Guam Marian Awards
Guam, the former "Islands of Mary," has its heart in Santa Marian Kamalen, patron found in the sea, venerated in the cathedral-basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary. We collect your Marian claims.
History of Marian devotion in Guam
Christianity reached the islands of Guam in the hands of missionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries. The devotion to the Virgin Mary, introduced by the evangelizers, was rooted in the local Christian communities, which found in Mary a maternal figure close to their own culture.
The Marian advocacy in Guam reflects the diversity of missionary traditions: the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Lourdes. The small Catholic communities keep the devotion to Mary alive through the prayer of the Rosary and the celebration of the Marian parties.
Guam Marian Awards
Cathedral - Basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary
The Cathedral-Basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary rises in Hagåtña (Agana), the capital of Guam, and is the seat of the archdiocese of Agaña.
"Our Lady, Cathedral," Basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary, pray for us.
Santa Marian Kamalen
According to the Chamorra tradition, the image of Santa Marian Kamalen would have appeared floating on the sea off the coast of Merizo (Malesso ') towards the end of the 17th century, around 1670-1673.
"Our Lady, Santa Marian Kamalen, pray for us.
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Guam's rich Marian heritage
Guam, the largest island of Micronesia, was baptized by Spanish explorers as "Islands of Mary" in the 16th century, and Marian devotion has been the cornerstone of Chamorra Catholic identity for more than three centuries. The Catholic faith came in 1668 with Father Diego Luis de San Vítores, a Spanish Jesuit missionary who introduced devotion to the Sweet Name of Mary, an advocation that became the headline of the cathedral-basilica of Hagåtña. The story of Santa Marian Kamalen, the patron of Guam, is a testimony to how the Marian faith became inculturated in the Chamorra cosmovence: according to tradition, the image was found floating in the sea by a fisherman, and when they tried to move it to the church, the image miraculously returned to the sea, indicating its desire to stay near the ocean.
The Marian devotion in Guam did not decline even during the Japanese occupation in World War II (1941-1944), when the Chamorros continued to pray the Rosary in secret. After the war, the Catholic faith experienced a great renaissance, and the cathedral-basilica of Mary's Sweet Name was rebuilt. In 1965, Pope Paul VI raised the cathedral to the rank of minor basilica. The feast of Santa Marian Kamalen (8 December) is the most important celebration of the island, with a procession that runs through Hagåtña and in which the image of the Virgin is carried on the streets, followed by thousands of faithful who sing hymns in Chamorro and Spanish. The holiday includes traditional shaman danchos, fairs and the traditional blessing of animals and fishing vessels.
Our Lady of Peace of Umatac
In the coastal town of Umatac, where the explorer Magallanes landed in 1521, is the chapel of the Virgin of Peace (Our Lady of Peace), built in 1690 by the Spanish Jesuits. It is one of Guam's oldest churches and a national historical monument. The image of Our Lady of Peace, a size of polychrome, Filipino baroque style, was brought from Mexico in the 17th century. According to tradition, the Virgin protected the people of Umatac from a devastating typhoon in 1852, when the waters of the sea miraculously stopped before the image. Every 24 January, the community celebrates a ninth and a maritime procession in Umatac Bay, blessing the waters in memory of the arrival of faith on the island.
"Our Lady of Peace of Umatac, pray for us.
Virgen del Carmen de Agat
In the village of Agat, on the west coast of Guam, the parish of the Virgin of Carmen is the center of the spiritual life of the local Chamorra community. The current church was rebuilt after World War II, but devotion to Our Lady of Carmen dates back to the 18th century, when Chamorro fishermen adopted the Virgin of Carmen as their patron. The image of the Virgin of Carmen de Agat is a cedar size donated by Filipino fishermen in 1920. Every July 16, the patron party includes a maritime procession in Agat Bay, where fishermen decorate their boats with flags and flowers and carry the image of the Virgin on a gilded boat, asking for its protection for fishing activities.
"Virgin of the Carmen of Agat, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Rosary of Yona
In the village of Yona, in central-southern Guam, the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary serves the Catholic community of the region. The church was built in 1926 by Spanish missionaries and is a colonial-style building with coral walls and a wooden bell tower. The image of Our Lady of the Rosary, a carving of wood carved in the Philippines, was donated by the Filipino community of Guam in 1950. The parish of Yona is known for its traditional "Ninth of the Virgin of the Rosary" in October, in which the faithful turn to pray the Rosary in the houses of the people, strengthening community ties.
"Our Lady of the Rosary of Yona, pray for us.
Guam is also known for the tradition of the "Procession of the Virgin of Peace" in Umatac, which commemorates the first arrival of Christianity on the island. This procession, which takes place every 24 January, is one of the oldest in the Pacific, with more than three centuries of uninterrupted history. The image of Our Lady of Peace is carried in walks from the chapel to the port, where a blessing of the waters is made in memory of the arrival of Father San Vítores in 1668. The party includes Chamorro dances, ancient Spanish songs and the traditional community "feast" that brings together the entire island.
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