On the Kona coast of Hawai'i, there is a place called Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, the City of Refuge.

In ancient times, when a Hawaiian broke a kapu, the penalty was death. They could only be forgiven by fleeing to a pu'uhonua and being ritually absolved by a kahuna. Then they could return home and live free from the fear of death.

But the idea for a City of Refuge did not originate with the Hawaiians. It is much more ancient. In fact, it came from the ancient of days. God gave the plan to Moses when he gave him the law during the Exodus.

Moses was to assign six of the Levites' cities to be cities of refuge.

If someone accidentally killed another person, they could flee to the city of refuge. As long as they stayed there, they could live free from the avenger of blood, the one who had the right and the duty to kill them in justice for the life they had taken.

One who had committed murder, killing with malicious intent rather than manslaughter, could not claim sanctuary in the city of refuge.

This narrower use of the city of refuge, only for manslaughter rather than for breaking a kapu, is only the first difference between the pu'uhonua and the Levitical cities of refuge.

While both were towns of the priests, in the Levitical cities of refuge there was no ritual that a priest could perform to free the offender to return to his home, forgiven of his sin. Only through the death of the high priest would he be forgiven and free to return to his home.

We can read about the Levitical cities of refuge in Numbers 35, and we can visit Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, a national historical park, but there is a City of Refuge that is much closer than either. It is found all around us and can be visited with just a word.

Like pu'uhonua, it covers us for all violations of kapu, regardless of how small, and like the Levitical cities of refuge, it only provides us forgiveness through the death of the high priest.

The great and good news is that the high priest has already died. Some 2,000 years ago, he died on that first Good Friday. With his death, all our sins were forgiven, but only if we flee to the city of refuge.

If we try to make it on our own, we are fair game for the avenger of blood.

But the flight is short; we only have to turn to the open arms of the savior and ask him to give us refuge from the penalty of our sins. And the forgiveness is instant, for this city of refuge is already covered by the death of the high priest.

This city of refuge gives us the joy of living in forgiveness, free from the fear of death. But it goes even further, because with the resurrection of our high priest, Jesus Christ, our city of refuge was made a city of eternal life, too.

Cheryl A.F. Okimoto is the creative director of Island Christian Guide. Expressions of Faith is a column that welcomes submissions from pastors, priests, lay workers and other leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8035. Articles submitted to The Advertiser may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.