A statue of Hawai'i's patron Saint Damien, known as a "martyr of charity" was unveiled on the campus of Damien Memorial School in Kapalama. Students stood side by side as the statue was blessed and prayers were recited in honor of the Belgian priest.

The gray marble statue portrays the saint with his wide-brimmed hat and glasses. The seven-foot masterpiece was sculpted in China and donated to the school by Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Perreira of Honolulu. It is the very first statue of the blessed priest on campus and sits next to the small Damien Chapel.

The school picked two students to place lei over the towering sculpture Friday, senior Po'okela Glasco-Kamauoha and sixth-grader Anthony Eleno. Glasco-Kamauoha who is 6 feet 7 inches tall raised, Eleno up with his arms, bringing the 60-pound student to eye level with the patron saint's statue. Eleno adorned the statue's shoulders and hat with maile and orchids.

School President Bernard Ho explained the statue represents symbols of strength and character, virtues the school wants students to carry with them, long after they leave Damien Memorial.

"It optimizes what we stand for. St. Damien has been a legacy for us, dedicating his life (to) serving the needy," Ho said.

St. Damien's canonization in Rome in 2009 brought on a lot of excitement to the school and its students. The event celebrated the life of a man dedicated to serving others honorably.

"A humble, faithful saint that came from Molokai to heal all the people with leprosy, and I love him very much," Eleno said.