Tahitians gather for a pilgrimage in celebration of Father Damien's feast day at Sacred Hearts Center in Kaneohe earlier this week. Today, they gathered for Mass at St. Philomena's Church, which Damien built in Kalawao at the north end of the remote Molokai peninsula.

Photos by Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin

The 29 pilgrims from Tahiti and Moorea planned their arrival this morning because it is the feast day of Blessed Damien DeVeuster. They will gather for Mass at St. Philomena's Church, which Damien built in Kalawao at the north end of the remote Molokai peninsula.

Dozens of other parishioners of the Rev. Leon Lemouzy, pastor of St. Trinity Church in Tahiti, sent along written petitions for prayers by the pilgrims as they gathered for Mass or prayers each day of their one-week stay in Hawaii. The petitioners also wrote to invoke the intercession of Damien in curing their health or resolving personal problems. The meditative visit isn't unique. The place where Damien served for 16 years as missionary to banished leprosy patients has attracted people on religious or humanitarian grounds for more than 100 years. He died there in 1889 of the disease.

Aukutino Timoteo, Joseph Tematafaarere and Buillaume Itae-Tetaa, left to right, help each other down the steep cliffs above Kalaupapa, Molokai.
Photo by Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin

The low-key observance today is a marked contrast to the crescendo of events last year. Pope John Paul II beatified Damien - in the second of three steps to sainthood - in a June 4 ceremony in Belgium attended by 35,000 people, including more than 200 island residents. About 500 people poured into the tiny community for the outdoor Mass on July 22 when a relic of Damien was buried beside his Kalawao church.

Mike McCarten, administrator of the settlement, said the Tahitians are the first large group of pilgrims to be seen here.

Today, some patients joined the religious celebration but there were other activities in the settlement. A noon party at the hospital honored patient Ed Kato, who was named the 1996 Maui County Outstanding Older American Male in competition with other nominees from Maui and Molokai, and this Damien Day is also the 86th birthday of patient Kenso Seki.

About 70 Hansen's disease patients still live at the settlement. Their private observance of Damien's feast day will be tomorrow, a liturgy at St. Philomena's Church followed by a community picnic.

When the pope declared Father Damien "blessed," he set aside May 10 in the church's liturgical calendar as his feast day. Damien arrived in Kalaupapa on May 10, 1873, to begin his work with patients.

A tree has enveloped this Kalaupapa crypt in a loving embrace. Today is the feast day of Blessed Damien DeVeuster. Damien arrived in Kalaupapa on May 10, 1873, to begin his work with Hansen's disease patients.