The legacy of Fray Andres de Urdaneta

MANILA, Philippines - Ferdinand Magellan may have planted the first cross on Philippine soil, but it was a humble, seldom-mentioned Augustinian priest who planted the seeds that allowed Christianity to spread and remain strong in the country for over 400 years.

Fray Andres Urdaneta has been described as a maritime navigator, a sailor, an astronomer, a scientist, cosmographer, diplomat, patriot, humanist and missionary. He accomplished many navigational feats during his travels, but most significant was his discovery of the “tornaviaje” or the return route from the Philippines to Mexico which marked the beginning of the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade.

The extensive commerce gave way also to cultural exchange, and became a vehicle as well for religious missions. It was said that, traveling to the Philippines in 1565, Urdaneta, along with his friend Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, found the image of the Santo Niño in Cebu that was given by Magellan to the wife of King Humabon, and considered this a providential sign from God that Christianity should be propagated in the country.

Today the people of the Philippines and of Ordizia, the birthplace of Urdaneta in Spain, pay tribute to Fray Andres Urdaneta on the fifth centennial of his birth with the organization of the Ordizia Commission of Urdaneta 500 in 2005 and the Urdaneta 500 Philippine Commission in 2008.

An exhibit titled “Adventurous Journey of Fray Andres Urdaneta, OSA,” ongoing at the San Agustin Museum in Intramuros, Manila, highlights Urdaneta’s travels from his birthplace in Ordizia in the basque country of Spain to the Moluccas Islands in Indonesia and to other Asian countries.

Fr. Pedro Galende, OSA, president of the Philippine Commission as well as director of the San Agustin Museum, points to Urdaneta’s “expert knowledge of the winds and currents” as an important factor in his travels. Many voyagers before him tried but it was only Urdaneta who was able to chart a safe return route for the galleons. And by doing so, Fr. Galende says, he became “responsible for the inclusion of the Philippines in the map of the world.”

The exhibit, designed in the likeness of the Nao San Pedro — the ship that Urdaneta sailed in during the return voyage from Cebu to Mexico, has on display relics and artifacts as well as major products that were traded at the time — gold, ivory, silk, pottery, beans and spices. There are also authentic nautical instruments that were actually used in the ships like anchors and cannons, and mini replicas of the galleons.

A large reproduction of an old world map shows the routes that Urdaneta and his predecessors had taken on their expeditions. Also on display are a statue of Urdaneta and photographs of the well-known voyagers of his time, some of whom he had traveled with, such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Ferdinand Magellan, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, Jofre Garcia de Loaysa, Juan Sebastian Elcano, and Alvaro Saavedra Ceron.

One of the notable items in the exhibit is the replica of the Sto. Niño of Cebu. This image, says Fr. Galende, is actually the one that has been going around the country for years, since the original always stays in Cebu.

The celebration of Urdaneta’s life also includes the inauguration of his monument in Urdaneta City, and the launching of the English translation of the book Urdaneta and His Times by Jose Ramon de Miguel. Being a maritime science specialist himself, De Miguel is able to capture with scientific accuracy the details of Urdaneta’s journey, and even the wisdom of the man’s navigational decisions.

Don Jose Miguel Santamaria Ezeiza, mayor of Ordizia, in his introduction to the book wrote of Urdaneta: “In him, we observe sentiments and anxieties many of us can identify with 500 years after his time. He maintained a welcoming attitude toward his adopted country, and insisted on respecting the life and culture of the naives of the lands on which he set foot.”

The exhibit is ongoing at the Sala de la Capitulacion of the San Agustin Museum, San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila. It is open daily from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. For information, call 527-4060, 526-6793, or 526-6794.