Santa Remedios was brought to the Island of Tinian by family who once lived on there in the early Part of 1879. Senor Johnson and his wife, Senora Ana, was known to have apparently come from Spain, settled in Tinian, and made a living from exporting pork and beef to Guam and Saipan. The couple traveled to Saipan to recruit some helpers for their business; four were hired from Tanapag, (back then known as Talabwog). These four workers were: Carmen Neiso, Genoeba Neitiimod, Rosalia Olupumar and Antonio Kelele. Carmen and Antonio were taught by Dona Ana how to read and write for the business purposes; Rosalia and Genobeba were housekeepers.
One day, Senor Johnson decided to travel to Saipan for some business with some of his workers. The day’s weather was not fit for traveling; however, Senor Johnson insisted that their big and finest canoe was fast enough to get reach Saipan shores before the expected typhoon reaches the island. Half-way across the journey, heavy rains began to fall; the earth grew dark, and the waves were wildly hostile. The Captain tried to maneuver their vessel to avoid destruction of the beautiful canoe known to the Refalawash as “Seiar”, but the fierced waves were so strong that the carrier broke apart and the people on-board were said to have drowned. Upon hearing the news that her husband had died, Senora Ana longed to return home to Spain. The Senora gave most of her belongings to the people of Tinian including Nuestra Senora Remedios (Our Lady of Remedy). She asked her four helpers (Carmen, Genobeba, Rosalia, and Antonio) to pray the Rosary on Saturdays and Sundays. The four natives of Talabwog remained in Tinian for a while after their Senora had left, but traveled to Saipan not long thereafter. While on the island, they saw abundance of good nature and decided it would be wise to settle in Saipan. They returned to Tinian and moved their families to Saipan, and eventually settled in Tanapag.
Nuestra Senora de los Remedios was also brought from Tinian where she was placed in a small hut-like Chapel which was built on her honor. The Bithen de los Remedios was said to have come from Mexico. She has protected the people of Tanapag through four nations passed: Spanish period, German period, Japanese period and American; and remains with the people for over one hundred years since 1879.
The war was very brutal to the churches on Saipan. The Tanapag Church was closed when the Japanese invaded the area to store their ammunitions and food supplies. The Church is completely destroyed during the war. In 1944, a small wooden Church was built to house Nuestra Senora Bithen de los Remedios. The Church was completed and dedicated on the Feast Day of Santa Remedios on October 1949.
Several years past before plans to build a concrete Church was initiated. The people of Tanapag were very poor and were not sure how the community can afford such a plan. Jose Rebuenog Lifoifoi took on the full responsibility and led the way for the people; no matter what was going to take, he was determined with his mind and heart that a new permanent Church will be built for the people of Bithen de los Remedios. The military were glad to be of some assistance even with small things such as rope and bucket. Some donations from the parishioners were also collected which helped with the purchased of some materials. The entire building structure were manually constructed. Many well-known fathers of today worked hard to build the Santa Remedios Church. Some of them include Pedro Camacho Lifoifoi, Jose Santos, Francisco Baza, Frank Q. Aguon, Jose Magofna, Felipe Ruak, Jesus Quitugua and so many others.
Tanapag’s permanent Church in honor of Nuestra Senora Bithen de los Remedios was completed and dedicated on Wednesday, May 21, 1958 at 1:00 a.m.. The same Church was renovated thirty-six years later in 1995. It was re-dedicated, again on the Feast of Santa Remedios in October, 1995.
