Festivities were ushered in with a liturgy involving all 153 pupils of St Joseph's School in St Patrick's Church on Friday.
Two groups had to be formed when almost 100 people arrived for free historic walks around Arrowtown on Saturday.
The rural village at the time of Mother Mary and the sisters' arrival in 1897 was described by Lakes District Museum director David Clarke and wife Wendy.
The tours took groups past the historic miners' cottages, through Burn Bank house, where Mother Mary first stayed, then on to the old jail, where it was likely the sisters ministered.
They visited the third convent, now a residence on Merioneth St, before arriving in time for the re-enactment of the Victorian school classes taught by the sisterhood, which was held beside the Mary MacKillop Cottage.
Organiser Margaret Hyland dressed in a nun's habit to tell the audience of more than 100 about Mother Mary diverting from her original destination, of Port Chalmers, to foster the education of 25 Arrowtown children and support faith in the isolated and declining community after the gold rush.
To the delight of the crowd, museum education officer Angela Verry, of Arrowtown, dressed as strict "Sr Cecilia".
The sister of not much mercy put 15 costumed pupils from St Joseph's School through the Lord's Prayer, a pop quiz of the story she narrated, handwriting lessons and "physical drill", and was distinctly unimpressed when children gave the wrong arithmetic answers.
A social afternoon outside St Patrick's Cottage was distinguished by nine blue-scarved Sisters of St Joseph, the order St Mary founded.
Several present had attended the canonisation in the Vatican on October 17.
Special guests were former pupils who were taught by the sisters in the early 20th century.
They included Arrowtown identity Jack Reid (92), Kath McAuley (86), of Ranfurly, and Mary Craig (89), Joyce Kerr (80) and Monica Glenn (83), all of Dunedin and all of whom are associates of the St Joseph's sisterhood.
Almost 100 parishioners, guests, descendants, supporters and clergy from Roman Catholic, Anglican and Methodist faiths gathered outside St Patrick's on Sunday at 10.30am.
An associate member of the Sisters of St Joseph, Kevin Burdon, of Lake Hayes Estate, held a textile banner depicting Mother Mary and the sisters being greeted by Fr Keenan.
The tapestry was inscribed with her words of 1887: "Remember we are but travellers here."
Mr Burdon and the Queenstown and Southern Lakes Highland Pipe Band, in honour of St Mary's Scottish heritage, led a procession from St Patrick's to the Arrowtown Athenaeum Hall.
The thanksgiving Mass was attended by more than 200 people.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunedin, the Most Rev Colin Campbell, presided.
