History Spiritual Rebirth

During the Spanish Golden Age, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan achieved the first European navigation to Asia via the Pacific, arriving in the Philippines in 1521 and claiming the islands for Spain. But by converting the first Filipinos to Catholicism, Magellan also instigated the Christianisation of the entire archipelago, a spiritual rebirth celebrated through the two most important festivals in the Philippines - Fiesta Señor and Sinulog.

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On September 20, 1519, a fleet of five ships and 270 men commanded by Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Sanlúcar de Barrameda in Spain to find Indonesia's fabled "spice islands". A little over a year later, Magellan arrived at the strait separating mainland South America to the north and the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego to the south. It was this sea route - later known as the Strait of Magellan that would take him to the Pacific Ocean.

After 38 days navigating the treacherous strait, Magellan finally sighted ocean. It would take only a further 99 days to accomplish the westward crossing of the ocean waters so curiously calm that it was named "Pacific", from the Latin pacificus, meaning "tranquil". The Portuguese navigator had become the first European explorer to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic, but little did he realise that his life would soon end in the sprawling archipelago that would later be named after King Philip II of Spain.

When Magellan reached the Philippines on March 17, 1521, he quickly saw an opportunity to place the hospitable indigenous people under the authority of the Spanish king - and convert them to Catholicism. Cebu became the base of Magellan's exploration and conquests, with the local ruler, Rajah Humabon, giving him a warm reception and embracing Christianity. A month after Magellan's arrival, Humabon was christened Carlos Valderrama in honour of King Charles I of Spain, while his chief consort, Hara Humamay, was given the name Juana, after Charles' mother, Joanna of Castile. After her baptism, Queen Juana was presented with an image of the Child Jesus - Santo Niño - as a gesture of goodwill for accepting her new faith.