Cebu sights
Magellan's Cross
A wooden cross planted on the orders of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 to mark the first Christian baptism in the Philippines, now housed in a small domed chapel in the heart of Cebu City. The founding symbol of Philippine Christianity.
About
Magellan's Cross is the symbolic birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines. When the explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu in 1521, he had a wooden cross planted to mark the baptism of Rajah Humabon, his wife, and hundreds of their followers — the first conversions in what would become Asia's largest Catholic nation. The cross stands today inside a small open chapel, or kiosk, near the City Hall, its ceiling painted with a mural of that first baptism. The original is said to be encased within the hollow tindalo-wood cross on display, after devotees began chipping away pieces believed to have miraculous powers. It is free to visit and takes only a few minutes, but as the origin point of a faith that shapes daily Filipino life, it carries enormous significance — and it sits right beside the Basilica del Santo Niño, so the two are always seen together.
Good to know
Opening hours and entry fees vary by season — check before you visit.