Pope Francis leads the global celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in Cebu and the Philippines with a mass at the Vatican this Sunday, March 14, 2021.
In a show of solidarity with the largest Catholic nation in Asia, the Pope will preside over the Quincentennial Mass at 5 p.m. Philippine time (10 a.m. in Rome). Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will concelebrate the mass with Pope Francis.
The global celebration also marks 500 years since Ferdinand Magellan's expedition arrived in Cebu and colonized it for Spain. But Magellan was killed by Lapulapu and the Oponganons when the Spaniards attacked the neighboring island of Mactan.
After the mass, Pope Francis will proceed to St. Peter's Basicilia for the angelus and blessing at noon on the same day (around 7 p.m. Philippine time).
