Saint Damien of Molokai

Patron Saint of people with leprosy, outcasts, Hawaii.

Feast Day: May 10th

Religious

Tremelo, Belgium

Public Domain: Father Damien as a seminarian in France, around 1863 via Wikimedia Commons.

Feast Day: May 10th

Religious

Tremelo, Belgium

About

Saint Damien of Molokai (1840–1889), born Jozef De Veuster in Tremelo, Belgium, was a Belgian missionary priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In 1873, he volunteered to serve the leper colony on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, then known as Kalaupapa. At the time, leprosy (Hansen’s disease) carried great stigma, and the colony’s inhabitants lived in poverty and neglect. Father Damien not only provided the sacraments but also built homes, churches, and a water system, and personally cared for the sick and dying. In 1885, he himself contracted the disease, continuing his ministry until his death in 1889. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, and his tomb is located at the St. Philomena Church in Kalawao, Molokai.

Legacy

Saint Damien’s life is remembered as a profound witness to Christ’s command to serve “the least of these.” His fearless compassion for the outcast transformed Kalaupapa from a place of despair into a community of dignity and hope. He remains a symbol of selfless love, inspiring healthcare workers, missionaries, and all who serve the marginalized. In Hawaii, he is revered as a state hero, and his feast day is celebrated with special Masses and processions.

“I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ.” — Saint Damien of Molokai