One of the most famous landmarks in Bohol, Philippines is the Sandugo site, also known as the Blood Compact site. It happened in March 1565. It is where the Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Bohol tribe leader Datu Sikatuna made a pact of friendship by cutting their left arm with a dagger, mixing both their blood in wine, and drinking it.
It is said to be the very “first international treaty of friendship between two people of different races”. This event is important in the history of the Philippines because it marked the first time that Spain successfully established a settlement in the country. Spain had sent five other expeditions before this, and all failed. The most well-known explorer in the Philippines is Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan (serving under the Spanish crown), the first to successfully circumnavigate the Earth (reaching Asia by sailing West). However, he died before he reached his goal, the Spice Islands of Indonesia (a country away). He died in battle in Mactan, Cebu.
Okay, enough of the history lesson. Just look at the pics! 🙂
Gim is so silly, pretending he’s one of the Spaniards! Hehehe. I think he looks more like Datu Sikatuna. Hehehehe.
Afterwards, we visited the oldest Church in Bohol, Baclayon Church. It is the second oldest stone Church in the Philippines, and was built in 1595.
It is extremely large, one of the biggest Churches I have seen, and very very beautiful.
Inside the Church, you almost pretend you’re living in the 16th century. In those days, the officiating priest would not sermon at the altar, he would pray on the balcony, above the people. This is because, back then, the priest did not preach to or engage with the crowd in prayer. He would pray by himself, and the people were there merely to join him in his prayer.
Nowadays, of course, prayer is communion. So the priest stands at level with the people, on the altar. And he prays with the people as the people pray with him.
More pictures of the beautiful Church…
And here’s a photo I particularly like, Gim standing in front of the altar, while the rays of the sun, filtered through the colored glass panes, paints the floor.
Baclayon Church also hosts a museum, but we weren’t allowed to take photos inside so I just have this one stolen shot from the balcony of the museum.
Here I am below the church tower. Gim likes to experiment with angles. I like to model. Hehe.
We encountered another old stone church along the way and stopped to take some pictures. I don’t know what the name of the Church was, just that I liked how it looked, with all the columns and old stone. I don’t think it was famous, though, because it was very quiet and isolated.
More of the beautiful columns and arches.
That’s it, one last post on Bohol next week, abangan… 🙂
Read the other Bohol posts…
Bohol Tour Part IV: Hinagdanan Cave
Bohol Tour Part V: Panglao Island Beach Resort
Bohol Tour Part VI: Philippine Tarsiers
Bohol Tour Part VIII: Snakes and Flying Lemurs
cool! I missed our stay in Bohol…went to that church too:) very amazing piece of history!
Wow is this in Philliphines!?!? 😀 I will put it in my travel list…
The good thing is that spanish language is still spoken right ? so I wont have language problems ( i am Mexican)
See ya!
It’s chavacano actually. sort of broken spanish. and even then only in certain parts like zamboanga city and cavite. but it’s mostly zamboanguenos (like us!) who speak chavacano. you’d be better off speaking english.hehehe. ;P
BlogNow101, we went on a weekday and still it was crowded with tourists… it really is that inspiring.
Gaolga, nope, nobody speaks Spanish anymore, what a shame, it’s a beautiful language. Like Gim said, the closest language to Spanish here is Chavacano, but it’s only spoken in Zamboanga.
Gim, not even Cavite. Chavacano is a dead language there. It lives only in Zamboanga (poreso cuida ta!).
Beautiful church and country! The weather looks hot? I am from NZ and I hope can visit your sunny country one day. 🙂
and we would soo love to live in yours, Mere T. saw your country featured in discovery channel and just loved it! all those rolling hills and dairy and fresh,plump mutton (i am such a carnivore). yum! ;P
Nice pictures. We were there too two years ago.
Mere T, yes it’s quite warm. We’re near the equator, so if you come visit, wear as little as possible, haha.
Tom, did you enjoy it? 🙂
I am sure this will work out fine
how old are these?