Magellan's Cross (Cebu City, Philippines)

After Taoist Temple and its 81 steps (http://joneeacedilla.blogspot.com/2013/04/taoist-temple-cebu-city-philippines.html), we had our good lunch and went to Magellan's Cross.

This is Magellan's Cross.

Magellan's Cross is located at the heart of Cebu City and just beside Basilica Minore del Santo Nino. This cross was planted at around year 1521 when Magellan, a Portuguese national landed on Cebu.

Ferdinand Magellan was born in Portugal in 1480 and he was a Portuguese explorer who proved in Portugal that the Earth was not flat instead it's round.

The Spaniards at that same time was looking for Spice Island. And Magellan believed that the Spice Island could be reached through sailing the west part of the world.

 Magellan's Cross

At the ceiling is a painting of how Magellan and the Spanish people planted the cross.

During 1518, Spanish people especifically Charles I engaged in funding Magellan's exploration for Spice Island giving him 270 men including the ships; Concepcion, San Antonio, Santiago, Trinidad and Victoria. Magellan was in the ship Victoria. But, in lieu of these, the Spanish should be of total control for the whole duration of Magellan's voyage. This was after the king of Portugal rejected his proposal for circumnavigating of the earth.

 Behind me is Magellan's Cross.

My second time here..

In 1521, Magellan thought that the island he landed was Spice Island, however he was in the Philippines. He befriend Rajah Humabon, a chieftain of Cebu during that time. He was then persuaded to join them in killing the chieftain's enemy Lapu-Lapu.

However, joining in that kind of situation led Magellan into his unfortunate death. He was killed by Lapu - Lapu. And he didn't finish his voyage.

Lapu Lapu was the ruler of Mactan, part of Visayas where Cebu lies. He was the FIRST man who was known to have resisted the Spanish colonization. He was actually the first native Filipino hero. He was made the first Filipino hero for he defeated the Portuguese Magellan during the BATTLE OF MACTAN.

Outside Magellan's Cross.

Although Magellan's voyage wasn't finish, there were so many credits given to him after his death like first person who circumnavigated the Earth, discovered the Pacific Ocean, known for Magellan's Strait and South America's Tierra del Fuego.

This isn't the original cross that Magellan placed here. It is only a replica. Some locals said that the cross vanished when Magellan died. Some said that the real cross was kept because there were several people who would come and cut of a piece of wood out of the cross and take it with them. Whatever happened to the real cross, this very site marks a very special reason why Cebu is already known around the world and how Filipinos survived the Battle of Mactan. Thanks to Lapu Lapu!

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