In 1842, 20 years before the creation of the first St John's Church in Napier, the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand, Bishop George Selwyn, arrived in the then small township as part of his travels across the land.
With no church to house his Anglican flock, it is believed by many that he used a large rock near the foot of Napier Hill as his pulpit to deliver a service.
It was at that rock on Sunday, at the conclusion of a special choral eucharist to celebrate 150 years of the Waiapu St John Parish, that a new plaque was laid to commemorate the arrival in the region of Bishop Selwyn.
It was unveiled by two young choristers, 11-year-olds Nicky Wright and Sebastian Ayson-McFarlane, and blessed by Bishop David Rice.
It now stands firmly beside "Selwyn's Rock" alongside the original tablet noting his visit, which was laid in 1919.
The unveiling was one of the highlights of the parish's 150th anniversary celebrations which began last Friday evening.
Mayor Barbara Arnott thanked the parish for its service and commitment to the city.
Dean Helen Jacobi in her sermon asked the question: "What will people in 50 years or 150 years say about us?" Her answer was the hope "they will say we are a people who kept the faith and served our God and God's people".
Unfortunately, a parish picnic at Eskdale Park planned for Saturday was postponed because of the foul weather but is planned to be re-staged (weather permitting) on March 11.
On Sunday a large congregation of about 300 gathered for Choral Eucharist with former deans in attendance: Bishop David Coles; Bishop Murray Mills and Rev Noel Hendery. Local parishes of St Augustine's Napier, St Andrew's Westshore, and St Francis, Clive all took part as their parishes had their beginnings with St John's.
On Sunday evening about 100 people gathered for dinner at Ormlie Lodge.
Napier MP Chris Tremain spoke of the place of the Cathedral Parish in the life of the city and its service to Napier.
"I know I won't be an MP for the next 50 years but your church will still be serving the community then," he said.
At the dinner stories which had been collected from senior parishioners were told by younger members of the parish. Leah Thorp recounted the story of her grandparents (Lamberts) who were married in the original St John's Church in the 1870s.
"With these living memories we can feel close to the lives of faith of our ancestors, and are encouraged by their examples," Dean Jacobi said.