Where To Bike Next? | Meyto Shrine – Bulacan’s Cradle of Christianity
A few kilometers from the Pampanga River lies the quiet and long forgotten Meyto Shrine of Calumpit, Bulacan.
This Barangay has a an odd looking shrine similar to that of the Magellan’s Cross in Cebu, but even Bulakenyos themselves don’t even know it is there and why that place exists in the first place.
As it turns out, this 448 year old shrine happens to be the cradle of Christianity in Bulacan and its surrounding provinces.
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500 Years of Christianity
Philippines is the third largest Catholic country in the world. As of 2019, 93% of the population are adherents, taking the top spots are Brazil and Mexico. In addition, the year 2021 marks the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines.
44 years after the Battle of Mactan in 1521 (in which Rapper EZ Mil allegedly said Lapu-Lapu was killed), Miguel Lopez De Legazpi was successful in introducing Christianity by 1565 and colonization in the Philippines took place.
In 1572, in their quest to further colonize the island of Luzon, Spain sent an Augustinian Friar and Vicar named Fr. Diego Vivar Ordonez under the orders of Fray Martin De Rada. He first set foot in Barrio Meyto in Calumpit Bulacan and held the first ever mass in the province. They planted a wooden cross along the riverbanks of Meyto to symbolize the baptism of the land.
The natives of Barrio Meyto were the first generation Christians in the province and the faith began to extend its reach throughout Bulacan. Moreover, the first chapel and convent was built in the area before it was transferred to Panducot, the next barangay.
In 1575 the chapel was then transferred again to Poblacion in Calumpit where the present day St. John the Baptist Parish Church stands, recognized as the first site of evangelization in Northern Luzon.
Long Forgotten
The place where the first mass and chapel was established, now serves as a historical mark to recognize its role in our history.
Meyto Shrine was built in 1994 to commemorate the 448 years of this forgotten piece of history in Calumpit.
The shrine is built with reference to the Magellan’s Cross in Cebu. The octagonal gazebo made with bricks and metal roofing is adorned at the center by a wooden cross on top of a concrete pedestal.
How To Get There
- Meyto Shrine is located in Brgy. Meyto, Calumpit, Bulacan
- From Mcarthur Highway, the Meyto Shrine is 6.2 kilometers away passing through the Barangays of Balungao, Calizon, Bulusan and Santa Lucia
Updated April 12, 2021
