Santa Marian Kamalen Day
Guam is a U.S. island territory located in the Western Pacific in what is known as Micronesia. It is home to approximately 168,000+ people and covers an area of approximately 212 square miles. In this territory, December 8th is celebrated every year as Santa Marian Kamalen Day.
Guam (Public holiday)This public holiday commemorates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on this date. This holiday is considered one of the more important holidays associated with the Virgin Mary. It is on this day that the Roman Catholic Church believes that Mary was conceived and was subsequently born without original sin.
The History Of Santa Marian Kamalen Day In Guam
Our Lady of Camarin, also known as Santa Marian Kamalen, is the Patroness of the Marianas. She is associated with a 300-year-old statue of the Virgin Mary that is venerated by Roman Catholics living in this territory.
This holiday falls on December 8th, which is the date of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The statue is believed to have arrived on a shipwrecked Spanish galleon in June of 1690 on Cocos Island. There, it was found by a fisherman.
The fisherman belonged to a local militia on the island, and he kept the statue in his barracks. That is why the statue was given the name Kameleon — a name that means “barracks.” This statue is 28 inches tall and is made from ivory and wood. It is now enshrined at Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Guam’s capital city of Hagåtña.
Observing Santa Marian Kamalen Day In Guam
This holiday is observed with religious services and a parade that features the statue of Santa Marian Kamalen being paraded around the streets of Hagåtña. People also use the holiday to spend time with friends and family members, enjoying a holiday feast.
Guam (Public holiday)
