Father Damien Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Molokai

Father Damien Day is observed annually in Hawaii on April 15. Father Damien was a missionary Roman Catholic priest. At the time he was dispatched to Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom was experiencing a labour shortage and health crisis. Later, he volunteered at the quarantined settlement in Kalaupapa, assisting to build homes, make coffins, and dig graves, among other tasks. And he devoted the remainder of his life assisting leprosy patients. Father Damien Day commemorates him and his accomplishments.

The background of Father Damien Day

Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai was born Jozef De Veuster in Tremelo, Belgium on January 3, 1840. He was the youngest of Joannes Franciscus De Veuster and Anne-Catherine Wouters’ seven offspring. At age 13, he was required to leave school to labour on the family farm. His older sisters, Eugénie and Pauline, were nuns, while his brother Auguste was Father Pamphile, a priest. He was initiated to the religious profession in 1860. Later, he was sent on a mission to Hawaii as a substitution for Father Pamphile, who was unable to attend due to illness.

The arrival of Father Damien in Hawaii occurred on March 19, 1864. On May 21, 1864, he was ordained a priest at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. The following year, he was assigned to a mission in North Kohala. The Hawaiian Kingdom was experiencing a labour shortage and a heath crisis at the time. There was a high mortality rate among many Hawaiians due to infectious diseases. It was believed that leprosy was extremely contagious. In 1866, the Hawaiian legislature designated Molokai as the location for a leper colony to quarantine leprosy patients.

Father Damien arrived in Kalaupapa, Molokai on May 10, 1873. He was the first volunteer priest to appear at the quarantined settlement, among others. There, Damien collaborated with the locals to construct a chapel. In addition to being a cleric, he also constructed a reservoir, homes, and furniture, crafted coffins, and dug graves. Damien cared for the lepers, established leaders to enhance the community’s livelihood, and lived as an equal with them. He contracted leprosy after providing for them for eleven years. Despite his ailment, he continued to work until March 23, 1889, when he became bedridden. Father Damien died on April 15, 1889.

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5 FACTS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT MOLOKAI

The Kalaupapa Cliffs (3,315 feet) on Molokai are among the world’s highest sea cliffs.

It is said that the male fertility deity Nanahoa will assist women in becoming pregnant if they visit Phallic Rock.

The longest pier in Hawaii is located in Kaunakakai, the largest municipality on Molokai.

Supposedly, hula (the dance form) originated on the island of Molokai, although the Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai also lay claim to its origin.

There is very little traffic and no traffic signals on Molokai, but there are a few stop signs.

FATHER DAMIEN DAY DATES