Arrival of Father Damien at Kalawao - from a painting by Herb Kane
By 1865, leprosy had spread rapidly in Hawai'i and it was decided to separate the lepers from the rest of society. In 1866 a leper colony was established at Kalawao, on the Kalaupapa peninsula, Moloka'i, Hawai'i. This remote outcrop of land is surrounded by rough seas and 2,000 foot high cliffs. At first, only occasionally did priests and officials visit. Chaos ruled the leper colony as there was no leader and not much in the way of law and order.
On May 10th 1873, Father Damien De Veuster (a Belgian Catholic priest) stepped ashore for the first time at Kalawao. He volunteered for this duty for a short period of time, but stayed a lifetime. His arrival brought order and a new spiritual awakening for the lepers at the colony. He selflessly cared for the sick and dying, but eventually succumbed to leprosy himself and died on April 15th 1889. Leprosy is now called Hansen's disease and curable since the mid-1940's. Only a few souls with Hansen's disease are left at Kalaupapa to-day. Because of his good works, Father Damien is currently being considered for sainthood by the Vatican."
ENVELOPE: White. Size 6.5" x 3.5"
(165mm x 92mm).
CACHET: Black and White picture of a young
Father Damien (from an original photo).
CACHET TEXT: "FATHER DAMIEN OF HAWAI'I
(circling his portrait). 125TH ANNIVERSARY (bottom of portrait). On May
10th 1873, Father Damien De Veuster stepped ashore for the first time at
Kalawao on the Kalaupapa peninsula, Moloka'i, Hawai'i. His arrival brought
order and a new spiritual awakening for the lepers at the colony (first
established in 1866). He selflessly cared for the sick and dying, but eventually
succumbed to leprosy himself and died April 15th 1889. Because of his good
works, Father Damien is currently being considered for sainthood by the
Vatican."
STAMP: 32c Madonna & Child by Sano Di Pietro
stamp (Scott # 3177)
CANCELLATION: Circular date stamp cancel "KALAUPAPA
HI 96742 - MAY 10 1998." with 4 killer bars at right.
CACHET MAKER: Enelani.
NUMBER MADE: 100.
ITEM # 98MAY10
PRICE: $4.50
NOTE: The Postcard is Sold Out.
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