HONOLULU -- It was a time of healing for Iolani Palace on Sunday morning, more than a week after Hawaii sovereignty activists briefly took over the palace.

Several royal groups attended a special church service at Kawaiahao Church before assembling at Iolani Palace.

Four royal societies said a prayer and gave an offering for the healing and safekeeping of Iolani Palace.

The procession started at the Likelike Gate next to the state library.

Four royal societies marched in full regalia in a show of support for the palace and its place as an historic Hawaiian treasure.

"It served as the home of our aliis. It served as the government of our aliis. It served for the people of Hawaii," said Edward Akana of Alii Ai Moku.

The societies included the Royal Order of Kamehameha, Kaahumanu Society, Hale o Na Ali'i o Hawaii and Daughters and Sons of Hawaiian Warriors. Some are said to have royal blood. Most of them are average citizens.

The societies marched around the palace before assembling at its front steps. They sang before representatives of the Friends of Iolani Palace and they offered a prayer.

"We want to make everything pono (good). That's the idea of this whole gathering, and that's to re-establish the consecration of the building as a place that is pono for the people of Hawaii," said Chancellor Milton Anderson of the Royal Order of Ka Kalaimoku.

It was not so earlier this month when about two-dozen Hawaiian sovereignty activists stormed and briefly took over the palace. It happened on Statehood Day.

Police and state law enforcement officers arrested 25 people.

The royal societies said they would like to forget all that with the prayer and an offering.

"Let there be peace among all the people of the state of Hawaii and the Hawaiian community," said Jesse Makainai said.

The executive director of Iolani Palace, Kippen Chu said the ceremony demonstrates the kind of respect and protocol Iolani Palace so deserves.