Damien of Molokai
A Belgian priest who gained recognition for his ministry in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi among people suffering from leprosy, who had been confined by government order to a remote island settlement of exile and quarantine.
- 19th century
- Belgium
- Feast day May 10
- 1840 – 1889
- Priest
- Missionary
Saint Damien of Molokai, born Jozef de Veuster in Belgium, was a missionary priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He is globally recognized for his unconditional dedication to the lepers of the Kalaupapa settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, where he lived and worked for 16 years. Arriving in 1873, he ministered to the sick, built churches, chapels, homes, and an orphanage, and organized the community. He contracted leprosy himself in 1884 and continued his work until his death in 1889. His sacrifice and love for the outcasts have made him a symbol of charity and service. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.