CEBU CITY the Queen City of the South , is the Philippines important cultural center . The city's most famous landmark is Magellan's Cross.
On April 7,1521 , Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah Humabon ,who, together with his wife and about 800 natives, were baptized by the Spaniards on April 14,1521 and are considered to be the first Filipino Catholics. Magellan, however, failed to successfully claim the Philippines for the crown of Spain, having been slain in neighboring Mactan Island on April 27,1521 by the chieftain Lapu- Lapu.
Cebu City is also host to the popular Sinulog Festival , held every third Sunday of January in honor of Santo Niño, the "Holy Child". The Sinulog is a dance ritual of pre-Spanish origin. The dancer moves two steps forward and one step backward to the rhythmic sound of drums. This movement resembles somewhat the current (sulog) of the river. Thus, the Cebuanos called it Sinulog. The dance was meant to honor the anitos (spirits of descendants).
|
Hotels in Philippines
