The portrait of Queen Emma has returned to her rightful place, on the walls of the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, where she and her husband, King Kamehameha IV, were canonized as saints.

Given to the church by Paulie Keakealani Lee Jennings, who is the executive director of the Moanalua Gardens Foundation, the portrait is now hung on the walls of a stairwell leading to the bishop's office. It is one of several painted by the late Fredda Burwell Holt, as part of her Ali'i series designed to illustrate a book by John Dominis Holt called "Monarchy in Hawai'i."

"She belongs here," said Jennings. "Our present bishop wanted to make up for past mistakes. The bishop is trying to rejuvenate the culture."

The portrait is of Queen Emma in a blue Victorian gown, holding a small bouquet of white flowers. Since the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew was established in Hawai'i in 1862 by the queen and her husband, King Kamehameha IV, it was fitting for the picture to be transferred with all the pomp and ceremony befitting a queen.

There were the strains from the choir, the St. Andrew's Priory School For Girls band, a procession that included members of the royal societies dressed in their somber black-and-white mu'umu'u, and a blessing by the bishop.

The king and queen had invited the church to establish itself in Hawai'i, unlike other churches in town that were set up by missionary ties, The Right Rev. Robert Fitzpatrick said.

"Queen Emma is a part of the church, she's an icon of one of our saints," Fitzpatrick said.

Yesterday's event was on the annual Feast Day, a day set aside to celebrate the 146th anniversary of the confirmation of King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, who were canonized as saints in the U.S. Episcopal church. Queen Emma also is credited with establishing St. Andrew's Priory School and what is today The Queen's Medical Center.

"People came today to commemorate our connection with Hawaiian history," said Brian Shuckburgh, a church volunteer. "The public will always be allowed to view the portrait."

Jennings said that there are many pictures and photographs of the queen in the historic buildings, but not of that size and type of history of the portrait.

May Holokai, of the Ahahui Ka'ahumanu Royal Society, was among those representing Hawaiian royalty yesterday. She said she was honored to participate at the church, of which she wasn't a member.

"The queen is very important to the Hawaiian people because she provided a place for girls and boys to be educated and set up The Queen's Hospital for medical care. It's full circle."