Bishop Larry Silva of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawai'i is heading to Rome Tuesday as a special visitor to a papal consistory where the date of Father Damien's elevation to sainthood is expected to be announced.

Damien de Veuster was the priest who served the patients of Kalaupapa on Moloka'i until he contracted Hansen's disease, then called leprosy, and died in 1889. Beatified in 1995, he is expected to be canonized in October.

The Rev. Alfred Bell, postulator for the canonization cause of Damien and a member of his Sacred Hearts order, invited Silva.

The decision is expected at the gathering at 11 a.m. Feb. 21 — 11 p.m. Feb. 20 in Hawai'i. After the consistory, the congregation will be told the date, said the Rev. Chris Keahi, superior for the Sacred Hearts order here.

Keahi also said others are expected to be canonized at the same time. Two possibilities:

• Blessed Bernardo Tolomei (1272-1348), the Italian founder of the Olivetan Benedictine Congregation;

• Blessed Nuno de Santa Maria Alvares Pereira (1360-41), a Portuguese professed layman of the Order of Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.