Honolulu, Hawaii

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu is the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the United States. It was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1843, feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Perpetual Adoration.

Better known simply as the Priests of the Sacred Heart, these Belgian missionaries arrived in Hawaii on July 7, 1827. Because the Sacred Heart Fathers have great devotion to Our Lady of Peace, they dedicated the Hawaiian Islands to Our Lady of Peace. The first structure they built, which happened to be the cathedral, was also placed under the patroness of Our Lady of Peace.

The Church celebrates Mary under this title on Jan. 24 in Hawaii and some churches in the United States; elsewhere the memorial will be recognized this week — on July 9, to be exact.

The land on which the cathedral was constructed was given to the Sacred Heart Fathers by King Kamehameha III, ruler of the then-independent Kingdom of Hawaii. The king was also present for the dedication of the cathedral and the laying of its cornerstone.

So it is that Our Lady of Peace Cathedral has the distinction of being the only church in the country to have had a reigning monarch present at a cornerstone ceremony. With that, its history was only beginning.

Father Damien de Veuster, the Sacred Heart priest from Belgium loved for his selfless work with Hawaiian lepers — and now known as Blessed Damien of Molokai — was ordained here. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 1995.

Mother Marianne Cope, a Franciscan sister, also came to see to the spiritual and physical care of the leprosy victims. She left her community’s motherhouse in Syracuse, N.Y., for the long journey.

When Mother Marianne arrived with six other Sisters of St. Francis at the Port of Honolulu, on Nov. 8, 1883, the cathedral, which is four short blocks from the port, was her first stop. In fact, the bells of Our Lady of Peace Cathedral rang out to greet the Franciscan sisters.

Mary’s Mom and Dad

The city of Honolulu is on the island of Oahu, one of seven islands that comprise both this Catholic diocese and the state of Hawaii. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace is the mother church of the diocese, which is home to 66 Catholic parishes and 28 mission churches.

The unique architecture of the cathedral, featuring interior and exterior columns, is a hybrid of missionary and Romanesque styles. Approaching the edifice for Mass, visitors often pause near the gold-painted statue of Our Lady of Peace on the grounds. It dates to the 19th century.

The cathedral boasts the oldest public clock in Hawaii; it was put in place in 1846. In a curious throwback to days gone by, a professional clock winder is retained to wind the ticker once every nine days.

The cathedral interior is beautified by an ornate, vaulted ceiling that is home to a number of large, gold-leaf angels.

The original altar, which houses the present tabernacle, is made of white Italian marble.

Above the original altar is a statue of Our Lady of Peace. She is flanked by her parents, St. Anne to one side and St. Joachim to the other. The sanctuary area also showcases statues of St. Anthony of Padua, Our Lady of Lourdes and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

On three sides of the altar are panels with reliefs. The front panel presents Jesus with the Four Evangelists. One side panel shows St. Peter with the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

On the other side panel is St. Paul, cutting a particularly fitting figure as the Church moves into a special year devoted to him.

Feisty Response

For the last 20 years, the pews have been arranged in antiphonal style. This is similar to what you’d find in traditional monasteries and in the seating arrangements in European cathedrals of the Middle Ages.

A set of Baroque stained-glass windows, made in Germany and dating to the late 1800s, provides evocative prompts to prayer.

Newer stained-glass windows adorn the sacristy area. These show Blessed Damien and Blessed Marianne Cope.

The choir loft runs the length of the church on both sides. It is opened to the public only on Sundays when there is an overflow of Mass attendees. Above the main body of the church and along the choir loft are 36 wooden clerestory statues with gold leafing. Put in place in the 1820s, they celebrate an eclectic mix of saints.

The story behind these statues is that some non-Catholics had criticized the Catholics for praying to “idols” and “worshipping” saints. The bishop responded by ordering the 36 statues for the cathedral.

The cathedral provides quiet respite for those who work in or near downtown Honolulu. They inevitably find that Our Lady of Peace, the cathedral, lives up to its namesake, the greatest and most peaceful of all saints.

Joseph Albino writes from

Syracuse, New York.