Our Lady of Salambao


Our Lady of Salambáo is a Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in Obando, Bulacan, Philippines. The Virgin Mary under this title is venerated as the local patroness of fishing, owing to the image's discovery in a Salambáw a type of big fishing net supported by a Bamboo Crosspieces mounted on a Bamboo Raft:
The image is enshrined with Saint Clare of Assisi and Saint Paschal Baylon inside Obando Church. The three saints form a triad that is the focus of the annual Obando Fertility Rites held from 17th to 19th of May

Legend

The date of the image's finding is traditionally held to be 19 June 1763. Three fishermen, named Juan, Julián, and Diego dela Cruz, were fishing at a place known as Hulingduong in the then town of Tambobong. There, they caught the statue with their Salambáw, which is a type of Big fishing lift net made from bamboo crosspieces and mounted on a raft. When the fishermen intended to bring the Virgin's image to neighbouring Navotas, their salambaw suddenly grew heavy and immobile. They decided to head for Obando, and their raft suddenly lightened and became easy to paddle. This they took to be a sign that the Virgin wanted to be enshrined in Obando.
The image—complete with a replica salambáw—is now housed in a wooden retablo above the high altar of San Pascual Baylon Parish, together with statues of Saint Clare and Saint Paschal. A replica of the statue, in its own salambáw, is used for the annual procession on the third day of the Rites.

Feast

The feast of Our Lady of Salambáo is on 19 May, which is the last day of a triduum honouring the triad of saints. Spread across the triduum are the Rites, which constitute Masses and processions where devotees of both sexes joyfully dance the fandango in supplication for a child and of good lively hood and harvest The celebrations are centered on the San Pascual Baylon Parish Church, also known as the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción de Salambáo in Barangay Pag-asa, Obando, Bulacan.

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