By Nino Luces
MAGALLANES, Sorsogon - At least 20,000 pilgrims and tourists flocked to the Gibalon Shrine in this town on Saturday for the 450th anniversary of First Mass in Luzon.
Pilgrims gather in the newly renovated 'Galleon look-alike' hall to attend the mass presided by Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Gabrielle Giordano Caccia as the province of Sorsogon commemorates the 450th anniversary of First Mass in Luzon. (Photo via Nino Luces / MANILA BULLETIN)
Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Gabrielle Giordano Caccia led the concelebrated mass assisted by two secretaries of the nuncio, Sorsogon Bishop Arturo M. Bastes, Catanduanes Bishop Manolo A. De Los Santos, Masbate Bishop Jose Bantolo, and Fr. Andrew Rivera, provincial head of the Augustinian Order and Sorsogon Clergies.
Ambassador of Spain Jorge Moragas Sanchez and Sorsogon Gov. Francis "Chiz" Escudero attended the mass, the main event of this year’s Kasanggayahan Festival.
In his speech, Escudero lauded the Spaniards for bringing the Christian faith to Sorsogon.
"When Fray Alonzo visited the Philippines 450 years ago, at that time, the crown and the cross were not the same. There was no separation of Church and the State. Today as we celebrate the 450th commemoration of the first Mass in the island of Luzon, commencing the beginning of Christianization, once again, the cross and the church are one,” Escudero said.
The event was also highlighted with the procession of patron saints from the parishes of Sorsogon from Sorsogon State College (SSC) - Magallanes Campus to Sitio Gibalon.
It was followed by the unveiling and blessing of the historical marker showing the birth of Christianity in the island of Luzon.
Bicolano historian Dr. Danilo M. Gerona said the birth of Christianity in Luzon started in Magallanes town, based from historical accounts found in Spain.
Geronoa said Fray Alonzo Jimenez was said to have converted a native chieftain of Gibalon after which the chieftain died. After four days the chieftain was revived and he narrated his journey to the other world.
The chieftain he was summoned back to accomplish his mission: To encourage the natives of Gibalon to accept the faith.
The people of Magallanes and Gibalon were converted, and after six months, the chieftain died, his mission accomplished.
Gerona said the account comes from a documented sworn statement of a Spanish colonial official who was stationed in the village of Gibalon. “This is an inconvertible truth that Fray Alonzo Jimenez was here and converted the natives of Gibalon. For this, there's a great reason for us to celebrate this event," Gerona said.
In a book he wrote, Rev. Fr. Isidoro D. Dino, Ph.D., pointed out that Bicol was the first place in Luzon to receive the new Code of Morals from Spanish missionaries.
He said it was in the barrio of Hibal-ong, at the southern tip of Bicol, where the first Christians were baptized by Fray Jimenez.
Hibal-ong is the site of modern-day Sitio Gibalon.
Fr. Dino said it was in Hibal-ong where Captain Luiz Enriquez de Guzman – a Spanish conquistador sent by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who was in Panay at that time – and Fray Jimenez put up a temporary chapel on the banks of Ginangra River and held the first mass on the island.
“This, indeed, is of historical importance marking the beginning of Christianization in Southern Bicol. The Bicol peninsula had become a part of the Kingdom of Christ before Manila became Christianized. In his writings, Fray Felix Huertas described the place of Hibal-ong as located between 12 degrees north latitude, and between 113 and 114 degrees east longitude, or 77 miles north of Otavi in Bulan town, Sorsogon,” Dino wrote.