st. philomena church

302helenu

our visit to this church was part of our tour of Kalaupapa. We came on Makani Kai Air Charters, and met our guide Harold at the airport. Harold took us around the island in an old school bus. We learned a lot of the history, especially about Father Damien and Mother Marianne. It was a wonderful day, despite the drizzle of light rain. It was peaceful, and beautiful. I look forward too o returning for another visit. The churches on the tour are all beautiful, in their own way...simple and serene.

LaChatNoir

Built by Father Damien this church has recently been restored by the National Parks Service. It was one of the stops included on the Damien Tours route during our visit to Kalaupapa. The church is simple in its construction and decoration, but its setting — adjacent to a cemetery and nearby mass unmarked grave — is quite arresting. There was a friendly cat to greet us there, too.

Alohachuck2014

Well kept and interesting history. The cat is not to be missed. (You'll understand when you get there).

chizukom

Our tour didn't go inside the church. But Father Damien's grave is right outside of it. It overlooks the ocean and is surrounded by lush green. It's so serene and beautiful.

fgrayson

St. Philomena Church was beautiful. The history of the church was so interesting. The views from the area are breathtaking. The memorial for Father Damien is beside the church. Don't miss the resident cat :)

kjchj

what a pretty church; posters and some information inside, along with our tour guide's talk, helped us to appreciate this area

798BarbaraL

The church and grave yard are set near the ocean with the spectacular cliffs in the distance. Father Damien's grave is located beside this beautiful church. The pews are the original from Father Damien's time and the restoration on the building is well done. The holes in the floor were Father Damien's idea for the convenience of his lepers. Well worth a visit.

amitgandhi81

Well worth the time !! The place is nice and bustling with lot of kids around as there runs a school there. Inside is as peacfull as it can get . It was very interesting to read stories about St Philomena and even better was the visit to the chamber below the church (although the walls have been brandished by unruly Hooligans)

chillywillypenquin

You need to join a guided tour while visiting Kalaupapa and St. Philomena's Church is one place not to be missed as this is one of the original churches that Father Damien (Belgian Priest who volunteered to help the patients for over 16 yrs. of his life and ended up with the disease) helped to build. The original "spit holes" for the very ill patients are still intact in the church that Father Damien built. Outside the church graveyard, it is a quite sight where Father Damien's monument is located and his right hand is buried, The view of Kalawao (original place where patient's were left ) is nice from St. Philomena's Church. Lots of memories and it is a solemn place just to learn and understand how challenging it was to find a means of survival while stricken with ill symptoms with no means of cure or getting well. Many children were separated from their families finding a new home as well as dealing with their illness was a major problem they all faced.

drmikenyc

This is one of 2 historically profound churches on the Kalaupapa Peninsula, home to Father Damien's leper colony (where 9 residents still voluntarily reside as of July 2013). This is the church of Father Damien himself, and inside one sees tributes to him as well as the labor of his unending devotion to making a better (more humane and spiritual) life for those condemned to live their lives out on this isolated peninsula under the tall sea cliffs of Moloka'i. If you're visiting the Peninsula you'll surely see this as one of the most famous and historically important sites. (See the movie 'Molokai' if you haven't and you'll get a sense of how moving the story is, and how profound and sacred a spot this is.)The only way to see this is by invitation or by reserving through Father Damien Tours. It's a sacred, protected spot (the whole Peninsula), so rich in both beauty and sadness across time.

keelx2

This 19th century church was surprisingly well-kept and had a quiet beauty all it's own. It is set in a large, green lawn across from the bay. I felt like it would be a good place to worship.

Niram

I was coming back from a plumeria farm where I learned to make leis so I stopped at the church and said a prayer and placed a lei on the Father Damien statue. It made me cry to think of what he gave up and what he did for the residents of Kaulapapa. He was a wonderful man.Oh, the church is beautiful too.

Quasimodo47

His original church on beautiful site. It was windy and cooler than other side of peninsula in Feb. A relic of him(now a canonized saint) is in cemetery next to church. Amazingly, the cemetery on lower level of grounds lost most of it markers during a tsunami-probably the alaska/aleutin islands one. Guide said some medical condition made the patients have to spitup often, so Fr Damien had some holes in floor, where some plant frond funneled it off floor to ground below during church services..This church overlooks sea where new patients were basically exiled off boat offshore. Across road is ruins of original Bishop Home; which was childrens residence. And to think that until Fr Damien arrived in 1860s, for about 7 years it was lawless and every person fended for himself at that locale.

Majickl27

If my local church had a view like this one, you bet I would be there more often than I am. The view alone, at least for me, was enough to make me think that the Big Man left His heart in Molokai.

Opcal

Beautiful experience. Beautiful trip across time. Please read my review of the mule ride to learn more about how this experience is a "bucket list" trip!