Magellan's Arrival in the Philippines: Spreading Christianity

Ferdinand Magellan introduce the Christianity in the Philippines and the most reliable and important primary sources of this is Antonio Pigafetta's travelogue. In Christianity in the Philippines Essay this situation will be discussed. 

Pigafetta was a Venetian scholar and explorer who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan's expedition. As what stated in Pigafetta's travelogue, on the day of March 31st, which happened to be Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered the chaplain to conduct the first mass in Philippines by the shore. Raia Calambu and Raia Siagu both kings participated in the mass, kneeling and adoring our Lord with joined hands during the elevation of the body of our Lord. After the mass, then the cross, nails and crown brought together. The cross was planted in the place where Magellan can reach and the king allowed it because as what Magellan explained to them that once other Spaniards saw this cross, then they would know that they had been in this land and would not cause them troubles.

In reading Pigafetta's statement about Magellan that spoke before the people of Cebu about God. Many people took pleasure to the speech of Magellan. Pigafetta also reported that people were convinced when Magellan preached about their faith. It is really important that people will become Christians through their free will. As what Pigafetta wrote, seeing those men that were overjoyed because they were not forced or intimidated to become Christian shows their freedom of action and moral responsibility. Magellan encourages the king and principal men of the islands to burn all of the idols and worship the Lord instead. They obey what Magellan told them and after eight days, inhabitant were already baptized. Santo Nino de Cebu was the gift from Ferdinand Magellan to the king of Cebu and his wife at baptismal. It is now the oldest relic in the Philippines. When Magellan commanded that all newly baptized Christians need to burn their idols, there are some who make excuses but Magellan insisted that they should instead put their faith in Jesus Christ. After baptizing the sick man, miracle happened. The man was able to speak again.

To conclude, It was only later in the 16th century that the voyages of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) first brought Catholicism to the archipelago, originally named St. Lazarus' Islands by Spanish explorer, but later changed to the present name in honor of Philip II of Spain who reigned from 1556-1598. Commissioned by King of Spain, Magellan arrived on Homonhon Island on March 18, 1521, claiming lands in the name of Spain after months navigating through what is now known as the Strait of Magellan at the southern part of Chile and Argentina. At Homonhon, Magellan and his crew made first contact with the inhabitants who offered the foreign visitors provisions to help them regain their strength. This seemed to replenish their desire to push westward to the original destination of their Homeric voyage to the Spice Islands, an Indonesian archipelago in the Banda Sea where cloves, nutmeg, and cloves originated. As Pigafetta counted, all of the people in the islands were already baptized through the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan.