Title: Planting of the First Cross (1965)
Artist: Vicente Manansala
Material or Medium: Oil on canvas



The painting marks a significant event in Philippine history. It shows the birth of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. It was on March 31,1521 when the first Catholic Mass was held in the Philippines. On the same say, Ferdinand Magellan ordered that his men plant a cross.

During those times, the church was involved with the government's activities. They often have the power to influence the government's actions. It is possible that they even held more power than some of the officials themselves. The church was a very powerful entity in the past. The masses would follow them because of their beliefs. When Catholicism was established, the people would start following what the priests would say because they were the leaders of the church and they knew better.

When Magellan's group arrived, he established friendly relations with some of the local leaders, the datus. Some of the people converted to Catholicism, marking its start in the Philippines. It would become the most common religion in the Philippines because of the length of the Spanish occupation. However, there were people who went against Magellan. Lapu-Lapu was the ruler of Mactan. He fought against Magellan on April 27, 1521, where Magellan was killed and they won.