The Magellan’s Cross

Perhaps the most synonymous name with Cebu, the Magellan’s Cross was planted by Protugues explorers on April 14, 1521 as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan to mark the spot where the first Christian Filipinos, Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana were baptized by Fr. Perdro Valderama, Magellan’s Chaplain.

The cross is housed in a Spanish kiosk that was built in 1834 next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street, just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. The present day cross, located in the very center of the kiosk, actually is the outer casing made of tindalo wood (bayong), built around the original cross made from bonglas ( a specie of narra).

The outer hollow casing is said to protect the original cross from the habit of the natives to chip off pieces of the cross from which they attributed great powers.