WHEREAS, Christianity was first brought to the Philippines in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed on the small island of Limasawa in Cebu and planted a cross, making Cebu the cradle of Christianity in the Philippines; and
WHEREAS, On March 31, 1521, the first Mass in the Philippines was celebrated by Father Pedro de Valderrama, chaplain of the expedition. Several weeks later Raja Humabron, Raja of Cebu, was converted, and took the baptismal name Carlos, after the Spanish King; and
WHEREAS, The 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines (500 YOC) is a quincentennial observed in the Philippines and commemorates the Magellan expedition stopover in the islands in 1521 that introduced Christianity to the islands; and
WHEREAS, The Philippines has the third largest Catholic population in the world; and
WHEREAS, On September 18, 2019, the Catholic Bishop’ Conference of the Philippines adopted the event’s theme, “Gifted to Give,” from the gospel of Matthew; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s local celebration is coordinated by the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and the Filipino in America Today (FIAT) Prayer Groups under the direction of chaplain and spiritual director Reverend Efren V. Esmilla; and
WHEREAS, The 500 YOC Mass in Philadelphia Celebration will be offered by Archbishop Nelson Perez at the Saint Martin of Tours Parish Church on March 26, 2022 at 4 p.m. The local celebration was delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All are welcome at the Mass and reception to follow in the Parish Hall; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphians of all ethnic origins take pride in our City’s Filipino heritage and history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby the recognizes and commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines with the theme “Gifted to Give”; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Filipino in America Today further evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
End