There are a lot of tourist spots in Cebu province. Cebu has a lot of historical and significant landmarks that are a must see for every tourist. One of the most visited places is the famous Magellan’s cross.
Visitors from around the world come to see this magnificent cross. They come to learn about the place and know more about the history and the people as well. They take pictures; they pray and put candles around the table where it stands.
It is located at Magallanes st., Cebu city. North of the Magellan’s cross facing it, is the Colegio del Santo Niῆo, south of it is the City Hall, the east and west of it are streets leading to other places.
The Magellan’s cross in my estimation is about 3 meters long for the length of the wood and about 2 meters long for the width of the wood. Beneath the cross is a signage stating:
Magellan’s Cross
This Cross of Tindalo Wood
Encases the Original Cross Planted
By Ferdinand Magellan On This Very Site
April 21, 1521
It is housed and stands inside. The shrine is made of bricks and concrete, have steeled windows and gates. The inside features of the house are a beautiful hexagonal design; its ceiling has a fresco. The fresco portrays the scene of the erection of the cross on the island of Sugbo or now known as Cebu and the baptism of the Cebuanos.
By the entrance of the shrine there is a marker that inscribes:
The Cross of Magellan
From the time immemorial this spot has been set aside to commemorate the erection of a cross in Cebu by the expedition of Magellan. When king Humabon of Cebu and his queen, son and daughters, together with some 800 of their subjects were baptized by father Pedro Valderrama. This hallowed site was improved in 1735 by Reverend Juan Albarran, prior of San Agustin and 1834 by Rt. Rev. Santos Gomez Maranon, bishop of Cebu. The image of the Santo Niῆo founded by the expedition of Legaspi in a house near the present site of the Cathedral of Cebu is venerated by the faithful in the nearby church of San Agustin.
1941.
Magellan’s voyage was to sail around the world to get to the Spice Islands also known as Maluku Islands. He did reach his final destination, only it wasn’t his plan it was his final destination in life. Unfortunately for him, he never got the chance to arrive at the Spice Islands because death greeted him and his crew when they arrived and stepped on the seashore of Mactan where Datu Lapu-Lapu resides.
Before all of these tragic events that had happen, when he first arrived in the Philippines at the island of Homonhon he was welcomed by Rajah Humabon and Hara Amihan. Both were then baptized as Christians and embraced the new religion along with their followers. Magellan then planted a huge cross to symbolize Christianity. That may seem as the main symbol of the cross but it may also symbolize the friendship that Magellan intends to have with the natives in Cebu.
Rajah Humabon along with his ally Datu Zula asked Magellan to assist and help them fight against their enemy Datu Lapu-Lapu from the neighbouring island Mactan. Magellan though hesitated as he also wished to bring Christianity into the lives of Datu Lapu-Lapu and his men. However, Datu Lapu-Lapu had no intentions of befriending the Spaniards and welcome Christianity as well into their lives. With this situation Magellan planned an attack against them. But unfortunately for the Spaniards, Datu Lapu-Lapu had outsmarted them. Even only with their poisoned spears and arrows against the swords and archers of the Spaniards, they fought well and won till the very end. Magellan and his other crew were at a disadvantage going and planning an attack on an unknown land and with water hindering and slowing down their movements they couldn’t do much. This tells me that they have underestimated the natives because of our low civilized lives compared to our ancestors and it also tells us that they haven’t really thought it through very well on their war against Datu Lapu-Lapu.
When the war ended, it ended with a victory for Datu Lapu-Lapu and his men, but a double lose for the Spaniards on the other hand because they lost their captain, they are left with only a few men that can’t sail and operate 3 huge boats and they weren’t successful in conquering and spreading Christianity.
You never realize how important a thing may be until you’ve lost it; as the cliché goes. But I won’t be one of those who wait I’ll take this chance to gratify one of the most important landmarks in the Philippines. The cross main not be that much. But it serves a great purpose and has impact not only for the Cebuanos but also for all the Filipinos. Its significance is more than what meets the eye. The Magellan’s cross marks the beginning of a huge part of who we are today and what we most Filipinos believe in from our ancestors till this very day which is Christianity.
From the earliest time of our history in the Philippines, our ancestors also have had their own beliefs and anitos and santos that they worshipped before. Some of these beliefs are still being practiced and are taught to some of the native and even simple Filipinos. All of these were somehow changed by the time Magellan and his crew influenced Rajah Humabon and his followers Christianity. Their beliefs altered differently from their own. This was the first step Las Islas Filipinas took into embracing Christianity as our very religion. We can clearly see that Christianity affected our country and the Filipinos greatly. It has affected our ethics, how we act, speak, and on our way of thinking. We conclude decide and mostly consider things incorporating Christianity. It has protected us from many bad influences from the others such as being liberated. But it has also kept us from considering other possibilities and having an open mind. A long time has passed after the planting of the cross and a lot may have changed but there are still some things that have stayed among every Filipino, it’s the sense of having faith whatever our beliefs may be even though it differs from the others.
The cross mainly symbolizes Christianity. But this cross symbolizes more it represents unity, faith, history, friendship, and salvation. This cross reminds us that though there may be huge differences among Christians and Muslims we are still from the same race: Filipinos. It tells us though our religion may be called differently still we worship the same God. The cross reminds us that we don’t have to see it to believe it. Having faith boosts our confidence. The cross also serves as a reminder of how it all began, we all have to look back to know who we truly are. The cross also served as a gift from the Spaniards having an interest in making acquaintance with the natives. The most important thing that the cross reminds us is about our religion and how our saviour saved us from our own sins. It prompts us the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us and how great the love of God is for giving his only begotten son just to save us all.
The Magellan’s cross has been renovated over and over to prevent from any damages that may harm on the cross that has been preserved over the years. It was April 21, 1521 when the cross first stood on the very site it still stands after 490 and a half years. There is every bit of importance on the rise of the Magellan’s Cross and it still rises as it serves its purpose and a reminder for everybody.
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