Father Damien Day in United States

On April 15, 1889, Father Damien died of Hansen's disease on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. He was a man who cared for sufferers of this disease and continued his missionary work on this island. People in Hawaii remember his life and deeds on April 15, the anniversary of his death.

Father Damien Day commemorates the work of a priest who spent most of his life helping Hansen's disease sufferers. ©iStockphoto.com/Charlie Wagner

What do people do?

A variety of activities are organized on April 15. The statue of Father Damien at the Hawaii Capitol is carefully draped in lei (a Hawaiian flower garland often hung around the necks of guests), prayers are said and solemn songs are sung. Father Damien is awaiting sainthood and recently, a Catholic Feast Day has been created for Blessed Damien of Molokai, as he has become known, on May 10. On this day, wreaths are laid at his statue, prayer services are held and essay competitions are held.

Public life

April 15 is not a public holiday in Hawaii.

Background

On January 3, 1840, Jozef de Veuster was born in the village of Tremelo in Belgium. He took the name Damianus when he became a novice in the order of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (also known as Picpus Fathers) in Leuven, Belgium. In 1860 he became a full member of the order. This congregation sent missionaries to work on some islands in the Pacific Ocean since 1827. Father Damien, as he was known, was sent to Hawaii, where he worked in a colony for sufferers of Hansen's disease, or leprosy, on the island of Molokai. He spent the rest of his life there working to alleviate suffering and died of the same disease on April 15, 1889. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 and is now referred to as Saint Damien.

Symbols

Images of St. Damien are in churches and public places around the world. There are two identical bronze statues in Father Damien's honor, which were designed by the sculptor Marisol Escobar and unveiled in 1969. One forms the centerpiece of the entrance to the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu and the other is in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol, Washington, DC.

Father Damien was originally buried on Molokai and his grave there is a site of devotion. In 1936, he body was returned to Belgium and he is now buried in Belgium, close to where he was born. His religious symbols are a tree and a dove and he is a spiritual patron for people living with HIV.

Father Damien Day Observances

Other holidays in April 2012 in United States

• April Fool's Day ―Sunday, April 1, 2012
• Palm Sunday ―Sunday, April 1, 2012
• Pascua Florida Day ―Monday, April 2, 2012
• World Autism Awareness Day ―Monday, April 2, 2012
• United Nations' Mine Awareness Day ―Wednesday, April 4, 2012
• Maundy Thursday ―Thursday, April 5, 2012
• Good Friday ―Friday, April 6, 2012
• United Nations' World Health Day ―Saturday, April 7, 2012
• Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide ―Saturday, April 7, 2012
• Holy Saturday ―Saturday, April 7, 2012
• First day of Passover ―Saturday, April 7, 2012
• Easter Sunday ―Sunday, April 8, 2012
• Easter Monday ―Monday, April 9, 2012
• International Day of Human Space Flight ―Thursday, April 12, 2012
• Friday the 13th ―Friday, April 13, 2012
• Orthodox Good Friday ―Friday, April 13, 2012
• Orthodox Holy Saturday ―Saturday, April 14, 2012
• Last day of Passover ―Saturday, April 14, 2012
• Orthodox Easter ―Sunday, April 15, 2012
• Patriot's Day ―Monday, April 16, 2012
• Emancipation Day ―Monday, April 16, 2012
• Orthodox Easter Monday ―Monday, April 16, 2012
• Tax Day ―Tuesday, April 17, 2012
• Yom HaShoah ―Wednesday, April 18, 2012
• Global Youth Service Day ―Friday, April 20, 2012
• San Jacinto Day ―Saturday, April 21, 2012
• Earth Day ―Sunday, April 22, 2012
• Oklahoma Day ―Sunday, April 22, 2012
• Confederate Memorial Day ―Monday, April 23, 2012
• World Book and Copyright Day ―Monday, April 23, 2012
• Administrative Professionals Day ―Wednesday, April 25, 2012
• World Malaria Day ―Wednesday, April 25, 2012
• Yom HaAtzmaut ―Thursday, April 26, 2012
• World Intellectual Property Day ―Thursday, April 26, 2012
• Arbor Day ―Friday, April 27, 2012
• World Day for Safety and Health at Work ―Saturday, April 28, 2012
• Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare ―Sunday, April 29, 2012
• Confederate Memorial Day ―Monday, April 30, 2012
• International Jazz Day ―Monday, April 30, 2012