: Our Lady of Salambáo is in the center, flanked by St. Paschal to her right and St. Clare to her left.
Saint Clare St.
Clare of Assisi is the oldest saint declared patroness of Catanghalan (the town's former name), her image was first enshrined in the chapel built by missionaries of the
Order of Friars Minor in the town. St. Clare was a 13th-century Italian nun, who founded the
Poor Clares according to the rules and teachings of her contemporary, St.
Francis of Assisi. St. Clare became the patroness of good weather because her Spanish name,
Clara, also referred to clearer skies after a storm. This formed the basis for the Filipino custom of offering chicken eggs to St. Clare to ensure good weather, as the
Spanish word for
egg white or albumen,
clara, is also a pun on her name. Devotees participating in the rites would sometimes hold eggs as they swayed to the fandango. The introduction of St. Clare by Spanish Franciscans as a replacement for pre-colonial Tagalog gods, especially the deity of conception Diyan Masalanta, transformed the old,
animist Kasilonawan dancing ritual into the offering of the fandango to the saint to prevent or cure sterility in women. Eventually, St. Clare evolved into the patroness of individuals seeking a mate and to have children, particularly daughters.
Santa Clarang Pinong-pino • "
Santa Clarang pinong-pino /
Ako po ay bigyán mo /
Ng asawang labíntatló / ''Sa gastos 'di magreklamo!''" • ("Saint Clare, most refined / Unto me bestow / Spouses, thirteen in all / For the expense, I shan't complain!") • A variation: "
Santa Clarang pinong-pino /
Ang pangakò ko ay ganitó /
Pagdatíng ko sa Obando /
Sasayáw ako ng pandanggo." • ("Saint Clare, most refined / My promise is like so / When I arrive at Obando / I shall dance the
fandango.")
Saint Paschal During the 18th century, the Franciscan missionaries built the town church and introduced the veneration of St.
Paschal Baylón. His surname,
Baylón, was taken to mean "one who likes dancing", ultimately derived from the Spanish
bailar ("to dance"). Like St. Clare, the saint also became a patron invoked for fertility, wealth, and abundance. An anecdote tells of how a childless couple from the neighboring town of
Hagonoy met a youth selling crabs. The young man told the couple to visit Obando and participate in the rites to ameliorate their condition. Upon entering Obando Church, the couple was amazed by the sight of St. Paschal's image, for its face looked exactly like the young crab vendor. This is the origin of St. Paschal's patronage of childless couples who wish to have children, particularly sons.
Our Lady of Salambáo On 19 June 1763,
Our Lady of Salambáo (formal title: "Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception of Salambáo") was the last saint whose
cultus was introduced to Obando. Legend tells of three fishermen named Juan, Julián, and Diego de la Cruz, who caught the Virgin Mary's image in their
salambáw, a fishing net supported with bamboo crosspieces and mounted on a raft. They were fishing at a place known as Hulingduong, Binwangan (now part of
Malabon), and when they decided to bring the image to the neighbouring town of
Navotas, their boat suddenly grew heavy and immobile. When they eventually decided to bring the image to Obando instead, their boat quickly lightened and became easy to row. This was taken a sign that the Virgin wanted to be enshrined in Obando Church. She is venerated there as the local patroness of fishing and good harvests. ==Ban and post-war revival==