Wednesday, July 02, 2008 Spanish friar receives honor
AN Augustinian friar who was instrumental in the conversion of Cebu’s natives to Christianity was honored recently.
City of Ordizia, Spain Mayor Jose Miguel Santamaria Ezeiza and his entourage visited the Casa Gorordo Museum recently as part of the Cebu leg of “Urdaneta 500,” a series of events honoring the 5th centennial of the birth of Fray Andres de Urdaneta, OSA, in Ordizia.
To commemorate Urdaneta’s achievements, the city of Ordizia, headed by its mayor has initiated activities and organized commissions around the world to make people aware of the accomplishments of the priest.
The group was welcomed by Dominica Chua, the chief operating officer of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi).
Urdaneta was part of the establishment of the first Spanish settlement in Asia in present-day downtown Cebu City in 1565.
He was instrumental in the conversion of natives to Christianity.
He enforced the retention of native languages in worship and helped in the preservation of cultures in the islands. He died in Mexico City in 1568.
Expedition
At 17, Urdaneta was part of the 1525 expedition of Garcia Jofre de Loaysa, where Juan Sebastian Elcano was second in command to the Moluccas or Spice Islands. He returned to Spain in 1536 after being stranded in the Moluccas for nine years.
In 1565, he joined the expedition of Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi armed with the knowledge from the voyages of Loaysa and Saavedra that the true return route was north of Westerlies.
Known as Tornavieaje or Urdaneta’s route, this was used for the next 250 years for the Manila-Acapulco trade. This route was used by traders to carry Asian goods and its culture to the Americas and the rest of the world. Thus, Urdaneta is considered as one of the pioneers of globalization.
President Arroyo has proclaimed the recognition of Urdaneta’s 5th centennial celebration through Presidential Proclamation 1423 released on Nov. 29, 2007.
