Historical Tradition
During the exploration of the 16th century, Spain established a transpacific galleon trade route between the Americas and Asia, which lasted from 1665 to 1815. Since the voyage from Acapulco to the Philippines spanned nearly six thousand and seven hundred miles of ocean, an intermediate port was needed to replenish provisions for the ship and its crew. The Mariana Islands were established by the Spaniards as an intermediate port for the Spanish ships en route to Asia. During this transpacific galleon trade, that lasted nearly two hundred and fifty years, only three shipwrecks were recorded in the Mariana Islands. Of those recorded shipwrecks, in 1695 the Nuestra Senora del Pilar, a Spanish galleon en route to the Philippines, was shipwrecked off the northern tip of Danu’, Malessu’ (Cocos Island, Merizo).
It was the Spanish tradition that, when sailing the high seas, an image of a religious statue became an integral part of the ship and was dedicated as the guardian and protector of the ship and its crew. It is then quite probable that the statue, known to the people of the Marianas as Santa Marian Kamalen, was designated as the protector of the Spanish galleon, Nuestra Senora del Pilar. The tragic event of the shipwreck of this galleon prevented the salvage of most of her contents. However, one principal recovery from this wreckage, as accounted through oral tradition, was the statue of the Virgin Mary by a Chamorro fisherman from Malessu’ (Merizo).
Another plausible theory is that the statue was “brought to Guam in 1668 by Father San Vitores.” This is supported by several references in Father Francisco Garcia’s 1683 History of the Life and Martyrdom of Fr. San Vitores, to the fact that Father San Vitores had a statue of the Blessed Virgin in his possession in Acapulco before the departure of the galleon for Guam, presumably the same statue which he had brought with him from Manila and which had been blessed by the Archbishop. (taken from Guam’s Patroness Santa Marian Kamalen by Marilyn A. Jorgensen)
Oral Tradition
There are two slightly different versions of the oral history of how the statue was discovered. The Malessu’ account relates that shortly after Christianity was established in the Mariana Islands, a fisherman by the name of Babang went fishing off the reef of Malessu’. While fishing he saw an image of the Virgin Mary erect on the ocean floor with two golden crabs (Panglau di Oru), each holding a votive candle, flanking the statue. His attempts to retrieve the statue were futile because the statue seemed to move to avoid being caught. Upon his return to shore and determined to return to the site where the statue was, Babang contemplated his failures. He came to the realization that his view of life was in contradiction to what the Virgin Mary signified and, therefore, he must embrace Christianity before attempting to recover the statue. After changing his ways, he returned to the site, guided and aided by the two lighted votive candles, held by the golden crabs, flanking the statue. When he arrived at the site where he saw the statue, he immediately sighted the Virgin at the bottom of the ocean floor. He dove into the ocean, and this time the statue remained stationary. When he reached the statue, he embraced her and brought the Virgin Mary to the shores of Malessu’.
In 1826, the statue of Santa Marian Kamalen was transferred to Hagåtña, and this explains the existence of the second oral tradition of her recovery from the sea. The alternate account that circulated in Hagåtña relates that Babang sighted the statue floating in the waters of Malessu’. In addition, Babang’s attempts to recover the statue were foiled because he was not properly dressed. His success to recover the statue only came about after he went to shore to put some clothes on, only then was he able to retrieve the statue. The miracle of recovery of the statue, according to both accounts, was made possible by the two lighted candles in the water, which signified the light of faith.
All known accounts agree that the statue was recovered from the sea at or near Malessu’ and was turned over to the parish priest, who surrendered it to the Spanish Governor. As the story goes, the Governor placed the statue in the barracks of the insular guard. Since “camarin” is a Spanish word for a long, narrow, thatched structure or shed used as a soldier’s barracks, the statue came to be known as Nuestra Senora del Camarin, Our Lady of Camarin or, in Chamorro as Santa Marian Kamalen.
Whatever her origin, Santa Marian Kamalen serves as a tangible, steadfast reminder of a people’s resilience and enduring hope in all things possible; through her intercession we are forever strengthened in faith, with the promise, that God will never leave his people and that His love never fails. The statue of Santa Marian Kamalen stands about twenty -eight inches high and weighs about sixty pounds. However, her presence is far from insignificant. It has always been Mary’s role throughout history to lead people to God and Jesus. She calls us to conversion and shows us what it means to be a humble disciple and follower of Jesus.