A relic of St. Damien was placed in its permanent home yesterday, in the cathedral where the Sacred Hearts priest was ordained, following a celebration on the lawn of Iolani Palace where at least 1,000 people gathered to honor a man whose lessons of kindness and compassion have crossed religions and oceans.

"His righteousness is an example for us all," Honolulu Diocese Bishop Larry Silva told the crowd gathered under a hot sun at Iolani Palace. "We gather together today to be inspired by the life of St. Damien so that we can all be more dedicated to perpetuating the righteousness of our beloved land."

The celebration at the palace ended a statewide tour by the relic, which was given to Silva following Damien's canonization by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 11. The relic also made stops in three Mainland cities.

From Iolani Palace, the relic — St. Damien's heel bone — was carried in a procession to the church where Damien was ordained in 1864 — the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace on Fort Street Mall. The relic had been carried to the palace from the cathedral earlier in the day, after a Mass attended by more than 450 people.

Hundreds more watched the Mass on video screens outside the cathedral.

"In St. Damien, you gave a light to the people," Silva said, during the Mass.

He added, "We are called all to be saints. We are called all to be holy."

Attendees at the Mass and palace celebration said they were moved by the sight of the reliquary.

Many touched the koa box containing the relic, which was placed in front of the altar during the Mass.

"I'm so happy," said Cora Espiritu of Honolulu after the Mass. "I can't tell you how happy I am."

Dr. Antonio Ramos of Aiea was nearly at a loss for words, too.

"To have a saint in Hawaii, it's beyond what I could say. It's a big blessing," he said.

The Iolani Palace celebration started about 2 p.m., and speakers included lawmakers, Native Hawaiian leaders and clergy from the Catholic Church and other religions. Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick of the Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii got a round of applause when he told the crowd, "St. Damien belongs to all of us."

He added, "He was the voice of righteousness. To his mother church, thank you for sharing."

Abigail Kawananakoa, Queen Kapiolani's great-grandniece, said Damien brought hope to those suffering from a disease that forced families to be separated. "As we embrace this venerable relic ... we shall forever remember the goodness, the charity and the aloha of our blessed St. Damien," she said.

VISITING ROYALTY

After the public celebration, the Damien relic was brought to the throne room at Iolani Palace.

It was then carried to the statue of Queen Liliuokalani outside the state Capitol.

Liliuokalani visited Damien in the Hansen's disease settlement in Kalaupapa, and was instrumental in getting him needed supplies and money to put up new buildings. From the statue, the relic was carried back to the cathedral about 5 p.m. There was then an evening prayer service and a blessing of a Damien shrine.

For Catholics, the celebration with the relic was a chance to honor a spiritual and literal proximity with Damien. Many non-Catholics also came to commemorate the return of a small piece of Damien to the place where he did his life's work and to celebrate a modern-day hero who has inspired people around the world.

The Damien relic is the second to come to the Islands from the Vatican.

In 1995, Damien's right hand was re-interred at Kalaupapa after the Sacred Hearts priest was beatified — the last step before becoming a saint.

Father Damien de Veuster was buried in 1889 at Kalaupapa, where he ministered to Hansen's disease patients for 16 years before dying from the disease at age 49. In 1936, his body was moved to a tomb in Louvain, Belgium, just outside his hometown of Tremelo, at the request of the Belgian government.

In Catholicism, any part of a saint's body is called a first-class relic. (A second-class relic is an item the saint used in life.)

Many who attended the gatherings yesterday said they had been waiting years for Damien's sainthood.

Velma Agustin of Kalihi couldn't find a seat inside the cathedral for the Mass, but said she was happy just to be near the relic.

She said she hoped to take the message of Damien into her own life and do more to help others.

Of Damien's elevation to sainthood, she added, "I always thought it would happen."

Jans and Magda Borms, of Brussels, are visiting the Islands, and made a point to attend the celebration at the palace and the Mass at the cathedral.

They said it was heartwarming to see so much love for the Belgian priest.

"It was fantastic," Jans Borms said. "We didn't want to miss this celebration."