. In 1966, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows was built, and the original chapel was converted into a recreation room.
In 1963, Italian Salesian priest Fr. Gaetano Nicosia came to serve here. Together with the residents, they decided to rename the leprosarium "Our Lady of Ká-Hó Village," symbolizing the aid of the Virgin Mary. With advances in medical technology, the Social Welfare Bureau converted the female patient dormitory into the Ká-Hó Home for the Elderly in 1992 to accommodate cured elderly patients, marking the end of the village's medical care mission.
Organizer: Cultural Affairs Bureau
Museums & Exhibition Venues
Macao Basic Law Memorial Hall
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