Damien Relic Mass, Procession, & Evening prayer

Yes, it was such a long, but beautiful day!!





So...we arrived around 10:30...Mass wasn't until 12:00pm. So we waited outside, and saw that everything was prepared for the event. 1,200+ people were expected to come for the Mass (about 1500 came, all in all, for the procession and event at Iolani Palace), so chairs were set outside with four 50in. TV screens for them to watch what was going on inside the Cathedral. The Cathedral can only hold about 600 people at the most, so... :)

Here's the canoe on which the relic in its reliquary, in a koa box, will be carried during the procession.

Some things on the side...

Here's a close-up of the design on the top. It's Moloka'i!

Uh, nothing in particular... I mean, I thought it was sooo beautiful that day! Blue skies! I thought it was a pretty cool picture of our Cathedral.

Here's a tapestry that was hung inside the Kamiano Center (or parish hall - the Hawaiians called Damien 'Kamiano') If you look closely, it shows St. Damien's life.

We were so blessed to see the relic arrive first! There it is!! Before going over to the Cathedral for the 12noon Mass, we had a bit of prayer time and veneration time.

Here's a special banner we had for the Year of Priests...

Bishop's homily. :) It had to be extra short, because there was nooo way that we could fit a very special Mass in just one hour. It ended up being a little more than an hour in the end...

Here we go! Procession time! So we processed after the Mass, straight to Iolani palace, about three blocks away. It took an hour because there were so many people, and it was really, really, sunny. (Blue skies...remember? Not a cloud in the sky) Whew, but praise God for ice water!

Almost there. Here's Cardinal Godfried Danneels, and some of the bishops who came (there were 13 all in all, btw)

Iolani palace all dressed up for the very special event!!

There were LOTS of people waiting at Iolani palace. Of course, no one really went inside (we're not allowed :P ) but before certain people went (including the relic), there were several talks/speeches and a couple of hula dances in honor of St. Damien. Even a Hawaiian princess was there!

Our Lt. Duke Aiona. His speech was really nice. Did you know that his son is in the seminary? :)

Okay, back to the Cathedral! Here's the place where the relic will be held permanently!

After the procession back to the Cathedral (this time it was much easier - we were in the shade this time, and it only took 30min. to get back!) we made it just in time for the Evening Prayer. By this time, it was already 5:00pm. I think a lot of the bishops were too tired to go on, that's why I didn't see them there... :) But the Cardinal was still there! Poor guy, he must've been extremely tired!

Evening Prayers.... and then the Bishop went ahead and blessed the shrine where the relic would be held.

And here's the relic!

Now...hopefully I will have that part 2 St. Damien post soon!