The Journey to reunite Father Alexis Bachelot, known as the Apostle of Hawaii, back to the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu.
The Island of Pohnpei, Micronesia
Based on my research and the synthesis of 19th-century mission records with 20th-century German Capuchin history, I have developed a multi-stage theory regarding the location of Father Alexis Bachelot’s remains. This theory explains why the 1977 expedition to Na Islet failed and points to a specific “X” in Kolonia.
Stage 1: The Original Interment (1837–c. 1904)
Father Bachelot was buried on Na Islet on December 13, 1837. Father Maigret’s journals describe a wooden coffin and a 16-foot tall wooden cross marking the grave.
The Problem: Na is a low-lying coral islet. Over the next 70 years, Pohnpei was struck by several massive typhoons. My research indicates that by the turn of the century, the sea was encroaching on the burial site, and the original wooden markers had long since vanished.
Stage 2: The Capuchin “Silent Translation” (c. 1904–1910)
When the German Capuchins took over the Pohnpei mission (1899–1914), they were meticulous about historical preservation. My hypothesis is that Monsignor Placidus Fleischmann ordered the exhumation of Bachelot to prevent the “Apostle of the Sea” from being washed away.
The “Zinc Box” Theory: Mission chronicles like Die katholischen Missionen (1923) suggest that when remains were moved in that era, they were placed in a zinc-lined ossuary box. This was standard for the “translation” of high-ranking clergy to ensure long-term preservation in tropical soil.
The Destination: Rather than leaving him on a remote islet, the Capuchins would have moved him to the center of their religious authority: the Catholic Mission Headquarters in Kolonia.
Stage 3: The Kolonia “Hotspots”
My research targets three specific locations in Kolonia where the remains were likely re-interred:
The German Bell Tower Base: This is the most probable location. It is a consecrated, permanent structure that survived the world wars. Placing the first Prefect Apostolic at the foot of the mission’s most prominent landmark follows established ecclesiastical tradition.
The Old Catholic Cemetery (Northern Quadrant): If not under the tower, the remains would have been placed in the “honorific” section of the colonial-era cemetery. My thoughts are that the zinc box would be buried deeper than standard graves to protect it from the frequent flooding of the area.
The Original Mission Foundation: Beneath the site where the first permanent stone church stood.
Why the 1977 Expedition Failed (The “Cenotaph” Effect)
The 1977 Jesuit team, led by Fathers Yim and Matheis, operated on the assumption that Bachelot was still on Na. They found ten bodies, but forensic analysis by Dr. Michael Pietrusewsky proved they were all of Pohnpean/Polynesian ancestry.
The Conclusion: The 1977 team found a cenotaph—an empty grave site. The “Pietrusewsky Gap” exists because the European remains (Bachelot) had already been moved to the mainland decades earlier by the Capuchins.
Summary of the Theory
Bachelot is not lost to the sea; he is hidden in plain sight within the historical mission district of Kolonia. By using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to search for the specific metallic signature of a zinc box, we can correct the “Pietrusewsky Gap” and finally resolve the 189-year-old mystery.
Chapel of Fr. Bachelot on Na, Pohnpei
The Final Voyage (1837)
The Second Exile: After an aborted attempt to return to Honolulu on the Clementine in 1837, Father Bachelot and Father Louis Maigret were once again forced into exile by the Hawaiian government.
The Purchase of the Honolulu: Bachelot purchased a small, 60-ton vessel named the Honolulu (later renamed the Notre Dame de Paix) to seek out new mission fields in the South Pacific.
Declining Health: Broken by years of continuous persecution, harsh imprisonments, and sea travel, Father Bachelot fell gravely ill shortly after the ship departed port. He suffered from a severe, debilitating fever that grew progressively worse as the vessel sailed westward toward Micronesia.
Death at Sea: On December 5, 1837, while the ship was navigating the open ocean near the Caroline Islands, Father Bachelot passed away at sea at the age of 41.
The Burial on Na Islet
Seeking Land: Father Maigret, now left alone with the crew, refused to cast Bachelot’s body into the ocean. He kept the remains on deck and steered the vessel toward Pohnpei (then known as Ascension Island) to find a proper landing site.
Arrival at Na: On December 13, 1837, the ship anchored off Na Islet, a small, isolated coral islet located on the outer eastern reef of Pohnpei.
The Interment: Father Maigret and the crew carried the body ashore. In accordance with Catholic rites, Bachelot was buried in a traditional wooden coffin dug deep into the coral sand, safely away from the immediate tide line.
The Grave Markers: To mark the final resting place of the “Apostle of the Sea,” Father Maigret erected a prominent 16-foot-tall wooden cross directly over the grave mound, which served as a landmark visible to passing ships on the outer reef.
Connection to My Current Theory
This primary burial on Na Islet is the foundation from which all subsequent historical mysteries grew. While Father Maigret left him securely buried under that 16-foot cross, it was the vulnerability of this low-lying coral islet to typhoons and coastal erosion that later prompted the German Capuchins to execute the “Silent Translation” to the mainland of Kolonia—explaining why the 1977 Jesuit expedition found only an empty cenotaph on Na.
The Journey to reunite Father Alexis Bachelot, known as the Apostle of Hawaii, back to the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu.
The Island of Pohnpei, Micronesia
Based on my research and the synthesis of 19th-century mission records with 20th-century German Capuchin history, I have developed a multi-stage theory regarding the location…
