About Our Lady of Peace · Honolulu, Hawaii
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (Hawaiian: Malia o ka Malu Hale Pule Nui) is the mother church and cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, located in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. Originally dedicated on August 15, 1843, it is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States and the oldest existing building in downtown Honolulu. Pope Francis elevated the cathedral to the status of Minor Basilica on May 10, 2014 (the liturgical memorial of St. Damien de Veuster), with the inaugural Mass celebrated on October 11, 2014. The cathedral houses the mortal remains of St. Marianne Cope and a relic of St. Damien de Veuster, the two patron saints of Hawaii. It is built of coral blocks harvested from the shores of Kakaʻako, Ala Moana, and Waikīkī, and is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Hawaii Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1828
- Patron
- Our Lady of Peace (Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Peace — patroness of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Pascual G. Abaya IV (Rector)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Honolulu (Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu)
Why belong here
Worshipping at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace means praying at the mother church of all Hawaiian Catholics — the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States, an historic coral-block landmark in downtown Honolulu, and the home of the enshrined remains of St. Marianne Cope and the relic of St. Damien de Veuster, Hawaii's two patron saints. The parish runs an active ministry program (Music Ministry, Young Adults with weekly Alpha, Acolytes, Eucharistic Ministers, Hospitality Ministers, Lectors, Sacristans, and Religious Education under Director Michael Bauer), offers daily Mass in English plus a robust sacramental life (Reconciliation Wednesday and Saturday at 1159 Fort Street Mall, weddings, RCIA), and anchors the diocesan liturgical and catechetical life of the islands.
Mass times at Our Lady of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 10:00–11:00 a.m. (at the Kamiano Center, 1159 Fort Street Mall)
- Saturday 10:00–11:00 a.m. (at the Kamiano Center, 1159 Fort Street Mall)
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 p.m. (per diocesan schedule — by appointment per diocese listing)
Adoration times
- First Friday: Adoration and Benediction at 10:00 a.m. (resumes October 2025)
- First Saturday: Adoration after the 7:00 a.m. Mass
- Saturday Adoration/Benediction following the 7:00 a.m. Mass (resumes October 2025)
Heritage and History of the Cathedral Basilica
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace was founded by the first Catholic missionaries to Hawaii — Fathers Alexis Bachelot and companions of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary — who arrived July 7, 1827 and built Hawaii's first Catholic church in January 1828 on land granted by King Kamehameha III. After the 'dark decade' of anti-Catholic persecution (1829–1839) and the Edict of Toleration, Bishop Étienne Rouchouze broke ground on the present coral-block cathedral on July 9, 1840 (the Feast of Our Lady of Peace), laid the cornerstone August 6, 1840, and dedicated it on August 15, 1843. The building has been continuously in Catholic use ever since — making it the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States and the oldest building in downtown Honolulu.
- 1827 — First Catholic missionaries arrive in Honolulu (July 7)
- 1828 — First Catholic church built on the site (January)
- 1829–1839 — 'Dark decade' of anti-Catholic persecution; priests expelled
- 1839 — Edict of Toleration; missionaries return
- 1840 — Groundbreaking July 9; cornerstone laid August 6
- 1843 — Solemn dedication on August 15 (Feast of the Assumption)
- c.1847 — First pipe organ in Hawaii installed
- c.1852 — Tower clock installed (oldest in Hawaii)
- 1864 — Fr. Damien de Veuster ordained priest here (May 21)
- 1883 — Mother Marianne Cope welcomed at the cathedral (Nov. 8)
- 1972 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2014 — Elevated to Minor Basilica by Pope Francis (May 10)
Architecture and Building
The cathedral's architecture reflects nearly two centuries of evolution. The original 1840–1843 coral-block structure was modeled on the nearby Kawaiahaʻo Church; coral was harvested from the shores of Ala Moana, Kakaʻako, and Waikīkī by native Hawaiian volunteers. Bishop Maigret's 1870s–1880s renovation transformed it into a European-style cathedral with a raised roof, vaulted redwood ceiling, gold-leaf panels, stained-glass windows, side galleries, choir loft, marble altar, and stuccoed exterior with pilasters. Later bishops added the German stained glass, the Italian Carrara marble altar (1926), the Doric-column Tuscan portico (1929, replacing Boeynaems's 1910 Gothic porch), and reinforced concrete buttresses (1940). The 2010s Cathedral Renewal Campaign by EverGreene Architectural Arts restored the 19th-century decorative program and added new paintings of Saints Damien and Marianne on the sanctuary wall.
- Style: Romanesque Revival with Gothic Revival elements
- Dimensions: 155.4 ft long × 51.3 ft wide
- Capacity: 600 seats
- Materials: coral, marble, plaster, terra cotta, Acacia koa
- Architect (1940 reinforcement): Josef Van Oort
- Decorative renewal: EverGreene Architectural Arts (2010s–2020s)
Saints Damien de Veuster and Marianne Cope
The cathedral is the spiritual home of Hawaii's two canonized saints. Father Damien de Veuster — the 'Martyr of Molokai,' a Belgian Picpus Father — was ordained a priest at the cathedral on May 21, 1864 before going on to serve the Hansen's disease patients at Kalaupapa, Molokai, where he died in 1889. Mother Marianne Cope, an Italian-born Franciscan Sister of St. Francis from Syracuse, NY, arrived at the cathedral on November 8, 1883 with six sisters and went on to lead the Catholic mission to leprosy patients in the Hawaiian Islands. Both were canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012. Their mortal remains (St. Marianne) and a relic (St. Damien) are enshrined in reliquaries near the sanctuary — St. Marianne's on July 31, 2014 — and their portraits by EverGreene grace the sanctuary altar wall.
- St. Damien de Veuster SS.CC. — ordained here May 21, 1864
- St. Marianne Cope OSF — welcomed here Nov. 8, 1883
- Both canonized October 21, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI
- St. Marianne's relics enshrined in the cathedral July 31, 2014
- Relics and relic housed in reliquaries near the sanctuary
Liturgical Ministries
The cathedral runs an extensive lay ministry program that supports its daily and Sunday liturgies. The Music Ministry, led by Director Calvin Liu (808-585-3325), provides music for Sunday Masses, weddings, funerals, and holy days. Lay liturgical roles include Acolyte Ministry (servers), Eucharistic Ministers (extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion), Hospitality Ministers (greeters and ushers), Ministers of the Word / Lectors, Sacristans, and a News and Media team that supports broadcasts and bulletins. The Young Adults ministry (ages 18 to mid-30s) hosts weekly Alpha on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and is led by Ryan Fielding.
- Music Ministry — Calvin Liu, Music Director
- Acolyte Ministry
- Eucharistic Minister Ministry
- Hospitality Minister Ministry
- Minister of the Word / Lectors
- Sacristan Ministry
- News and Media Ministry
- Young Adults (Alpha, Wednesdays 6:30 p.m.)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious Education at the cathedral is directed by Michael Bauer. The parish supports preparation for the sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, First Eucharist) and the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) for those discerning entry or full communion with the Catholic Church. The Young Adults ministry complements adult formation with weekly Alpha gatherings and ongoing faith formation for those in their late teens, twenties, and early thirties.
- Director of Religious Education: Michael Bauer
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation
- Young Adults faith formation and community
Sacramental Preparation — Weddings and Funerals
Weddings at the cathedral are coordinated through the parish office and the Music Ministry (a dedicated 'Music for your Wedding' page guides couples through hymn selection and musician arrangements). The Diocese of Honolulu requires engaged couples to attend a Hawaii Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend retreat (hawaii.engagedencounter.com) as part of marriage preparation; Fr. Pascual Abaya, rector, works directly with couples in this process. Funeral liturgies and anointing of the sick are available through the parish office, and Worldwide Marriage Encounter is recommended for married couples more than a year out.
- Wedding Music Ministry (cathedral-based)
- Hawaii Catholic Engaged Encounter (required)
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter for married couples
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Liturgies
Cathedral Renewal Campaign
In 2010 Bishop Clarence Silva launched the Cathedral Renewal Campaign, a comprehensive project to restore the cathedral in a 19th-century decorative style reminiscent of the Damien era. With a $15 million scope, the work has proceeded in phases: Phase one (begun September 2015) addressed termite-damaged upper galleries; Phase two (begun January 2018) included stained-glass repair, sanctuary retiling, new Stations of the Cross and decorative painting by EverGreene Architectural Arts, including the new sanctuary portraits of Saints Damien and Marianne. Future plans include an exterior reliquary chapel on the mauka side of the cathedral to house the relics of Saints Damien and Marianne.
- Campaign launched 2010 by Bishop Clarence Silva
- $15 million scope
- Phase 1: gallery/balcony termite repair (2015)
- Phase 2: stained glass, sanctuary, retiling (2018)
- EverGreene-painted saint portraits in sanctuary
- Planned exterior reliquary chapel for the saints' relics
Clergy, Staff, and Leadership
The cathedral is led by Rector Rev. Pascual G. Abaya IV ([email protected], 808-585-3323), with Parochial Vicar Rev. Lazarus Anondee ([email protected], 808-585-3322). Priests in residence include Rev. Alfred Guerrero, Rev. Royd Mweemba, Rev. Gregorio Honorio, and Rev. Octavius Moo. Deacon Jose (Joseph) Almuena Jr. serves in active ministry. Staff includes Joseph Ramos (Business Coordinator, 808-585-3313), Calvin Liu (Music Director, 808-585-3325), and Michael Bauer (Director of Religious Education). The Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Honolulu — currently Bishop Clarence Richard Silva (fifth bishop; 2005–2026), with Bishop-elect Michael Thomas Tupou Castori, S.J. named sixth bishop on May 6, 2026 by Pope Leo XIV.
- Rector: Rev. Pascual G. Abaya IV
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Lazarus Anondee
- In Residence: Rev. Alfred Guerrero; Rev. Royd Mweemba; Rev. Gregorio Honorio; Rev. Octavius Moo
- Deacon: Jose (Joseph) Almuena Jr.
- Business Coordinator: Joseph Ramos
- Music Director: Calvin Liu
- Director of Religious Education: Michael Bauer
- Diocesan Bishop: Clarence Richard Silva (2005–2026)
- Bishop-elect: Michael T. Castori, S.J. (2026–)
Diocese of Honolulu
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace is the mother church and cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, which covers the entire state of Hawaii and is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Francisco. The diocese traces its history to the Prefecture Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands (1825), the Vicariate Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands (1847), the Vicariate Apostolic of the Hawaiian Islands (1848), and was elevated to the Diocese of Honolulu in 1941 under Pope Pius XII. The current bishop is the fifth, Clarence Richard Silva (2005–2026); Bishop-elect Michael T. Castori, S.J. was named sixth bishop on May 6, 2026 by Pope Leo XIV.
- Diocese of Honolulu
- Ecclesiastical Province: Archdiocese of San Francisco (Region XIII)
- Mother church: Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
- Diocesan website: catholichawaii.org
- Bishop: Clarence Richard Silva (2005–2026)
- Bishop-elect: Michael T. Castori, S.J. (2026–)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alexis Bachelot, SS.CC.1825–1837
Prefect Apostolic of the Sandwich Islands; leader of the first Catholic missionaries to Hawaii (arrived 1827). Expelled with other priests during the 'dark decade' of anti-Catholic persecution.
- Bishop Étienne Jérôme Rouchouze, SS.CC.1833–1843
First Vicar Apostolic of the eastern Pacific; signed the 1840 contract with F.J. Greenway and laid the cornerstone August 6, 1840. Presumed planner of the cathedral.
- Bishop Louis Désiré Maigret, SS.CC.1847–1882
Vicar Apostolic; oversaw the great 1870s–1880s European-style renovation that raised the walls and tower, added vaulted ceiling, stained glass, galleries, and marble altar. Died June 11, 1882.
- Bishop Herman (Bernard Hermann) Koeckemann, SS.CC.1882–1892
Vicar Apostolic; welcomed Mother Marianne Cope and the Sisters of St. Francis on Nov. 8, 1883.
- Bishop Gulstan (Francis) Ropert, SS.CC.1892–1903
Vicar Apostolic; oversaw replacement of octagonal steeple with concrete tower (1892–1903).
- Bishop Libert Hubert Boeynaems, SS.CC.1903–1926
Vicar Apostolic; commissioned the 1910 Gothic porch (later removed) and replaced termite-damaged wooden floors with cement.
- Bishop Stephen Peter Alencastre, SS.CC.1926–1940
Vicar Apostolic; established the present Romanesque Revival style — replaced Gothic porch with the current Doric portico (1929), installed German stained glass, received the Italian Carrara marble altar.
- Bishop James Joseph Sweeney1941–1968
First Bishop of Honolulu when the Vicariate Apostolic was elevated to a diocese in 1941; renovated the cathedral.
- Bishop John Joseph Scanlan1968–1981
Second Bishop of Honolulu (previously Auxiliary Bishop).
- Bishop Joseph Anthony Ferrario1982–1993
Third Bishop of Honolulu (previously Auxiliary Bishop).
- Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo1994–2004
Fourth Bishop of Honolulu; later appointed Bishop of Richmond.
- Bishop Clarence Richard Silva2005–2026
Fifth Bishop of Honolulu; launched the 2010 $15M Cathedral Renewal Campaign and oversaw elevation to Minor Basilica in 2014.
- Bishop-elect Michael Thomas Tupou Castori, S.J.2026–present
Sixth Bishop of Honolulu, named May 6, 2026 by Pope Leo XIV.
